This article is contributed by Sam Peters.
The biggest rage in the world of social media is Tumblr. People equipped with smartphones are taking to the streets, collecting images, and posting them to the specialized blogging service – all while gaining massive amounts of followers.
The use of visual marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach consumers and Tumblr features everything. From cinemagraphs to infographics, what you post on Tumblr has the potential to reach millions of people almost instantly. Here are some ways to make your Tumblr marketing attempts more effective:
Create a Brand Based Meme
In genetic terms, a meme is an idea or learned behavior that quickly spreads from person to person within a society. An Internet meme acts in the same way by catching on with a certain group and then making its mark on the rest of society. Tumblr is one of the best ways to create memes and get them to go viral quickly.
Quirk it Up
Some of the most popular Tumblr pages are “Kim Jong Il Looking at Stuff,” “The Comic Sans Project,” and anything that has to do with a meme. Attention spans on the site are miniscule and if you do not stand out no one is going to give your site the time of day. Just like the rest of your marketing, make your Tumblr efforts interesting and creative.
Seek Elsewhere for Authority Links
The major drawback to posting marketing content on a Tumblr blog is the fact that no one takes it seriously. According to Huffington Post, Tumblr is the least authoritative blogging platform on the Internet. This means that the site should be used for fun and novelty instead of serious discussion and debate. Leave the heavy topics to your own personal website or blog.
Don’t Get Caught
If you get caught marketing on Tumblr, you’ll probably be ostracized and blackballed from the community. Tumblr acts as an open sourced place for the dissemination of information. If paid advertising is present and not fully disclosed, you could end up receiving a tribute page just like this guy made.
Manage Your Resources
While you may think that it is an effective strategy to get your brand onto as many social media networks as possible, sometimes your efforts can be better in other places. If you do not have the time to effectively manage a Tumblr account, put the time you do have into other social networks. That way you will remain effective and not spread yourself out too thin.
The best thing about Tumblr is that it is fun, sharing, and entertaining by nature. If you feel that your brand can contribute to the openness of the social network, then get yourself an account and start adding to the massive database.
Author Bio: Sam Peters is a blogger who frequently writes for entrepreneurial and tech blogs covering topics from online marketing to the newest gadget and mobile web news.
Related: The Other Bloke’s Mini-Blog – ramblings and rants from a Brit in British Columbia (a Tumblr blog)
Tumblr is a new service that I haven’t yet tried. I like to make new blogs and do posts on the go with smart phone. I hope it’s free to try tumblr cause there are so many free services around these days.