Tumblr—the black sheep of social media. Sure, not everybody is on there. But the people on the platform are some of the most engaging you’ll ever see online. There’s reason number one to consider using Tumblr for business.
That’s probably one of the reasons why Tumblr stayed on for so long. It’s one of the old guards of early social media. And, a place where you can make a killing marketing for your business.
Can Tumblr be the platform for your brand’s next social media campaign? Let’s find out!
What is Tumblr?
In the days of old, passionate netizens would go on Tumblr to speak the language of their souls. For a long while, this was in the form of fanfiction for just about anything.
But at its core, it was a place where short blogs called “tumblelogs” thrived. Unlike most modern social media platforms, Tumblr offered customization.
Users were free to show off their own personal aesthetic. This made the pages on the platform seem much more organic and authentic—making Tumblr the perfect home for niche culture.
Your brand could be a part of this culture and reach a more engaging demographic. You can even use cross-posting to drive traffic from other social media platforms to Tumblr and vice versa.
So, how can you set up a Business Account on Tumbler? Here’s a step-by-step guide.
How To Setup A Tumblr Business Account
You can make a Tumblr business account in just five easy steps:
1. Go to Tumblr and sign up. It’ll give you the option to sign up via Google, Apple, or Email. After signing up, Tumblr will ask you to enter your blog name and how old you are.
2. Choose five areas of interest. In this case, choose the areas your niche falls into. If you’re still figuring out what that is, Tumblr has a wide selection you can choose from.
3. Go to your email service provider and click on the activation link from Tumblr Support. But if you signed up via Google, it doesn’t require any activation.
4. Finalize your account! After creating your Tumblr account, your business can now post and re-blog other pages. Take some time to look at the ones in your niche to get a feel.
5. Customize your page! To do this, click on the “person” icon on the top right and find “Edit appearances” at the bottom. This will send you to the blog settings page.
6. This is where you can create your brand identity on Tumblr. Click the pencil icon to edit your account to make changes to your avatar, header image, description, background, and more.
Once you’re happy with the changes, save them and start posting!
Making the Most of Tumblr Business
Tumblr is a unique social media platform. The strategies that would work for Instagram or Twitter won’t necessarily translate well here. Instead, follow these tested and proven strategies:
Act As If It’s Your Website
Since Tumblr is like a mini blog site, you can use it as one! Just like traditional websites, Tumblr provides tons of options for customizing your blog to fit your brand image.
There are even free or paid themes you can choose from and the option to create your own. Brands that don’t have websites yet can even use Tumblr as a sort of “beta” site since it’s so easy to launch.
React To Trends
Trends happen across all social media sites. It’s a great way to find ideas or reach a wider audience. To find the trending page on Tumblr, go to the “explore” tab next to the home icon.
From there, click on the “trending” icon. Tumblr will show you a list of the top trending topics and also shows the trending blogs in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Get To Know The Community
When in Tumblr, do as the community does. As mentioned earlier, Tumblr is a perfect platform for niche communities or fandoms. These fandoms contain a wide array of interests.
It can be everything from movies, shows, books, video games, fan fiction, and much more. But, what stands out most on Tumblr is authenticity.
People on Tumblr want to find something they can relate to. Find a way for your brand to market in a way that’s relatable to the niche it’s in. The best way to do this is by providing value.
Consider Paid Ads
There are three ways brands can use paid ads on Tumblr:
- Sponsored Posts: These posts act like regular post but reaches a wider target audience. Users don’t even need to follow you to see them. You can even filter out the demographic you want to target such as gender, interests, and location.
- Sponsored Videos: This type of ad shows users a video that plays in a loop and automatically shows on the right-hand side as they scroll through Tumblr.
- Sponsored Day: Brands can show their posts directly at the top of users’ dashboards for an entire 24-hour period. Users will see the sponsored post just above the first post on their dashboard. When clicked, users will be shown curated content.
The Good and The Bad of Business Tumblr
Like all social media platforms, Tumblr has its own fair share of pros and cons. The most prevalent being:
Pros Of Using Tumblr For Business
Every brand has its own unique needs. But for the majority of brands that want to use Tumblr for marketing, the platform offers the following benefits:
- Tumblr is perfect for marketing to a younger demographic. According to statistics, the majority of Tumblr’s user base is comprised of Millenials and Gen Z.
- Visual marketing thrives on Tumblr. Your brand can show off its creative side and promote itself through images and art.
- You can treat Tumblr like your own mini website as it can be customized extensively to fit your brand image. It’s easy to set up and there are thousands of free options available.
Cons Of Using Tumblr For Business
Tumblr is great for a specific set of things. But it falls short in the following:
- Tumblr’s user base is declining. Even though it’s perfect for cultivating a niche community, the lack of new people coming in due to major policy changes became detrimental to its growth.
- Marketing to an older audience is difficult. Statistics show us that only 6% of Tumblr’s user base is above 36 years old.
- It’s an extremely niche site now. Tumblr never evolved the way Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram did—and the declining user base speaks volumes. However, this does provide an opportunity to market their brand in a place with low competition.
Key Takeaways
Tumblr is a social media platform that makes up for its smaller user base with a more engaging demographic. If you want to market on Tumblr for your business, consider the following:
- Tumblr is a great place to market to Millenials and Gen Z.
- You can customize your Tumblr page freely and use it as your own website.
- There’s less competition on Tumblr but it has a smaller user base.
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