This document summarizes Tumblr and provides tips for using the blogging platform. It explains that Tumblr allows users to easily share photos, videos, text and other content. It also discusses how to create posts using different media types, engage with other users by liking and reblogging content, and find content through following hashtags and other users. The document concludes by offering best practices like curating rather than solely creating original content and following judiciously to avoid irrelevant posts filling your dashboard.
4. I: What is Tumblr?
• “The easiest way to blog.”
• Tumblr makes it effortless to share
anything you find or create.
• Post text, photos, quotes, links,
dialogues, audio, video, slideshows.
tumblr.com/why-tumblr
5. So what’s Tumblr really?
• “...the Lost and Found Department of the
entire Internet.” (Salon.com)
• “...the end of your social life.”
(urbandictionary.com)
• “...the most interesting party you’ve ever been
at. That party could have a political discussion
in the kitchen or people doing keg stands in
the living room, but it’s all about that whole
range of human expression.” (Mark Coatney)
7. Undercover Tumblr
“Tumblr has a chameleon quality, since
non-Tumblr users who visit a tumblr
blog see it as a more or less plain-
vanilla blog: they don’t see the social
network behind the scenes... [To] really
experience Tumblr, you have to create
an account and start following
people.” (Stowe Boyd)
15. Demographics
• Top 25 websites in U.S. ranked 23rd by
• 55% female, 45% male
• Attracts ages 18 to 34
• College educated audience
Source: quantcast.com
29. Reaction images
• Exclamation points of Tumblr
• Images or animations
at end of a post
• Express joy, shock,
sadness, laughter, anger,
disgust, excitement or pride
30. Text post
• You can easily add images to text posts
• Use “read more” break for longer posts
33. Chat post
Overheard at Brew Cudahy Cafe:
Barista #1: I’m really tired.
Barista #2: You work in a coffee shop.
Do something about it.
34. Audio post
• One audio upload per day
• MP3s only with 10MB limit
• Toll-free number to record
35. Video post
• Embed YouTube or Vimeo by URL
• Upload 5 minutes of video per day
• 100MB max per video file upload
36. Publish options
• Publish now — I mean, right now
• Add to queue — stagger your posts
• Publish on... — schedule your posts
• Save as draft — stockpile your posts
• Private — only for you, when logged in
39. Reblog
• Similar to Twitter’s retweet
• Quickly shares what you love on Tumblr
• Creates a copy to your tumblelog
• Allows you to add your own comments
• Attributes to the original author
• Adds to notes on the original post
• Notifies author on dashboard (if set)
41. Like
• Marks what you like from Tumblr
• Similar to Twitter favorites
• Does NOT create a post on your tumblelog
• Adds to Notes on the original post
• Likes may appear in a sidebar or link (if set)
• Notifies author on dashboard (if set)
42. Reply
• Replies are off by default
• Can allow replies from people you follow
• Can allow replies from those following you
for more than two weeks
• Click Reply link on dashboard posts
• For comments, use DISQUS add-on
43. Answer a question
• End a text post or a caption with “?”
• Creates a question post with answer box
52. Tags
• Great way to organize posts
• Surfaces content for others
• When posting, tags on right
• No hash/pound sign needed
• Comma or return after each
• Search tags from dashboard
53. Top 10 tags
1. GIF (animated) 6. Illustration
2. LOL 7. Landscape
3. Fashion 8. Animals
4. Art 9. Food
5. Vintage 10. Film
Source: mashable.com, 11/14/11
58. Creation vs. Curation
• Strike a balance between...
• Creating your original posts
• Curating other’s posts (reblogs)
• Remix or curate...
• Be careful with copyright
• Attribute the source Coach
Buzz
Lightyear
59. Follow judiciously
• Follow accounts that fit your interests
• Initially, I followed all who followed me
• Sometimes led to “dashboard noise”
• Gradually, I unfollowed some accounts
61. Seedy side of Tumblr
• Spam likes or reblogs (block as spam)
• F-bombs, even on official Tumblr stuff
• F***yeah blogs
• Over the line: click unfollow