How to use the new social networks effectively as a creative

In the past year, we've seen many creatives moving from long-established social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to emerging networks such as BlueSky and Threads. And with TikTok's US fate also in the balance, there's never been a better time to look at all of those Twitter alternatives.

If you've been checking out those other platforms, you'll notice that on a lot of these accounts, there's not much activity. It feels a little like the start of a school dance, when nervous tweens sit on either side of the dancefloor, waiting for someone to make a move.

So is it worth trying out these new platforms, and what's the best way to make use of them? I spoke to a range of creative professionals on BlueSky and Threads to find out.

Starting afresh

First, let's take a step back and see how we got here.

Social media has been changing for creatives for a long time, but 2023 was the year that everything came to a head. Facebook and Instagam had been choking off traffic to anyone who didn't have the time to spend producing shortform videos. Changes at Twitter under Elon Musk had also upset a lot of people.

So the launch of both 'decentralised' Twitter-clone BlueSky and Meta's own version, Threads, seem to offer a return to "the good old days" of social media. But for many, it hasn't quite been the fairytale ending they hoped for.

UX designer Becky Colley tells a typical story. "The reason BlueSky appealed to me was its popularity with my existing contacts," she recalls. "I enjoyed following those people on Twitter and wanted to continue hearing their thoughts. But despite user numbers on BlueSky rocketing recently, a lot of my contacts aren’t very active. I’d love to see more people posting.”

Design educator Nigel Ball feels the same about Threads. "The design and education communities aren’t using it as much as I hoped they would," he says. "I'm increasingly only logging in to see the posts of one or two people."

In short, many people haven't moved on from signing up to posting regularly. That's the position Nathalie Crease, head of marketing at Fiasco Design, is in right now. "Every time a new platform pops up, I rush to register Fiasco so we can claim a good handle. But I can’t say I’m fully on board yet with any of the Twitter alternatives. Maybe I feel a bit war weary!"

The fragmentation of the landscape, in particular, is frustrating a lot of creatives. “In the old days, everyone was on one platform," points out illustrator Stanley Chow. "Now you’re dividing your time between three. It’s exhausting. It’s like going out to the local pub on a Friday night to see your mates, but then two new bars have opened down the road. To see all your friends in one evening, you have to go to all three bars!"

Illustrator and designer Lisa Maltby is among those who are just exhausted by it all. "I’ve felt very disheartened with social media, and definitely miss the core community I once found online," she says. "It feels like starting from scratch each time, and then the inevitable information overload."

Understanding Threads

Will this resolve itself over time, as more people shift over? Maybe. But how can you make the best of BlueSky and Threads right now? Caitlin Jardine, social media manager at Ellis Digital, believes it starts with an understanding that platforms don't all work in the same way. "While Threads and BlueSky may share some similarities with X, they’re entirely new platforms with their own unique features and style," she points out.

In that light, you need to consider the way engagement works on these newer platforms, and just how different they are. "Threads focuses on the opportunity for conversations that can be carried out in real time," Caitlin explains. "Rather than simply re-tweets of other users on the platform, or the kind of ‘meme’ style content that's widely seen on X, it’s designed to encourage dialogue in a more relaxed and personal way."

While X has long been known as a platform for breaking news, viral moments and large scale public discussions, Threads is designed for more informal storytelling, and encourages creators to connect directly with their community.

Post by @stan_chow

View on Threads

"All of this can be achieved by posting open end questions, sharing thought provoking ideas and concepts, as well as making a conscious effort to engage and respond to other content," says Caitlin. "By doing so, you'll effectively be able to engage followers with your content and see success on the platform."

Understanding BlueSky

BlueSky, meanwhile, is different again. "This platform champions smaller, community interactions, which is why it may feel at times that engagement isn’t great," says Caitlin. "But it's important to remember that this is because it is more intimate.

"BlueSky is less about passively consuming content and more about building relationships with other platform users through interaction," she clarifies. "So engaging in relevant conversation or in joining active discussions, will allow you to make the most out of what BlueSky has to offer."

That's pretty much what Nigel has found after decamping from Threads to BlueSky at the end of 2024. "It immediately felt more like Twitter of old," he enthuses. "There were active communities there already that are useful for my academic and creative research interests, with starter packs and multiple hashtags making it easy to find those you want to connect with. It appears to have networking hardwired in to its design from the outset, and that neither Musk nor Zuckerberg have a hand in it is a huge bonus."

Nowadays, Stanley is also favouring BlueSky over Threads. "My main interest outside art is Manchester United," he says. "On BlueSky, I definitely feel I’ve acquired a lot of new followers because of United and my association with the football club."

His advice? "Post as much of your work as regularly as possible and engage with as many other people as you can who you find interesting," he says. "That's not necessarily other designers, as other designers won’t necessarily get you work. And don’t worry or take offence if no one replies back."

Content and connections

In short, making the best use of new social media platforms is about approaching content thoughtfully, rather than recycling what may work on Facebook, Instagram or X on other platforms.

"Each network has its unique purposes and features that sets them apart from the others," explain Caitlin. "To take one example, thoughtful and relatable content tends to perform better on Threads and BlueSky, over generic updates that seem less authentic and meaningful. The difference between this, and what we're used to seeing on X, is the ability to build connections on the platforms rather than just forming an opinion, carried out through commenting, replying, and showing genuine interest in others’ posts."

If you're looking for virality and mass reaction on these new platforms, you might not be in right place. "They seem to slower paced and exposure may less instant," she says. "But if your goal is to build meaningful relationships or establish influence within a growing community, Threads and BlueSky offer the ideal opportunity."

Post by @brad_frost

View on Threads

Brad Frost, design system consultant, speaker and author of Atomic Design, tells a similar story, having tried not two but three new social networks: BlueSky, Threads and the decentralised, open-source Mastodon.

"I feel like each network has its own vibe, and I've been enjoying them for different reasons," he says. "Mastodon very much has the tech vibe: there's a lot of good in-the-weeds discussion but not a ton of jokes and chuckles. Threads is the opposite: it has some great meme-y content and great for humour, but is not terribly good for practical/work-related stuff.

"BlueSky feels like a pretty good blend," he continues. "I feel it's done the best at capturing the all-encompassing nature that was Twitter. As I said in this post, Twitter was high-brow, low-brow, and everything in between. To me, BlueSky currently embodies that spirit the best out of all of this new generation."

Whichever platform you choose, though, Brad recommends "just showing up and being your authentic self. We've all now been around long enough to see platforms come and go, so don't get too married to any one of them. No matter where you are, there you go. Notice which places are easy or hard to be yourself. It's a good time to kick the tyres and see if there's a place you feel comfortable."

Time to act

So what are you waiting for? “Just post, like, reply!" urges Becky. "If we aren’t using a platform, there’s no reason for others to join or be active, so we can’t create a community. Right now, it can feel like you’re speaking to no one, but I’m confident BlueSky is a good alternative for those leaving Twitter.”

Illustrator and UI designer Ollie Hoff agrees. "It’s been really nice over there and it’s been great to see so many people join," he enthuses. "BlueSky is still in need of a bunch of features but it seems the devs are constantly taking on feedback and improving it. I think after Meta’s horrible abandonment of fact checking, social media sites like BlueSky are going to be more important then ever."

Finally, Nathalie adds that marketing is multi-channelled and social media isn’t the be-all and end-all. "So don’t pump all your time and money on one social media platform, run by one man," she stresses. "Diversify your efforts across many channels, and make sure to also invest in those you have more control over, like newsletters. Our weekly newsletter, From the Studio, has been going for nearly eight years now and has accumulated a loyal following over the years that I’m very grateful for."