Bluesky Hashtags: How to Boost Discoverability and Grow Your Audience

If you’re new to Bluesky or trying to grow your presence on the platform, one of the first things you’ll notice is that visibility works differently here. There’s no “For You” algorithm pushing random posts. Instead, Bluesky hashtags and custom feeds shape what users see.

That’s why creators and marketers often worry about whether they’re using the right tags, missing emerging trends, or posting in a format the community doesn’t interact with. And when you’re active on multiple platforms, it becomes even harder to figure out how to optimize every post without feeling overwhelmed.

The good news? Bluesky hashtags help you target the right communities, reach new people, and increase your chances of being discovered. When implemented correctly, hashtags help your content appear in search, show up in user-created feeds, and connect you with active audiences who are genuinely interested in your niche.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to use hashtags on Bluesky, how they work, and the strategies to boost visibility and engagement.

Why Bluesky Hashtags Matter?

If you want people to actually find your posts on Bluesky, use hashtags. Bluesky hashtags categorize content, tell exactly where your content belongs, and which communities should see it.

Here’s why you should use Bluesky hashtags:

Custom feeds rely on hashtags to pull your posts in

Bluesky’s biggest discovery feature is custom feeds. These are user-made timelines that automatically collect posts based on hashtag rules. If you use a hashtag a feed is tracking, your post appears there even if you have 20 followers.

For example, many art feeds pull posts with #art, #digitalart, #wip, or tech feeds pull posts with #AI, #machinelearning, #dev. If you include these hashtags in your post, your posts will be visible in niche communities.

So, search niche hashtags in the app, check if custom feeds exist, and use the tags those feeds monitor.  This can help you reach people outside your follower list and gain more visibility.

Bluesky communities browse hashtags to discover content

Bluesky’s algorithm doesn’t push random “For You” posts. Instead, people browse tags directly to find content they’re interested in and create custom feeds to view relevant content.

For example, look for active tags like #AI, #digitalart, #marketing, etc., based on your subject of interest, and use them in your posts to place them inside a community where your audience actively looks for new content by browsing hashtags.

Hashtags improve your chances of appearing in Bluesky search results

Bluesky’s search doesn’t rely on deep algorithmic ranking. It considers keywords and hashtags to show posts. When someone searches for a topic like “AI”, “SaaS”, “writing”, or “marketing”, posts using those hashtags surface at the top of results. So, if you add hashtags, your posts can appear in topic searches, hashtag-specific feeds, and user-filtered timelines.

For example, if you post SaaS content using hashtags like #contentmarketing or #saas, your content appears in the search results for people researching marketing topics on Bluesky.

How to Use Bluesky Hashtags to Boost the Reach and Discoverability of Posts?

Using hashtags on Bluesky gives the platform clear signals so your content shows up in the feeds, searches, and communities that are related to your topic. Here’s how to use them effectively so your posts reach beyond your existing followers.

Search hashtags before using them to avoid dead or inactive tags

Not every hashtag on Bluesky is active. Some tags exist but have no recent posts, meaning your content will sit there unseen. Checking a tag before using it ensures you pick ones your audience is actually browsing.

Here’s what to do:

• Search the hashtag in Bluesky
• See whether recent posts exist
• Check if people engage with posts under that tag
• Look for custom feeds pulling that hashtag

For example, #marketingtips may look useful but might have low activity. Meanwhile, #contentmarketing or #saasmarketing typically has more active, niche-specific engagement. Using active tags ensure your content stays visible in the most relevant timelines.

Choose hashtags based on your audience, not just your topic

On Bluesky, you want to align with communities looking for your content. So, choose hashtags that are not only based on your topics but also on your audience.

For example, if your target audience is SaaS founders, using #saasmarketing or #saas on your posts will perform better than broad tags like #marketingtips or #digitalmarketing. Matching hashtags to the audience increases your chances of reaching the right custom feeds and niche groups.

Use consistent hashtags to build topic authority on Bluesky

Using consistent hashtags helps your posts get associated with specific topics over time. When you repeat specific hashtags, it signals the platform about the topic that the account posts about. For example, if you use #AI or #saas in your posts consistently, it indicates to Bluesky that you publish posts on these topics. This improves both discoverability and credibility within the community. So, pick 3-5 core hashtags for your niche and use them consistently across content pillars.

