Build a Social Media App Like BlueSky: 6 Simple Steps

Seeing X (Twitter) facing regulation issues and friction from users with conflicting political interests, many businesses are looking to capitalize on this opportunity by aiming to build a social media app like BlueSky. Is your business one of them yet?

Audiences are getting more aware and opinionated. This is why social media apps must walk a fine line between users of conflicting interests. Moreover, they also have to ensure data privacy and comply with the local regulations wherever they operate.

X (Twitter) has had issues with everything mentioned above. Moreover, due to the political involvement and opinions of their current owner, millions of users left the platform, and as an alternative, they chose the BlueSky app.

Since the past few weeks, the user growth on this new social media app has been mind-boggling. 

Why? Well, users prefer platforms that not only respect their preferences, backgrounds, and values but also ensure data privacy and compliance. They also love trying out social media apps that bring something new to the table.

This is why now is the perfect time to build a social media app like BlueSky, and in this blog, we’ll guide you through all the steps and costs involved.

Read More: How Much Does it Cost to Create an App

What is BlueSky?

Since X (Twitter) is having issues aligning itself with government regulations and facing friction due to Elon Musk’s involvement in the recent US elections, BlueSky is emerging as an alternative that aims to provide a similar experience with better privacy features.

But what is BlueSky?

Well, it is a new decentralized social media platform making waves as a potential rival to apps like Instagram Threads and X (Twitter). Its explosive growth stems from a user-first approach enabled by advanced technologies.

At its core, the BlueSky app operates very differently than familiar social networks like Instagram Threads or X (Twitter). It embraces decentralization rather than centralized control for better privacy.

On decentralized apps, regular individuals regain control instead of following restrictive, unclear rules.

Since launching, the impact this new social media platform has had is simply incredible:

• At the time this blog was published, the BlueSky app was gaining 5-10 users every second, amounting to over 25 million users worldwide.
• Just 2 weeks after Election Day 2024, the Bluesky app has gained more than 19 million users.

It shows just how astronomical the demand for unique, alternative social media platforms is. Tapping into this market can accelerate your most ambitious business milestones.

So, before discussing how you can build a social media app like BlueSky, let’s discuss the groundbreaking features of this platform.

Top Features of the BlueSky App

BlueSky stands out in the social media world by giving users unmatched control over their experiences via personalized feeds, granular moderation, and enhanced privacy protections. These features drive user empowerment and engagement through cutting-edge decentralization.

Customizable Feeds Reflect Unique Interests

The core of any social app lies in its feed. The BlueSky app lets users fully customize what content they see based on their niche interests, not a broad one-size-fits-all feed. Here are the feed personalization options available on this social media app:

• Narrowcast Topics

Follow niche subjects like finance, tech, health, and more for relevant updates. Browse posts you really care about.

• People-Centric Feeds

Build feeds around friends or influential voices rather than all followers. Stay connected with your real-world social circle.

• Media Type Filtering

View only text, video, long-form posts, or other categories tailored to personal preferences. Consume information how you want.

• Moderation Granularity

Control the level of filtering applied to weed out unwanted posts. Apply custom criteria to filter out posts that may go against your interests.

• Algorithmic or Chronological

Choose either AI-curated feeds based on engagement signals or strictly chronological updates. Avoid opaque algorithms.

This degree of customization means no two users have the same BlueSky experience.

Nuanced Content Moderation Controls

In addition, to feed personalization, BlueSky users dictate what content they see and don’t see via extensive filtering capabilities covering various parameters like keywords, topics, media types, specific accounts, and more. This puts users back in the driver’s seat of their social experience.

Platform-level bans penalizing all users are avoided in favor of empowering people to shape their digital environment. Unwanted material is removed without limiting freedom of expression and speech on a broader scale.

Audience Selector

BlueSky provides configurable privacy settings with precise audience targeting options when authoring posts. Beyond public posts, users can decide exactly what groups–like close friends, followers, specific lists, or private channels – can access published content.

