Kate Tkacik gives a presentation on how to create and curate a Tumblr account. She discusses the types of Tumblr users and content, how to customize and post to your blog, using tags to organize your content and engage with others, and tips for growing your audience and understanding Tumblr culture. The presentation aims to help new Tumblr users understand the basics of setting up and using their blog effectively.

1. #Tumblr101
Creating and Curating Your Tumblr
Kate Tkacik
Foundation Center-San Francisco
thelifeguardlibrarian.tumblr.com
#tumblrtalk

2. tumblr?!
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3. tumblr?!
• Founded 2007 by David Karp
– acquired by Yahoo in 2013
• 170 million blogs*
• “the best baby Twitter and Wordpress didn’t know
they had”
• Creative, visually-engaging, diverse
*http://www.tumblr.com/about
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4. tumblr types
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5. tumblr types
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6. tumblr types
• Artists
• Designers
• Lifestyle
• Authors
• Educators
• Students!
• Journalists
• Advocates
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7. tumblr types
• Majority of users are between 18-34*
• Equally divided between men & women*
• Average user spends 14 minutes on tumblr per visit (more
than Facebook)*
• More teens on tumblr than Facebook or Instagram*
*Why 2013 is the Year You Need to Get Serious About Tumblr, Forbes, Jan 2013
*5 Facts about Tumblr, Pew Research, May 2013
*http://mashable.com/2013/04/17/users-stay-longer-on-tumblr-than-facebook/
*http://www.themillions.com/2013/04/tumblr-index-your-guide-to-artistic-and-literary-tumblrs-part-iii.html
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8. tumblr types
• Personal blogs
• Organization/institution blogs
• Art/production blogs
• Meme-based/single-focus blog
– Maddieonthings.tumblr.com
– Realgrumpycat.tumblr.com
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9. tumblr types
• Tumblr is a collection of communities of
bloggers
– Local
– Fandoms
– Professions
– Movements/advocacy
• Communities organize around #tags and
memes
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10. tumblr types
• Content balance is different for every tumblr
– Created content vs curated content
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11. getting started
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12. customize
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13. customize
• Remember you can always make changes to
your blog—pick something you like and get
posting
• You can link twitter, RSS, other social media
widgets & Google analytics
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14. FOLLOW
• The first rule of tumblr is FOLLOW
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15. FOLLOW
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16. follow
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• tumblr.com/explore
• See also: tumblr.com/2014 • tumblr.com/spotlight
#tumblrtalk

17. follow & engage
• “likes” act as a bookmark as well as
engagement tool
• “reblogs” will repost content to your blog
• “replies” have to be allowed—enable replies
in your settings
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18. post!
• Posting is so easy. I promise.
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19. post!
• Post using bookmarklet or mobile apps (tumblr.com/apps)
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20. post!
• Each post style includes a variety of ways to note source
content—best practice with reblogs is to keep original
blogger’s metadata & comments
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21. tags
• Tags are the metadata you apply to your post
which will organize your content both within
your individual blog and within the tumblr tag
results (first 7 tags applied within tumblr)
• Tags based around popular content like #lit
#education #science #lol etc may be curated
by a set of editors (tumblr users who select
and feature the “best” posts tagged in each
content category)
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22. tags
When you add tags to your post here:
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23. tags
Your post will also show up here (in addition to your blog page &
your followers’ dashboard):
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24. tags
• Featured or curated tags
look like this
• Under the ‘top
contributors’ is a link
which will show you all
posts tagged #history.
• If your post is featured,
the tag on your post will
turn blue!
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25. tags
• Like following, track ALL the tags, including
your name/blog name
• You can track any tag, not just featured tags
• Tracked tags will automatically appear when
you put your cursor into the search bar
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26. Tags
ex:tumblr.com/tagged/libraries
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http://unwrapping.tumblr.com/post/64992950643/using-old-tag-search
#tumblrtalk

27. assess
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• Tumblr includes built in analytics
• You can also link Google analytics by adding the Google-generated ID
and code from your customization page
#tumblrtalk

28. ready to tumblr!
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29. …Ok, I signed up. But I don’t get it. I just don’t.
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30. balancing content
• It’s up to you—but make it YOUR tumblr
• Even if you’re running your company’s tumblr,
remember to keep a personality
• Share a selfie or fandom affiliation
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31. learn the culture
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• See a #tag/meme/abbreviation you don’t
understand?
• Knowyourmeme.com
• Urbandictionary.com
#tumblrtalk

32. …What’s with all the porn and f*ckyeahs?
#NSFW
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33. it’s still the Internet
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34. 1/13/15 Sunnyvale Public Library
fuckyeahyellow vs fuckyeahlgbthistory
#tumblrtalk

35. Ok, I’m trying!
…Why don’t I have any followers?
• Your content isn’t tumblr-y
• Get feedback from users you know
• Follow others & introduce yourself
• Use your brand logo on homepage &
thumbnail
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36. Ok, I’m trying!
…Why aren’t my posts getting any action?
• Use TAGS
• Consider timing
• Keep it general
• Mimic successful posts
• Keep it ~*VISUAL*~
• Have you used GIFs?
• Create a cache of clickbait
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37. the inexplicable internet
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38. Ok, I’m trying!
…How do I reach my targeted audience?
• Remember to keep a general audience until
you have some traction
• Carefully seek out tags relevant to your
location/community (ex. #chicago #windycity
#chitown)
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39. Ok, I’m trying!
…What’s the best way to ‘chat’?
• Enable replies
• Utilize your ask box (/ask)
• Move discussion offline
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40. Ok, I’m trying!
• Tumblr will only work for you/your brand if
you enjoy tumblr
• If Twitter/Facebook are already working for
you, USE THEM
• Use your queue
• Divide responsibility or find the staff member
who’s already tumbln’
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41. you got this
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42. tumblrs to dig
• MedievalPOC.tumblr.com
• Fergusonresponse.tumblr.com
• Reblogbookclub.tumblr.com
• NASA.tumblr.com
• Coolchicksinhistory.tumblr.com
• Librarianwardrobe.tumblr.com
• Shoppedtattos.tumblr.com
• Memelibrarian.tumblr.com
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43. Resources
• “Tumblr Index: Your Guide to Artistic and
Literary Tumblrs, Part III,” The Millions, online,
April 2013 (http://www.themillions.com/2013/04/tumblr-index-your-guide-
to-artistic-and-literary-tumblrs-part-iii.html)
• “How to Make a GIF in 5 Easy Steps,” Gizmodo,
online, Sept 2012 (http://gizmodo.com/5941436/how-to-make-a-gif-
in-five-easy-steps)
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44. contact
Kate Tkacik
Foundation Center-San Francisco
katetkacik@gmail.com
thelifeguardlibrarian.tumblr.com
Twitter: @lifegdlibrarian
Instagram: @katetkacik
1/13/15 Sunnyvale Public Library