Tumblr is one of the more difficult social media networks for marketers to master. With 200 million users and 80 million blogs posted every single day, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. Content which is derivative and sales-oriented will gain you nothing – original creativity will be received warmly, regardless of aim. That’s why Tumblr is ranked as number 1 for ‘social sentiment’ towards brands. The message is clear, use this platform correctly and it can be hugely rewarding.
Broaden your scope
Tumblr sets itself apart as a ‘microblogging’ site. For you this means fewer limits on word counts, space, more pictures and more videos. Compared with Facebook and Twitter, there is greater scope for your posts – and blogs can be sponsored so they rise to the top of users’ dashboards. That’s a good start, but it’s vital that your page looks the part too. There are thousands of pre-set themes to choose from and it requires very little programming knowledge to customise one to suit your exact needs. Your theme is what ties the page together and will act as an umbrella for all the posts you make. Users should feel a sense of commitment and continuity from your posts. It will establish trust in your brand and encourage loyalty in customers reached this way.
Give the people what they want
Like Twitter’s ‘retweet’ function, you can “reblog” posts you like or that say something about your brand. Tumblr also allows you to target blogs at specific groups of users, which helps get your message to the right people. Don’t just dump marketing on Tumblr though, as if it were a last-chance saloon for all your B-grade ideas. Users on this platform expect a certain level of creativity, so before you fire off a bunch of posts, do your research and find out what your target demographic responds to. For the most part, that’s images. Half of all Tumblr posts are either images or image-based. That’s not to say you have to be Rembrandt – an image could be a clever infographic or an interesting chart.
Post your heart out
With Twitter and Facebook, you should only post two or three times per day. More than that, and it will feel like spam to users. Not so on Tumblr. Because it is a content-rich platform, users will not object to a company posting ten or even fifteen times per day – although those posts or reblogs will still need to be worth posting. Your following will grow organically if users see your consistent activity. Don’t imagine that your Tumblr blog simply needs to exist in order to garner followers. Marketers need to be active every day, several times a day for preference.
Like the other social media platforms we’ve looked at in this series of blogs, using one requires that you treat it with respect and focus. Tumblr needs a tailored approach the same way Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all do. Likewise, there is no need to use Tumblr if it isn’t suitable for your brand. Joining every social media network you can think of, only to neglect your presence is more likely to have a negative effect than not doing anything at all. Focus your efforts on Tumblr to squeeze a reward out of it.
Tags: social media, tumblr