This prevents oversharing content with groups of users who may not find it valuable or misuse it. You can also narrow down the reach of your posts and life updates.

Encrypted Messaging

Private conversations occur within encrypted chat channels, ensuring messages only reach the intended recipients. End-to-end encryption prevents potential hacking and secures sensitive communications.

Whether talking one-on-one or group messaging about shared interests, users enjoy peace of mind that their conversations remain private, facilitating more personal connections.

Synchronized Cross-Platform Experience

BlueSky tightly synchronizes core experiences across web, iOS, and Android apps via cloud data syncing. You can begin drafts on one device and publish from another without missing a beat. All profiles, posts, and conversations stay seamlessly up-to-date.

This cross-platform accessibility also enables push notifications to reach users instantly no matter where they access BlueSky from – laptop, phone, or tablet. Wherever you go, the BlueSky app goes with you.

Decentralized Identity Management

By storing profile data in user-controlled wallets, privacy and control stay with the people. No more billionaires monopolizing your data and telling you what you can and can’t do. Users control their personal brand and reach.

Unlike conventional social media platforms that lock users into a confined ecosystem, the BlueSky app embraces an open social networking environment. Profiles built on blockchain travel across platforms, aiming to give individuals ownership over digital identity.

Read More: NFTs – Tangible vs. Digital Assets, Copyright, and Value

Empowered Experiences via Cutting-edge Technology

These standout features drive self-governance within social spaces – all made seamless by inventive design. Decentralized protocols distribute power away from central authorities to user nodes. Encryption and access protocols keep user data secure. BlueSky ensures your social media experience and data get controlled by you.

Now that we’ve discussed the features of this new social media platform let’s discuss the steps to build an app like BlueSky.

6 Steps to Build a Social Media App Like BlueSky

Building a social media app as robust and feature-rich as BlueSky is tricky. Partnering with a mobile app development company can help accelerate such initiatives. 

However, if you want to take control of your app-building project, here’s how you can develop a social media app like BlueSky.

Step 1: Plan the Project Vision & Core Features

To build a social media app that’s successful, you need to be patient and do thorough planning. Here are the critical components you must define from the get-go:

• Core Purpose – What user segment are you targeting? What problem is your app solving? Your app idea must answer these questions.
• Target Audiences – Define key user demographics and use cases to make informed decisions.
• Competitor Analysis – Identify market gaps your platform can uniquely fill.
• MVP Feature Scope – Prioritize must-have functionality for launch that’s achievable based on your current resources and workforce.
• Technical Architecture – High-level technology review. Decentralization requires specialized protocols.
• Milestones & Budgets – Create realistic roadmap stages matched to funding.

Step 2: Finalize UX/UI Designs

While technical credentials power the underlying platform, intuitive user experience (UX) design is what makes or breaks adoption. Users need to fall in love with your interface and find it utterly intuitive. Key activities include:

• Wireframing – Sketch key screens and workflows for common tasks.
• Prototyping – Turn static sketches into clickable mockups for interactive testing.
• Usability Testing – Gather feedback from sample users on ease of use. Pinpoint confusing areas.
• Visual Design – Make screens aesthetically appealing through branding elements like logos, fonts, and color schemes.
• Accessibility – Ensure compliance with disabilities standards in all regions you support.

Double downtime perfecting UX early on to maximize appeal and prevent rework later.

Read More: UI/UX is the Key to a Successful Customer-Centric App

Step 3: Built Robust Backend Architecture

With designs solidified, development begins by constructing the backend server infrastructure, databases, and APIs that power front-facing experiences.

• Data Modeling – Define database schema for profiles, content, metadata, etc.
• API Construction – Building blocks for feed requests, content delivery, and more.
• Decentralization Protocols – Incorporate distributed ledger tech, encryption, etc.
• DevOps Pipelines – Automate testing and deployment processes early.

The foundation must support scalability and reliability as user bases grow.

