Bluesky to roll out subscription plans, link click metrics soon

Bluesky

Bluesky is working on a subscription model that will offer premium features, according to Emily Liu, a key member of the Bluesky team. The information was reported by Cory Bergman, co-founder and VP of product at Factal, during a recent call with ONA members – an American news agency.

Although specific premium features have yet to be revealed, Liu confirmed that the subscription model is in development. She also mentioned that the platform is exploring additional ways to verify accounts, moving beyond domain verification, which is currently used to confirm identities.

In addition to the subscription plans, Liu highlighted that Bluesky is planning to introduce link click metrics "in the very near term." This feature would help users track how their shared links perform on the platform, providing valuable insights for both individuals and organizations.

The Bluesky team is also addressing issues with referrals, which sometimes show as "direct" when coming from the app. Liu explained that the team is working to make sure Bluesky’s referrals are clearly identifiable so they can be measured accurately, helping to provide a clearer picture of how traffic is being driven through the platform.

Bluesky has also rolled out a new directory of accounts organized by domain names. This includes lists of government-related (.gov) accounts, helping users easily find official and trusted accounts within the platform. The directory is part of Bluesky's broader goal to offer a more organized and transparent user experience.

Looking ahead, Liu shared that Bluesky is planning to add native scheduling tools to the platform. While this feature isn’t available yet, users can still use third-party services like Buffer to schedule posts. Additionally, Bluesky’s approach to community-created feeds, such as sharing gift links to subscription-based articles, has been gaining traction.

Talking about the platform's progress, Liu expressed excitement about learning from other platforms and emphasized that Bluesky's collaborative approach aligns with the goals of news organizations. She also mentioned that Bluesky’s link traffic to news outlets is encouraging.