In September 2024, Bluesky introduced video uploads for all users, offering content creators a dynamic way to connect with their audience. Videos provide a unique opportunity to share your message using engaging visuals and personalized audio, making them an effective tool for building a brand, showcasing creativity, or expanding your network.

For many, the thought of creating videos can seem daunting, particularly for those new to editing. Tools like Kapwing make this process easier by providing simple, user-friendly features that help achieve professional results. With capabilities like automatic aspect-ratio adjustments and subtitle generation, Kapwing enables creators to build on their Bluesky videos where the app has editing limitations.

This article covers everything you need to know to craft a successful video strategy on Bluesky, from choosing the right sizes and adding subtitles to tips on posting effectively.

Table of Contents

• How to Upload Videos to Bluesky
• How to Add a VTT File to Bluesky via Desktop
• How to Add Captions to Bluesky Videos on Mobile Using Kapwing
• Why Captions Matter
• Bluesky Video Aspect Ratios, Sizes, and Pixels
• How to Resize Vertical Videos to Fit a Horizontal Aspect Ratio
• How to Download Bluesky Videos
• How to Post, Reply, and Interact
• Standing Out on Bluesky

How to Upload Videos to Bluesky

As of September 12, 2024, Bluesky allows all email-verified users to upload videos. The process is straightforward and identical for both desktop and mobile users. Here’s how to get started:

1. First, Create a New Post. Click on the "New Post" icon, marked with a pencil inside a blue ellipse. This will open a new post where you can type or upload media.
2. Second, Select and Upload Your Video. Select the "film strip icon" (the second media option) to upload a video. This will open your device’s camera roll, allowing you to select one video to attach.

Keep these video guidelines in mind:

• Videos must be 60 seconds or shorter.
• Users can upload up to 25 videos or 10 GB of video content per day.
• You can add Alt text on both desktop and mobile for accessibility.
• Closed captions are currently available only on desktop.

Finally, add up to 300 characters of text and an Alt text description. If you're on a desktop, you can include captions by uploading a VTT file. VTT files are a robust choice for captions, offering metadata and HTML5 functionalities that enhance accessibility.

How to Add a VTT File to Bluesky via Desktop

Adding closed captions to your videos on Bluesky enhances accessibility and lets viewers choose whether to enable captions based on their preferences. Using a VTT file is an excellent option if you prefer not to display captions directly on your video. Here’s how to create and upload a VTT file using Kapwing.

First, start by uploading your video to Kapwing and generating automatic captions. Follow the steps outlined earlier to create these captions. Then, navigate to the subtitles menu and select the download icon at the top. Choose the VTT file format to download your captions.

After downloading the VTT file, head to Bluesky’s desktop platform and upload your video.

When the Alt text box opens, locate the Captions option underneath it. Use this feature to upload your VTT file directly.

How to Add Captions to Bluesky Videos on Mobile using Kapwing

Start by uploading your video to the Kapwing editor. From the left-hand sidebar, select the Subtitles option.

Next, choose Auto subtitles to generate automatic captions for your video. This feature quickly creates subtitles based on the audio, saving you time and effort.

Before generating automatic subtitles, you'll need to confirm the primary language of your video.

Kapwing also allows you to add a translated language if you want to include subtitles in multiple languages, making your content more inclusive for a broader audience.

Once the captions are created, you can make adjustments to ensure they are accurate and well-timed. Kapwing’s editor lets you align the timing of each word to match your video perfectly. Additionally, you can customize the appearance of your captions, adding effects to maintain consistency with your brand or the style of your content.

When your captions are finalized, export the video to begin sharing. The finished product will include professional, visually appealing, and highly functional captions.

Once exported, you can upload the video to Bluesky and other social media platforms, providing a cohesive and accessible experience across your content stream.

Why Captions Matter

Bluesky currently lacks auto-captioning features, which are essential for engaging viewers. Studies show that 80% of viewers are more likely to finish a video with subtitles, making captions a must-have for effective communication.

While Bluesky’s competitors, like X (formerly Twitter), also lack integrated captions, Bluesky’s support for VTT files offers a unique advantage. Unlike the older SRT format, VTT files include metadata and better compatibility with modern web technologies.

For content creators, using auto-captioning tools can save time and ensure consistency across platforms. Adding captions not only improves accessibility but also increases the chances of your video reaching a wider audience.

Bluesky Video Aspect Ratios, Sizes, and Pixels

In addition to captioning, customizing your content ensures it is both captivating and clear. While Bluesky does not offer built-in editing capabilities, such as overlaying text, graphics, or audio editing, using external video editing tools can significantly enhance your content and make it more engaging for your audience.

