In the highly competitive arena of social media, launching a new platform that captivates users and sustains long-term engagement has historically posed formidable challenges. A novel study brings to light a breakthrough approach employed by Bluesky, an emerging social network, which leveraged “starter packs” as an innovative onboarding mechanism to catalyze its rapid growth to over 30 million users. These starter packs—curated lists of users designed for new users to follow instantly—served as an essential tool in mitigating the "cold start" dilemma that plagues fresh social platforms.
The “cold start” problem refers to the critical phase when a new social network has yet to build its content ecosystem or establish meaningful social connections, thereby giving potential users little incentive to join or remain active. This problem entrenches the dominance of incumbent platforms such as Twitter or Facebook, where vast pre-existing social graphs and content create a high barrier to entry. Bluesky’s adoption of starter packs facilitated the automatic seeding of new users’ social feeds with relevant, engaging content creators and communities, effectively lowering this barrier and encouraging user retention.
Led by experts from Lancaster University, TU Darmstadt, and City St George’s University of London, the comprehensive research employed machine learning techniques and data-driven analysis to dissect the dynamics and impacts of Bluesky’s starter packs between June 2024 and January 2025. Findings reveal that starter packs were not merely a cosmetic feature but rather a vital structural component driving the platform’s user acquisition, engagement, and network formation processes in unprecedented ways.
During the initial six months following the feature’s introduction, Bluesky users generated over 335,000 starter packs. These packs accounted for up to 43% of all follow actions at peak times, signaling their overwhelming adoption and influence on the platform’s relational architecture. Notably, these starter packs contributed to nearly one-fifth of all follower relationships observed during the study period, suggesting that they significantly accelerated the creation of social ties, a cornerstone for vibrant online communities.
Users featured in starter packs experienced remarkable benefits, including an 85% increase in their follower counts and a 60% rise in their posting activity compared to users who were not included. This amplification effect indicates that starter packs effectively elevated visibility for selected users, who often were influential public figures spanning diverse domains such as journalism, politics, art, gaming, sports, and activism. Through these curated user lists, Bluesky reinvented early-stage network growth, allowing new members to engage with notable personalities and niche communities from day one.
Despite these advances, the study importantly highlights inherent trade-offs and limitations. Starter packs tend to reinforce pre-existing communities rather than generate entirely new ones, disproportionately benefitting users who already possess substantial followings. This phenomenon raises socio-technical concerns regarding the deepening of popularity inequalities and network centralization. The inclusion-based nature of starter packs may inadvertently concentrate influence and visibility among a subset of users, potentially stifling diversity and opportunity for emergent voices.
Moreover, the research uncovers risks tied to the commercial exploitation and misuse of starter packs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some users engaged in pay-for-inclusion schemes, acquiring spots in highly visible packs through financial means. Problematically, this raises ethical questions about transparency and fairness, as well as the potential amplification of harassment or abuse if malicious actors gain prominence via these mechanisms.
The study further situates Bluesky’s growth trajectory within the broader digital ecosystem, noting significant surges in user migration coinciding with real-world catalysts such as the 2024 US presidential elections and controversies surrounding content visibility policies at Twitter (rebranded as X). During these high-traffic waves, starter packs played a pivotal role by enabling rapid social onboarding for migrants departing established platforms, with as much as 40% of daily follower activity linked to one-click follows via starter packs.
Technically, the research employed advanced computational methods to categorize and analyze the thematic patterns of starter packs. The largest and most vibrant groupings clustered around domains rich in public discourse and cultural engagement, including politics, art, and activism. This thematic dominance underscores the interplay between social media growth and real-world social movements, highlighting how emergent platforms like Bluesky can become fertile grounds for early consolidation of influence among public figures seeking to maintain relevance.
The presence of curated starter packs as a structural affordance marks a departure from traditional network formation models, incorporating design elements that intentionally scaffold user discovery and connection-building. This represents a critical evolution in social media architecture, blending machine-assisted curation with user-generated content to overcome network inertia and promote cohesive community formation effectively.
Looking ahead, the study’s contributors advocate for a balanced approach to implementing such onboarding strategies. While starter packs have demonstrated tremendous potential in stimulating user engagement and network expansion, platform designers and policymakers must address challenges related to equality, transparency, and abuse mitigation. Ensuring that influencer amplification does not marginalize emerging voices is imperative for cultivating equitable and trustworthy online environments.
The findings from this research contribute a significant theoretical and practical framework for social media startups seeking to disrupt entrenched incumbents. By elucidating the mechanisms through which starter packs accelerate social graph expansion and community rebuilding, the study offers actionable insights for enhancing user experience and inclusivity on nascent platforms.
The full research report entitled “Bootstrapping Social Networks: Lessons from Bluesky Starter Packs” is scheduled for presentation at the International Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM) in Copenhagen in June 2025. The extensive collaboration involves a multidisciplinary team from reputed institutions, combining expertise in computer science, data analytics, and social sciences to unpack the complexities of network dynamics in emerging digital spaces.
As new social media challengers seek to carve out their niches amid a saturated market, Bluesky’s starter pack approach exemplifies how thoughtful feature engineering paired with rigorous data analysis can engineer rapid growth and vibrant user engagement. However, the dual-edged nature of such mechanisms—propelling some users while potentially constraining others—calls for nuanced governance to foster open, diverse, and ethical network ecosystems.
This pioneering study shines a spotlight on the evolving landscape of online social networks and underscores the critical importance of design innovation in overcoming historic barriers to platform adoption and sustained activity. Increasingly, the future success of social media platforms may hinge on such strategic, data-informed onboarding features that connect users efficiently while preserving fairness and inclusivity at scale.
Subject of Research:
Not applicable
Article Title:
Bootstrapping Social Networks: Lessons from Bluesky Starter Packs
News Publication Date:
7-Jun-2025
Web References:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1609/icwsm.v19i1.35810
Keywords:
Social media, Computer science, Information technology
