The platform formerly known as Twitter has undergone seismic shifts under Elon Musk's ownership, making the prospect of switching platforms increasingly attractive. 

With so many individuals and brands questioning their presence on the platform or considering the situation untenable, we thought we’d look at the three main alternatives: Threads, BlueSky and Mastodon.

The Case for Exploring Alternatives

In case you haven’t already made up your mind to jump ship, here’s why other people have been part of the X-odus.

• Brand safety concerns: The relaxation of content moderation policies and the amplification of, let’s say, ‘controversial’ voices on X has created a volatile environment. B2B brands need to be vigilant about the context in which their content appears and mitigate the risk of reputational damage.

• Strategic uncertainty: With the platform's future direction and financial viability unclear, long-term planning for X initiatives has become increasingly challenging.

• Increased noise and spam: The relaxation of content moderation has led to an increase in spam, bot, and low-quality content, making it harder for genuine conversation to cut through the clutter.

• Audience migration: As users respond to these changes, we're seeing a migration of professionals to alternative platforms. If your audience is no longer on X because they can’t stomach the environment, what’s the point in being there?

While the effort required to establish a presence on new platforms is significant, the potential long-term benefits in terms of brand resilience and audience reach make a compelling argument.

X Alternatives for B2B

As we look beyond X, three front runners have emerged as potential alternatives: Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon. 

None are an exact replica of the old Twitter. Each offers different features and opportunities for individuals and brands looking for a Twitter-like experience. Each also comes with their own set of limitations or challenges. 

While each of the platforms have shown promising growth and continued evolution, it's important to note that their long-term success and impact on the social media landscape remain to be seen.

Threads

Launched by Meta in July 2023 as a companion to Instagram with a text-based, conversational focus.

Threads quickly gained traction. By leveraging its integration with Instagram, the platform gained 2 million sign ups in its first 2 hours. Within days it crossed the 100 million sign up mark.

Despite its rapid initial growth, interest quickly dropped off due to its limited functionality at launch. People looking for a Twitter alternative also complained about the algorithmic feed pushing engagement bait and lightweight content, as well as the inability to really engage with conversation over live events. 

However, by April 2024, the number of daily active users had rebounded. Numbers were undoubtedly helped by the platform becoming available in the EU in December 2023, but each new Musk related controversy sees a new growth spurt. As of August 2024 monthly active users had topped 200 million.

Threads supports text posts of up to 500 characters, reposting, and quote posting. Users can post images, videos, GIFs, links with thumbnails, and polls, providing a versatile environment for content creation. In addition, Threads enables the cross-promotion of content between platforms. Instagram posts and reels can be shared to Threads with one tap, and vice versa.

A year on from launch and new features come thick and fast in response to user feedback, addressing the platform’s initial limitations. With the might of Meta behind it, you would expect no less. However, some features that B2B marketers rely on, such as direct messaging and native advertising, are not yet available.

Updates have included:

• A web interface, with the ability to pin custom columns for a more ‘Tweetdeck’ experience.

• Topic tags to improve content discovery. Tags are limited to one per post as part of Threads’ to restrict spamming of popular topics.

• The ability to sort search results by ‘Top’, ‘Recent’, and ‘Profiles’. This provides a​​ chronological option for real-time conversation, but a chronological feed does not seem to be forthcoming.

• The much requested edit button. This allows users to edit their posts within the first five minutes after posting.

• The ability to save multiple drafts of posts on the web app, with mobile functionality in the pipeline.

• Public API launched in June 2024 for developers. This enables users to schedule posts, manage replies, and access metrics via platforms like Buffer, Hootsuite, Hubspot, and SproutSocial.

• An insights dashboard added for Threads web app users in August 2024, including basic metrics such as likes, replies, and reposts. More comprehensive analytics are likely to be introduced, potentially integrating with Meta’s business tools.

Other updates currently rolling out or in the pipeline include ephemeral or ‘disappearing’ posts, trending topics, the ability to filter a user’s posts by ‘media’, and Custom Feeds - the long requested Twitter Lists equivalent.

Content moderation options include the ability for users to block and report posts and accounts. Users can also flag content as ‘Not interested’ by swiping left. They can control interactions on their posts, limiting who can and cannot comment, as well as being able to hide individual comments on their threads for all participants

While a closed system backed by Meta, Threads is working towards adopting open standards and becoming interoperable with the fediverse, a network of interconnected servers using open protocols. Threads uses the ActivityPub protocol and users who turn on sharing to the fediverse are able to see and like replies from people on other servers, like Mastodon, directly in Threads.

Bluesky

Bluesky was launched as a decentralised social media platform in 2023 by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. 

Despite steady growth, Bluesky's user base remains significantly smaller than its competitors. The platform only moved from an invite-only model to open access in February 2024. By August 2024, the platform had over 6 million registered accounts and 1.1 million active users.

On the surface, Bluesky’s functionality is currently very similar to early versions of Twitter. It is primarily text-based, with users able to create posts of up to 300 characters. Other media options are limited to attaching images or GIFs to posts, although support for native video is promised for the second half of 2024. In the meantime, the platform does offer a media player for platforms like YouTube and Spotify. Links are also displayed with thumbnails.

Direct messaging was introduced in May 2024, allowing one to one connections through the app. ​​By default, permissions are set to allow people you follow to DM you. You can change this to allow no one or anyone to message you. There are also reply controls on individual posts.

However, to quote Bluesky, giving users power to control their own social media experience is “one of the most important things we do”. It uses the open source AT protocol and emphasises interoperability and user control. 

