Did you know Engagement Trends Show Threads Growing, X’s Virality Strength, and Bluesky’s Slowdown

 

BufferApp analyzed 1.7 million posts from X, Threads, and Bluesky and found that these three platforms have a common median engagement rate, that is four interactions per post. This may tell us that these platforms are similar in terms of engagements, but that isn’t the case because they have different patterns, dynamics, audience behavior, and consistency when it comes to posts. A data scientist for Buffer analyzed posts from 56,000 users to see the trends on X, Threads, and Bluesky. Engagements mean the total number of reactions a post receives, which can include likes, comments, and reposts.

The study highlights that posts on Threads have higher engagement, but some data shows that posts on X have as many engagements as posts on Threads. Engagement rate means percentage of people who interact with a post (i.e. like, comment etc.), while total engagements count all the interactions. It is important to know engagement rate on a post if you want to see how much a post can engage the audience, while total engagements can tell the overall interaction on the platform.

In 2024, the posts on X, Threads and Bluesky had the same number of engagements, with a median of four engagements per post. But if we look at February 2025 data, we get to know that posts on Threads received a median 5 engagements, X remained at 4 engagements, while engagements on Bluesky reduced to 3. This may not seem like much of a difference, but this shows that each platform is developing its own distinct identities.

Median engagements show how a post performs, but it doesn’t show any viral content. The gap between median and average engagement shows if a post has gone viral. X gets 328 average engagements, Threads get 58, and Bluesky gets 21 average engagements on posts. The standard deviation on X gets more than 5,000, which means that it is highly unpredictable, while Threads and Bluesky have lower engagements, but they are consistent. If a platform has high standard deviation, it means that it has great viral potential, while lower standard deviation means predictable engagements.

Because of all these factors, X is the platform with the most viral potential. Even though posts on X have a median four engagements, a post can go to extreme levels of virality if it takes off. Threads has moderate engagement, but it is stabilizing quickly. The potential to go viral on Threads is random, but it has steadier audience growth. Bluesky has a small engagement spread and it is more community driven than viral reach.