Additionally, understanding how your posts are viewed on Bluesky is also crucial to creating effective content. Here are a few tips to keep in mind about videos on the platform:

• Videos automatically play and loop in users’ feeds unless manually disabled in settings.
• Sound is muted by default, so it is important to not just rely on audio to attract viewers.
• Horizontal videos (16:9) are not cropped in the desktop or mobile app, but portrait-mode videos are cropped on desktop.
• Bluesky compresses videos to a maximum size of 50MB and accepts formats like MP4, MPEG, WebM, and MOV

In fact, the aspect ratio of your video plays a significant role in how it is displayed. On the mobile app, standard social media aspect ratios such as 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, and 4:5 are not cropped and appear without black bars when expanded to full screen. However, on desktop, the appearance of videos varies depending on the aspect ratio:

• 16:9 (Horizontal): This is the only standard aspect ratio unaffected on desktop. Videos appear proportionally in the feed and expand to full screen without issues.
• 9:16, 1:1 (Square), 4:5: These aspect ratios display with black bars on either side in the feed but expand to fill the screen when viewed full screen.

To maintain the desired look and feel of your videos, consider resizing them to the appropriate aspect ratio or adding a background to fill the negative space where black bars would otherwise appear. By ensuring your videos are optimized for Bluesky’s unique display formats, you can create content that consistently looks professional and visually appealing.

How to Resize Vertical Videos to Fit a Horizontal Aspect Ratio

To overcome aspect ratio challenges, you can use Kapwing to resize videos for consistent formatting across desktop and mobile. Since 16:9 is the most versatile aspect ratio on Bluesky, here’s how to adjust your video:

First, start by uploading your video to the Kapwing editor. Vertical aspect ratios, such as 9:16 (1080x1920 pixels), work best, but any video size will do.

Second, select the background of your project, then click the Resize Project option on the right-hand side of the editor.

Next, in the resize menu, apply the following settings.

• Size: Select Horizontal (16:9).
• Canvas: Select "Fit to Center."
• Background: Select "Canvas Blur" for a blurred background or "Color" to add a solid background color.

Expert tip: Match Bluesky’s background color using HEX #161f28 or RGB (22, 31, 40) for seamless video integration with the platform’s aesthetic.

Last, confirm the settings by selecting Resize Project. Your video will expand to the horizontal aspect ratio while maintaining its original content.

It’s worth noting that your video’s final dimensions will depend on the resolution of the original media. For example, a video filmed in HD (1080x1920 pixels) will resize differently than one captured in 4K (3840x2160 pixels). Regardless of the resolution, this process ensures your videos are optimized for viewing on Bluesky desktop without compromising their visual integrity.

If your primary audience uses the mobile app, resizing may not be necessary, as vertical videos are displayed without cropping when expanded to full screen. However, for desktop viewers, resizing ensures a more polished and consistent presentation.

How to Download Bluesky Videos

Currently, Bluesky does not allow users to directly download videos from the platform. While some browser extensions claim to provide a workaround, they often have mixed reviews and inconsistent performance. Fortunately, Kapwing offers a reliable alternative for downloading videos from Bluesky. Here’s how:

Start by locating the Bluesky post with the video you want to download. Then, copy the URL of the post.

Next, open Kapwing and create a new project. Paste the copied URL into the box labeled "Paste a video URL."

The video will automatically appear in your project's media pool. From here, you can edit the video directly within the Kapwing editor or simply export and download it.

Using Kapwing simplifies the process of downloading Bluesky videos for personal use or further editing, ensuring you can access and repurpose content with ease.

How to Post, Reply, and Interact

Creating posts and interacting with others on Bluesky is straightforward. To create a post on desktop or mobile, locate and select the New Post button. To reply, repost, quote, or like a post, use the interaction panel located beneath each post.

Whether you’re starting a new post or replying to someone else’s, the same dialogue box will appear, allowing you to write up to 300 characters and include photos, videos, or GIFs.

Adding media to your posts can significantly boost engagement and make your content stand out. Here are some helpful tips for preparing videos to post on Bluesky:

Keep video content concise and impactful. Shorter content is easier to share and takes less commitment from a viewer to enjoy. Well explained by Don Dodds of Forbes:

With attention spans shorter than ever, content that is quick to engage and easy to digest is more likely to capture and retain viewer interest. Short-form videos cater to this by delivering content in bite-sized pieces, making it easier for users to consume, enjoy and share.

Tools like Kapwing’s Trim feature lets you quickly cut longer videos into shorter clips, making it easy to repurpose content with minimal editing.

For longer videos, Kapwing’s Repurpose tool streamlines the process even further. Simply upload your video, and AI will analyze the footage to suggest shorter clips for social media — complete with Speaker Focus, voiceovers, custom aspect ratios, and subtitles.

Standing Out on BlueSky

As you gain familiarity with the platform, you'll become more comfortable interacting with the community and establishing yourself as a valued member.

To truly stand out, focus on creating content that is both meaningful and impactful. Share posts that resonate with your audience, spark conversations or offer unique perspectives.

In particular, short-form video content is a tried and tested method for boosting social media engagement. In 2024, Forbes reported that posts with videos see a 40% higher response rate compared to text-only posts.

Furthermore, 66% of viewers are likely to watch a video in its entirety if it’s under 60 seconds.

With a range of AI editing tools making video creation 10x faster, incorporating video into your posts has never been easier.