Effective Strategies for Choosing Hashtags on Bluesky

Choosing the right Bluesky hashtags is just as important as using them. The platform depends on clear signals to decide which posts belong in which custom feeds, which search results to surface, and what users should see when browsing specific communities.

Here are the most effective strategies to choose relevant hashtags that help your posts reach the right audience and increase engagement across the entire platform.

Start with live research and check hashtag activity before using it

Before adding a hashtag, always search it inside Bluesky. This tells you whether the tag is active or not.

Check for:

• Recent posts in the last few days or weeks
• How often users engage (likes, comments, reposts)
• Whether a custom feed actively pulls that hashtag
• If posts under that tag come from creators in your niche

Using inactive tags limits visibility because your content lands in a space where no one looks. But when you use active, topic-focused tags, your content appears in feeds where people are already reading, reacting, and responding.

Mix one broad hashtag with one audience-specific hashtag

A strong tagging strategy combines reach and relevance. So, combine broad tags to put your content into larger topic streams with audience-based tags that help you reach more niche communities. This strategy will expand your reach while connecting to specific groups that regularly browse your hashtags.

For example, use #AI has a broad tag for reaching new audiences, and #SaaS or #contentmarketing to be visible in specific communities where you can interact more closely.

Use tag clusters and repeat combinations you see in high-performing posts

Many communities on Bluesky use consistent tag pairings or “tag clusters.” When you browse posts under an active hashtag, you’ll notice certain tags appear together frequently. Creators and marketers often use this strategy to connect their posts across multiple micro-feeds.

Here are a few example tag clusters:

• AI content → #AI and #machinelearning
• Marketers → #marketing and #contentmarketing
• Writers → #writingcommunity and #amwriting

Using these clusters helps your posts appear in multiple feeds at once, increasing the chance of discovery.

Pro Tip: Scan 20–30 top posts under your main hashtag, write down repeating tag pairs, and reuse those clusters.

Test and refine hashtags every week

Hashtag performance changes quickly as communities, trends, and posting habits shift. What works today may become an inactive tag next week. So, before you use Bluesky hashtags, track which tags bring more visibility, engagement, which posts enter active feeds, and identify tags that have stopped performing. This will help you update your hashtag cluster and ensure the use of relevant hashtags.

How Distribution AI Helps You With Bluesky Marketing?

Along with using relevant hashtags, you also need great content to build your online presence on Bluesky.

Hashtags help you get more visibility, but consistent, high-quality posts are what keep people engaging, following, and returning to your account. But the challenge is to come up with fresh content ideas every time you post.

This is where Distribution AI makes Bluesky marketing easier.

Distribution AI helps you repurpose content, automate your publishing workflow, and schedule posts at the right time so you never miss an opportunity to reach your audience.

Simply, copy-paste a blog, a YouTube video, or even a podcast episode link and instantly generate publish-ready content tailored to Bluesky formats. You can generate threads, short posts, tips, images, or quick insights. This saves hours each week and helps you stay consistent across the entire platform.

Distribution AI also helps you track engagement, refine your hashtag strategy, and understand which communities interact with your content the most. Instead of manually checking every feed or post, the tool gives you clarity on what works and where to focus next.

Here’s how DAI helps you grow on Bluesky:

• Repurpose content instantly: Turn blogs, videos, and long-form content into Bluesky-ready formats that match the platform’s tone.
• Schedule posts for automatic publishing: Maintain consistency across platforms even when you’re busy.
• Optimize engagement: See which hashtags, posting times, and formats drive more visibility and comments with Distribution AI’s analytics.

• A/B test posts: Perform A/B testing to identify content formats and types that work the best for your brand. 

Wrapping Up

Bluesky is still evolving, and if you understand how hashtags, custom feeds, and community-driven discovery work, you’ll have an advantage. The right tags help your posts reach the right people, spark real interactions, and build relationships with active communities across the platform.

But hashtags alone won’t scale your presence. To stay consistent, you need a workflow that helps you repurpose content, post in the right format, follow emerging trends, and track what actually performs. That’s where you need tools like Distribution AI. It helps you repurpose blogs, videos, and podcasts, and schedule Bluesky posts in minutes. You can track content performance, engagement rates, and more to refine your social media strategy.

So, if you want to get started with Bluesky, explore Distribution AI.