By Arianna Crawford, The Social Media Explorer
Platform Watch is a collection of posts that aims to introduce B2B marketers and communicators to new social media platforms that may enable them to generate new, innovative, and uniquely meaningful approaches to reaching and interacting with their audiences. Adopting and maintaining new channels is a long-haul journey and will take time before any return on your investment. If you’d be interested in partnering with Big Valley Marketing, feel free to drop us a line at hireus@bigvalley.co
What is Mastodon?
Mastodon is a decentralized, open-source social media platform made up of independently run servers (called “instances”) that interconnect via the ActivityPub protocol. Users join specific instances based on topic, geography, or community culture—but can follow and engage across the entire network. It gained momentum post-Elon Twitter acquisition, particularly among tech communities, academics, journalists, and digital rights advocates. While user growth has plateaued compared to Threads or Bluesky, Mastodon remains a core part of the “Fediverse”—the broader open web movement.
What are the features?
- Decentralized Network: Mastodon isn’t owned by a single company. Each server operates independently with its own rules but still participates in the larger ecosystem. This structure makes Mastodon resilient to platform-wide changes and more focused on user control.
- Familiar UI with Distinct Norms: Mastodon looks and behaves like early Twitter—chronological feed, short posts (500 characters), replies, boosts (retweets), likes, etc.—but users tend to emphasize discourse over virality.
- Moderation and Culture: Each instance has its own moderation policies. Some are stricter than others. The vibe is slower, more thoughtful, and sometimes critical of traditional marketing behavior. Many communities openly resist algorithmic amplification and “growth hacking.”
- No Ads, No Tracking: There’s no native advertising model on Mastodon. That appeals to privacy-conscious users but means brands must earn attention through real conversation and/or influential voices.
Best Practices
- Pick the right instance. If you’re joining as a brand or executive, choose a reputable general instance (like mastodon.social) or one relevant to your field. Alternatively, if you have the technical capacity, consider starting your own.
- Listen before you post. Understand the norms of the instance you join. Mastodon users are sensitive to tone and community etiquette.
- Don’t expect fast scale. Growth here is steady and relationship-based, not viral.
Should a company or key executive be on Mastodon? Ask yourself:
- Are we trying to connect with academic, open-source, or journalist communities who value transparency and decentralization?
- Are we ready to participate in conversations rather than broadcast?
- Are we comfortable navigating a fragmented and highly technical platform experience without built-in analytics or paid reach?
- Can we identify a subject matter expert or executive who could serve as a thoughtful contributor?
