Mastodon Overhauls App for New Users & Creators

Mastodon, a decentralized social media alternative, is set to enhance its user experience with upcoming features designed to attract both newcomers and content creators. The platform's core development team has expanded, leading to a strategic shift outlined in a recent blog post.

Recognizing challenges in user retention due to its complex setup, Mastodon plans to streamline the onboarding process and promote smaller servers to better embody the spirit of a decentralized web. The platform currently operates with an estimated 750,000 to 1 million monthly active users.

New administrative tools will support independent server operators with maintenance and moderation, including the use of external blocklists and spam detection. To bolster its creator appeal, Mastodon is redesigning user profiles to showcase work and improving the composition experience.

Additional updates include a new email notification option, allowing non-users to follow creators, expanding reach for journalists, public figures, and institutions. These changes follow recent additions like Quote Posts and the forthcoming Collections feature.

The platform has also seen a leadership transition, with Eugen Rochko stepping down as CEO following Mastodon's transition to a nonprofit structure earlier this year. Felix Hlatky is now the executive director, sharing duties with Dr. Marius Rothermund, who provides legal expertise for the restructuring across the U.S., Germany, and Belgium.