It’s only been a week since Yahoo’s billion dollar purchase of Tumblr, and yesterday the popular social network-blogging tool took a big step toward monetization with sponsored posts users’ desktop feeds.
Similar to Tumblr’s mobile native advertising that went live a month ago, these sponsored content units have a dollar sign ($) in the top right corner to differentiate between organic and paid content. However, users can Reblog, Like, Follow and Share them just like normal content.
From CNET:
“Tumblr started including sponsored posts in users’ streams on its mobile applications in April. Like the ads on mobile, users will see up to four sponsored Tumblr stories a day on the desktop that are denoted by an animated dollar sign icon.
The sponsored posts will roll out to all users by the end of June and will feature content from seven initial partners: Viacom, Ford Motor, Universal Pictures, Capital One, AT&T, Denny’s, and Purina.”
Why does this matter to brands?
- As our clients are increasingly looking for ways to engage specific audiences through targeted content syndication, Tumblr is another opportunity for our teams to consider in their content marketing strategies.
- There are currently 112 million Tumblr blogs. [TUMBLR]
- Tumblr is an important rising star in the social network line-up, with 6 percent of Internet users using the service (Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram rank between 13% and 16% [PEW]), with 29 million uniques according Comscore; 100 million-plus blogs according to Tumblr.
- Tumblr is most popular among young adults: 13% of 18- to-29-year-olds said they used the service. [PEW]
- Unlike other social media platforms, Tumblr users are equally divided between men and women. [PEW]
- Sponsored posts via Tumblr Radar earned more than 10 million likes and reblogs in the last year. [TUMBLR]
Although diehard Tumblr users decried Yahoo’s acquisition last week, the socnet is still extremely popular and worth considering, depending your clients objectives and audiences.
More:
Tumblr Blog Post Announcements about Desktop and Mobile
Tumblr Rolls Out Sponsored Posts
Tumblr brings in-stream ads to Web dashboard
15 Stats Brands Should Know About Tumblr
Yahoo’s $1.1 Billion Acquisition of Popular Blog Site Tumblr Sends Internet Users in an Uproar
GREG SWAN 