Read More: Frontend vs. Backend Development – Key Differences Explained

Step 4: Implement Local Client Experiences

With backend capabilities online, the focus shifts to bringing platform front ends to life across the web, iOS, and Android.

• Modular Development – Craft reusable interface components between code bases.
• Responsive UIs – Ensure fluid experiences on all screen sizes.
• Store Submission – Ready apps for publishing in Google Play and Apple App Store.
• Progressive Web App – Let web experiences mimic native mobile apps via advanced JavaScript.

With multi-channel access, users can enjoy your platform anywhere conveniently.

Read More: Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) – The Future of Mobile Web Apps

Step 5: Rigorously Test Quality & Performance

No amount of testing is too much when building mission-critical social infrastructure. Core evaluations include:

• Functionality – Validate all features operate without crashes across use cases.
• Usability – Confirm intuitive flows during user acceptance testing.
• Load Performance – Simulate traffic spikes and guarantee responsive experiences.
• Security – Launch penetration tests to catch vulnerabilities.

Fixing issues pre-launch prevents PR headaches later.

Read More: How to Hire a QA Automation Developer?

Step 6: Deployment & Iteration

Finally, bringing your platform to market requires:

• Gradual Launch – Roll out slowly to catch bugs.
• Monitoring – Track performance metrics, user behaviors, sentiment, and bugs.
• Quick Patching – Release updates and fixes in real time.
• New Features – Meet demands by continually adding value.

Like any startup, relentlessly gather customer feedback and iterate. Deliver the best experience that people can’t find anywhere else.

Cost to Build a Social Media App Like BlueSky

In order to make a social media app like BlueSky, you should consider the following development costs across different phases:

• Planning & Ideation – $10,000 to $15,000
• Design Process – $20,000 to $30,000
• Development & Integration – $65,000 to $125,000
• Testing & Security Audits – $15,000 to $25,000
• Deployment & Launch – $5,000 to $10,000
• Post-Launch Support/Year – $15,000+

Overall, the cost to develop a social media app like BlueSky can be between $130,000 and $330,000. Ongoing maintenance and new feature development are also quite crucial. 

Therefore, we recommend consulting a mobile app development company to get an exact estimate for your social media app project.

Read More: Steps for Social Media App Success

How Can Cubix Help Build a Social Media App Like BlueSky

With over a decade of app development expertise, Cubix has established itself as a proven innovator in building highly engaging, user-centric social platforms. Our creations in this space integrate advanced features that empower individuals and digital communities.

Goobr

Our team’s stand-out app development expertise shined when they worked on Goobr, a pioneering social network exclusively for pets and pet owners. This one-of-a-kind platform allows creating detailed pet profiles and connecting furry friends with fellow pets in their area. 

Creative elements like augmented reality filters and interactive animations make pet profiles playful and lively. At the same time, Goobr enables pet owners to exchange care tips, recommendations, and experiences through shared posts and messaging.

Social Flock

Another project where we showed our expertise in social media app development is Social Flock, a social networking app. Users cherish Social Flock for its lively community landscape, where sharing life updates and commenting on friends’ posts is easy and engaging. 

At the same time, granular permissions ensure users limit the visibility of content only to intended groups and never overshare.

These projects demonstrate Cubix’s specialized expertise in building cutting-edge social apps – from initial strategy to design to technical architecture. Our agile process combines imagination with rigorous engineering to construct platforms that captivate users while growing sustainably over time.

Final Thoughts

Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter), and Tinder won’t have much peace on the top. There will always be alternative platforms that offer something better and unique. 

If the features align with the market gaps and user demands, achieving growth like BlueSky shouldn’t come as a surprise.

So, if you have a social media app idea, great!

But if you need a trusted, seasoned team to make a social media app and scale it consistently, you’ll need an app development partner. You’ll need Cubix!

With the right partner, you can realize your social media app development goals and stand-out in this rapidly expanding industry.