Users can, for example, use a custom domain as their account handle allowing for portability, as well maintaining a consistent identity across platforms. This gives it the potential for creating niche, industry-specific instances which could be particularly valuable for targeted B2B communication.

Another area of user control is in algorithmic choice. The app has three main feed views - Following, Discover, and For You - but users can create and follow custom feeds. There is also the option to curate ‘starter packs’ to recommend feeds and users to people in their network.

Improvements to users’ controls over the algorithms determining their feeds are in the pipeline. Bluesky are promising more granular control, feedback mechanism, and improvements to feed discovery.

Users can also control their interactions through the ability to block and mute content, as well as through moderation lists. When posting, users can self-label sensitive content giving others the option to filter. There are mechanisms to report posts for moderation, with new anti-harassment tools promised. 

Post scheduling is supported through Buffer, and is also available through other less well known services such as Postpone, Social Champ, Social Bee and Fedica. There is currently no analytics support or advertising capabilities.

Mastodon

Mastodon is an open-source, decentralised social network launched in 2016. It's part of the fediverse. Mastodon has seen steady growth since launch and tends to see upticks during periods of controversy on other social media platforms. 

Many newcomers find it hard to get started on the platform making it less sticky than Threads or Bluesky. Mastodon passed the ten million mark for registered user accounts in March 2023. However, the number of active users has fallen below the 1 million mark from a peak of over 2.5 million active users in early December 2022.

This might change as Threads moves towards closer integration with the fediverse. Users who have been hedging their bets and sticking with the larger platform could be more inclined to experiment if they’re able to syndicate their posts between platforms and leverage the advantages of both.

The platform’s main unique feature is its decentralised structure. It consists of independently hosted and user-run servers or "instances" interconnected through federation. The platform emphasises community-building and interest-based networking, which could be interesting to B2B businesses that want to create niche, industry-specific instances.

Mastodon also prioritises privacy and user control, and collects less personal data compared to other social media platforms. As a result, there is no algorithmic feed. Instead, there is a chronological timeline and users can see posts in their timelines from both their local and federated instances.

Mastodon's functionality will be familiar to Twitter users in many ways. Users can post "toots" of up to 500 characters, and the platform supports posting of images, videos, GIFs, and polls. Users can edit posts within a time limit and add content warnings to hide sensitive content. Servers can have their own custom emoticons.

Content moderation on Mastodon is community-based, with each server setting its own rules and policies. Instance administrators can block other instances (defederation) to control content. Users can block, mute, and report other users or content and the advanced post filter system allows users to filter content more effectively.

New features coming in the next release of the platform are expected to include improved server and profile information, a redesign of muting and blocking, and notification controls.

While, like the other platforms, Mastodon doesn't have native post scheduling or analytics tools, some third-party services, including Buffer, are beginning to offer support. If the platform continues to grow, more tools and integrations are likely to emerge.

There are limited analytics capabilities, making performance tracking more difficult, and there is no native advertising system.

Key Questions and Recommendations

As you consider these alternatives, several critical questions emerge:

1. Which platform(s) aligns best with your B2B goals and target audience?

2. How can you effectively allocate resources across multiple platforms?

3. What content strategies will be most effective on each platform?

4. How do you measure success and ROI in these new environments when analytics availability is limited?

5. How do you maintain a consistent brand voice across diverse platforms?

Answering these questions will be crucial in developing a robust, multi-platform social media strategy.

Conduct a Comprehensive Social Media Audit

Begin by assessing your current social media performance, including engagement rates, audience demographics, and content effectiveness. This baseline will help you make informed decisions about platform adoption and resource allocation.

Develop a Multi-Platform Strategy

If you think you can land on a new platform and simply replicate your Twitter/X strategy, think again. And what works on an algorithmic platform that prioritises engagement, like Threads, will not work on Bluesky or Mastodon. You will need to tailor your approach to each platform's strengths. For example, you might use Threads for quick, conversational engagement and discovery, Bluesky for in-depth industry discussions, and Mastodon for niche community building.

Focus on Community Building and Thought Leadership

Across all platforms, the big shift is in the need to prioritise meaningful engagement over broadcasting. This is particularly noticeable in the feedback new Twitter migrants receive if they mention their lack of growth or engagement on the new platforms. Share valuable insights and position your brand as a thought leader in your field. But you also participate in industry discussions and comment on other people’s posts to get ahead.

Stay Agile and Informed

These platforms are constantly evolving. You’ll need to be prepared to adjust your strategy as needed. Follow the support account for each platform and check in on their blogs to stay informed about platform updates. Follow the industry press to spot emerging trends and shifts in user behaviour. And learn about the fediverse because it seems the future is federated. 

Looking to the Future

As new Bluesky hire Mike Masnick wrote, the next iteration of the social web will be built on “protocols, not platforms.”

What is clear is that the era of the one-size-fits-all platforms is behind us - if it was ever anything more than a mirage in the first place. For B2B marketers, the fragmentation of audiences presents both challenges and opportunities. But while some aspects of the game are changing beyond recognition, others remain the same and you already know how to play it.

Rather than trying to maintain a presence on every emerging platform, consider where your target audience is most active and engaged. Invest time in understanding the unique cultures and best practices of each platform you choose. Then work out what value you can bring to the party.

Because these new platforms aren't just Twitter replacements. They’re a chance to do things differently and right the wrongs of an old and broken model of social media. Embrace the opportunity to experiment with different content formats, engagement strategies, and community-building approaches.

Social media will keep evolving. Stay informed, be ready to change, and focus on giving real value to your audience. If you’d like some help to do that, get in touch.