If you’re a creative type looking for a way to share your ideas, you’ve probably already considered blogging. While the practice has been around for years now, the number of blogs and bloggers really exploded during the pandemic. While by sheer numbers, WordPress is the dominant site for blogging, Tumblr is another popular option. Here, we’ll dig into how to start blogging on Tumblr to see if it’s a better fit for what you’re trying to accomplish.
To begin with, many consider Tumblr as more of a microblogging site. It’s more about sharing quick little bits of content, as opposed to more in-depth articles.
One of the advantages of that is that it’s very easy to understand and start using right away. Tumblr describes itself as the easiest way for people to quickly publish content.
Some have described it as a combination of several social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Users easily post text, images, audio, and links on their posts. If you follow other users’ blogs, the content they post also appears in your feed.
How to Make a Tumblr Blog
Getting started.
All you need to set up a Tumblr account is your email, username, and password. Username availability might be an issue, but you are given suggestions for similar usernames to help zero in on one you like.
Choose your interests.
Next, you get to look at different accounts with different topics and interests and choose the ones you like. You’re required to pick at least 5, but the more you pick the more things you’ll be exposed to.
Your Dashboard.
After you pick your topics, Tumblr will build you a feed that will become your dashboard. This will act as your home screen on the site after your registration is finished.
Here you will see the latest blogs from the accounts you follow, and other popular posts that might interest you. The dashboard is also where you can discover new accounts and see how other posters use their pages.
It’s time to post!
At the top of the page, you will see the different options you have for posting.
- Text
- Photo
- Quote
- Link
- Chat
- Audio
- Video
While it’s easy to play around with the different categories to figure out how you can use them, remember that Tumblr is a very visual site, so posts with photos or videos will be more popular, and therefore seen and shared more often.
Hashtags.
They are a big deal on Tumblr and are the primary way to get your content discovered by other users. After spending some time on the site and seeing other posts, you’ll better understand the best way to use them in your content.
Customize your blog.
This feature makes your page more like a blog and less like other social media. You can personalize your page using available themes. There are lots of free themes, but also premium themes you can pay for. The free ones are fine, but the paid themes generally offer more options for customizing your blog.
There’s no need to get hung up on making your theme perfect because you can come back and re-edit it as often as you like. As you spend more time on the site you’ll notice features that you might like to use yourself.
If you speak fluent HTML, there is also an option to create your own theme.
Stay active.
It all begins with your dashboard. This is where you can post content, reblog other content, and find other blogs to follow. Posting often will get you noticed faster. Responding and engaging with other blogs regularly is also important.
Like other social sites, if you follow someone, they will likely follow you back, so important for you to do the same. Check the “Recommended For You” section to see blogs that would interest you and give them a follow.
Staying active also means liking other posts, and reblogging them as well. It shows that you are being a good member of the Tumblr community.
Reuse your content from your other social networks.
One of the beauties of Tumblr is that is easy to share content from your other accounts like Facebook, Instagram, and others. This makes it easy to post regularly without having to come up with new material every time.
Create new content.
After playing around on the site your creative juices will likely start flowing, and you’ll quickly learn how to come up with completely original posts as well.
In Conclusion
Now that you know how to start blogging on Tumblr, you’ll understand that Tumblr is a good option for beginners looking to start dabbling in the world of blogging. Its features are very user-friendly and easy to pick up and use from the start. It’s easy to share, and a great way to find online communities that share your interests.
WordPress is a better option for serious bloggers looking to create in-depth content, but for a fun and free foray into the world of blogging, give Tumblr a go.
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