Does Bluesky Use Hashtags? How Discovery Really Works (and What to Do Instead)

Does Bluesky Use Hashtags? How Discovery Really Works (and What to Do Instead)

If you’re coming from X/Twitter, it’s natural to look for hashtags on Bluesky. The short version: discovery on Bluesky doesn’t hinge on a single global hashtag index—it leans on custom feeds, full‑text search, and community curation. This guide explains how that system works and how to optimize your posts for it without relying on traditional tags.

Quick answer: Bluesky doesn’t rely on traditional, network-wide clickable hashtags. Discovery is driven by custom feeds, full-text search, and community curation—not a single global hashtag index. If you’re asking “does Bluesky use hashtags,” the practical answer is “not in the way X/Twitter does,” and you’ll get better results by leaning into keywords, feeds, and people.

Why Hashtags Aren’t Central on Bluesky

Bluesky is built on the AT Protocol, which treats ranking and discovery as modular. Instead of one canonical timeline or a platform-run “trending hashtags” index, users subscribe to feeds—each with its own rules—authored by the community or by the platform. That design:

• Reduces the incentive to game a single global hashtag.
• Makes discovery pluralistic: different feeds focus on different topics, languages, and norms.
• Encourages explicit, human-readable writing because feed builders often rely on natural-language signals, not just #tag tokens.

As of this writing, #words are not universally clickable in the official app, and there is no built-in, platform-wide hashtag directory. Some third-party clients and community feeds may recognize #tokens, but Bluesky’s native discovery centers on feeds and search.

How Discovery Actually Works on Bluesky

• Custom feeds you follow: You can subscribe to feeds (e.g., art, photography, programming, local news). Each feed author defines matching rules—keywords, authors, link presence, and more.
• Search tab: Type keywords, phrases, names, or domains. Search matches post text and profiles and is a strong, native way to surface content without tags.
• Community curation: Curators build and maintain feeds, highlight lists of creators, and publish recommendations. Following curators’ feeds is like subscribing to mini algorithms tailored to your interests.

A Quick Mental Model

• Twitter/X: one giant hashtag pile.
• Bluesky: many topic-specific “magazines” (feeds). Write like your post should be picked by an editor, not harvested by a hashtag scraper.

Using Keywords and “Pseudo-Hashtags” Effectively

Even without universal hashtags, words still matter. Good keyword practice helps both search and feed rules.

• Front-load key terms: Put the core topic in the first line or first ~80–120 characters.
• Write in natural language: “Rust async cancellation patterns” beats “#rust #async #programming #dev”.
• Keep terminology consistent: Use the same phrase across posts (e.g., “street photography” vs. switching between “street photo,” “urban shots,” “city pics”).
• Use brand and proper nouns: Specific tools, frameworks, artists, locations improve matchability.
• Minimal pseudo-tags: A single #word for human readability is fine; avoid tag clouds.
• Descriptive alt text: Alt text is indexed by some feeds and makes your posts accessible.

Example rewrite:

• Instead of: “New blog! #dev #rust #async”
• Try: “Rust async cancellation patterns: when to abort tasks, how to propagate timeouts, and pitfalls with select!().”

Following and Building Topic Feeds

How to Find and Evaluate Feeds

• Browse the Feeds/Discover section for categories you care about.
• Check the feed description for inclusion rules and moderation stance.
• Scan recent items: Are they on-topic? Low spam? Diverse sources?
• Look at curators: Do you trust their taste? Do they maintain multiple respected feeds?

Pin the most relevant feeds so they stay one tap away.

Create or Commission a Feed

You can:

• Use a no-code or low-code feed builder (community tools exist).
• Fork the official feed generator template and host your own.
• Commission a curator/developer to build a feed around your topic.

Common feed rules:

• Include posts that contain certain keywords, optionally require media or links.
• Exclude posts with job language or certain domains.
• Favor posts from trusted author lists or communities.

Example rule sketch (illustrative only):

{
  "name": "FastAPI Tips",
  "includes": {
    "anyKeywords": ["fastapi", "pydantic", "uvicorn"],
    "mustHave": ["fastapi"]
  },
  "excludes": {
    "anyKeywords": ["hiring", "job", "apply", "positions"]
  },
  "boost": {
    "hasMedia": 1.2,
    "containsCodeBlock": 1.1,
    "trustedAuthors": {
      "@alice.dev": 1.4,
      "@bob.codes": 1.3
    }
  },
  "demote": {
    "repostsOnly": 0.8
  }
}

Practical Posting Playbook Without Hashtags

• Lead with a concise headline: State the topic clearly in line one.
• Write scannable body text: Short sentences, clear nouns, one idea per paragraph.
• Add descriptive alt text: Mention subjects, context, location, and distinctive terms.
• Link when relevant: URLs, repos, examples give feeds extra context to match.
• Mention people thoughtfully: Tag relevant creators or curators (don’t spam).
• Quote-post with context: Add analysis so feeds that favor commentary pick it up.
• Post consistently: Regular cadence helps you show up in recency-weighted feeds.
• Engage in your niche: Reply to others; many feeds consider conversation signals.

Tools and Tactics for Being Discoverable

• Use search like market research: Try several phrasings; adopt the ones with active results.
• Pin your best feeds: Keep them visible so you read and engage where your audience is.
• Follow curators: They often publish submission guidelines or topic keywords their feeds watch.
• Repost and reply strategically: Engagement can nudge posts into feeds that weight interactions.
• Track phrasing drift: Communities settle on shorthand (“LLM evals,” “prompting,” “RAG”). Adjust your wording to match.
• Maintain a clean profile: A clear bio and consistent topics raise follow-through when people discover you.

Cross‑Platform Expectations

FAQ

• Does Bluesky use hashtags at all?
• Not in the traditional, network-wide clickable sense. #words are generally treated as plain text by the official app, but people recognize the convention, and some community feeds or third-party clients may parse them.
• Are #words useless on Bluesky?
• No. They can help human readers skim and can be picked up by certain feeds. But you’ll get more reliable reach by writing clear keywords in natural language.
• Will native hashtags arrive?
• Possibly. The team has discussed discovery features over time, but the platform’s architecture favors modular feeds and search. Even if clickable tags appear, expect feeds to remain the main discovery layer.
• What are common pitfalls?
• Over-tagging or posting tag clouds that read like spam.
• Vague phrasing (“new post!!”) with no keywords.
• Ignoring feed ecosystems—don’t just post; follow and engage with topic feeds and curators.
• Inconsistent terminology across posts.

TL;DR

If you came here wondering “does Bluesky use hashtags,” the operative tactic is to stop chasing a global tag and start writing for feeds and search. Front-load clear keywords, subscribe to relevant custom feeds, collaborate with curators, and keep your posts accessible and readable. That’s how discovery really works on Bluesky today.

Summary

Bluesky’s discovery layer is modular and feed-driven, so clear language, consistent terminology, and engagement with curated feeds outperform traditional hashtagging. Use full-text search, follow and contribute to topic feeds, and write posts that an editor—or a curator’s feed—would want to surface. Occasional #words can aid readability, but they’re not the main discovery engine.