Tumblr, the hot, New York based, free blogging platform on crack which was founded in 2007 by David Karp, and has long been mocked for having no business strategy at all, actually has a ‘business plan’.
A business plan other than being the nicest platform, hosting the hippest bloggers and designers, and offering most features of all freely available blog platforms. To be honest with you I might have forgotten to check the total validity of the ‘most features’ statement, but if tumblr doesn’t offer most features, at least the team has the nicest features page of all platforms. That’s a valid argument, right?
Times have changed and since today you will not be able, or allowed even, anymore to mock tumblr as the perfect poster boy of the ‘Bubble in Tech’ and our throw-away consumerist behaviour, because… wait for it… yes, Tumblr does actually have a business plan. Of course I use the term ‘business plan’ loosely here and it might be more appropriate to call it ‘something which should at least bring money in the account and finance the next free bar Tumblr SXSWi party‘.
Today the startup announced the introduction of premium themes, AKA as ‘paid themes’.
These Premium Themes display an impeccable aesthetic, attention to detail, and occasionally a specialization (galleries, long text, band sites, business sites, etc.).
They cost between $9 and $49 (most of which goes right into the pockets of the brilliant designers behind them) and are a shining addition to the 350+ beautiful free themes already available.
We’re thrilled that these designers already include the outrageously talented Matthew Buchanan, Jarred Bishop, Mike Harding, MetaLab, