Tumblr
Tumblr (██)
Tumblr is a blogging network designed for sharing mixed media content. In addition
to posting your own content, you can also repost content from other
Tumblr users. Design is template-based, and Tumblr blogs are
automatically mobile-optimized. While there’s some built-in engagement
with the Tumblr community, it’s important to share content to Facebook
and Twitter.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good for showcasing mixed media | Readers must be registered on Tumblr in order to comment. |
| Connect with niche communities | Limited customization |
| Custom domains | |
| Automatically post to Tumblr from Instagram |
Pro tip: If you’re using Tumblr to build a class site, you can
configure it either so that students can post directly, or so that
there’s a submission and approval process.
Metrics
Tumblr templates have a place to insert a Google Analytics tracking ID.
See Web Metrics Guide: Basics for Journalists for more info on Google Analytics.
Case studies
Newsroom
Mic uses Tumblr in addition to the many blogs it hosts on its own website.
They use Tumblr to help attract users towards those blogs by using memes and GIFs in their posts on Tumblr, drawing over one million users to its website per month.
NPR has numerous Tumblr blogs, and encourages reporters to be active on
Tumblr on their own. NPR's Seoul Bureau chief uses Tumblr to
blog about her life and work in Korea.
Classroom
ArtsCultureBeat-Budapest Edition:
Alisa Solomon and David Hajdu’s Arts and Culture students created a
Tumblr site to showcase their reporting from a trip to Budapest during
the dunapart3: Showcase of Hungarian Contemporary Performing Arts in
March 2015. Tumblr made it easy for them to post mixed media content
(photos, video and text), even from their phones.
Drones at Home:
A team of students from Emily Bell and Margaret Sullivan’s Audience &
Engagement class tapped into the world of amateur drone enthusiasts
using Tumblr. None of the students had used the platform before, but
they soon recognized that a significant part of their tech-savvy
audience already had an active Tumblr presence. Tumblr was useful also
because it’s more flexible than other platforms—they posted a mix of
video, photos and written stories. They also reposted content from other
users, making their blog a destination for people interested in drones,
some of whom became subjects themselves.
Moving the Needle:
Betsy West used Tumblr to create a showcase for her students’ final
video documentary projects. The site features a trailer that highlights
each of the seven students’ documentary short, as well still shots and
behind the scenes photographs. The page also displays the class Twitter
feed, which they used to promote their final screening.
Additional Resources
Tutorial\/help: Up and Running with Tumblr