How to Create a Starter Package on Bluesky and Why You Should Do It
One of Bluesky’s strengths as a social network is that it allows you to choose your own default channel, rather than letting an algorithm decide which engagement bait (or rage bait) dominates your page. Moreover, you can use starter packs to quickly discover multiple accounts and channels. Starter packs allow you to monitor, disable or block multiple accounts in just a couple of clicks.
This means you don’t have to waste a lot of energy hiding content you don’t want, while you can quickly follow people you want to see more of. It’s also great for those looking to grow their audience on a new platform. If you are added to the starter pack, you will likely gain more subscribers much faster than you would otherwise. As an example , check out the Lifehacker Starter Pack to follow all the writers and editors who make this site awesome. If you’re interested, here’s how to create your own starter pack on Bluesky .
How to create a starter package on Bluesky
You can easily create starter packs both on the Bluesky website and app. Follow these steps:
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Go to your profile in Bluesky, which is located on the left panel of the desktop and in the lower right corner of the application.
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Select the Starter Packs subheading to the right of Channels . You will see a banner asking you to create one.
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Select New to create a starter pack, or Build it for me to use Bluesky’s tools to quickly create one. I recommend creating the package manually so you have more control over it.
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You will be prompted to add a name and description for your starter pack. When finished, select Next .
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You can now add accounts to your starter pack. Bluesky will show a list of accounts you follow, but you can use the search bar at the top to find more information. The starter package can include from seven to 150 accounts.
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Once you’ve added people, you can also select up to three channels (optional) to combine into a package. They appear on a separate tab in the starter package.
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When you’re done, you’ll see a package banner. Use the Share button or Share QR Code button to share your set with others.
All your Starter Packs are located under the “Starter Packs” sub-heading in your Bluesky profile. Go there at any time to view or edit them.
How to find starter packages on Bluesky
There are many ways to find starter packages on Bluesky, but the easiest is to use the Bluesky Directory . Lifehacker Associate Editor and Bluesky Certified Expert Joel Cunningham calls this the best way to find and follow people on Bluesky . It’s not official, but Bluesky Directory allows you to use the search bar to search for starter packs based on topics you’re interested in (or sometimes topics you want to remove from your feed). This way, you can quickly follow news or people who post about things that concern you. Or you can even use starter packs to instantly block or mute accounts you don’t want to follow.
Alternatively, you can always use Bluesky’s search feature to find people posting starter packs on certain topics, but this approach is not as good as an independent directory.
How to remove yourself from the starter pack
If you find yourself with a starter pack that you don’t want anything to do with, you have two options: block the creator of the starter pack or report the package to Bluesky. You’ll see a link to whoever created it just below the starter pack name. Click on it, select the three dots icon and select Lock Account . This will remove you from the starter pack. Alternatively, you can click the three dots icon next to the Starter Pack name and select “Report Starter Pack” to bring it to the attention of the moderators. This will not immediately remove you from the starter pack, but if it is removed it will have the same effect.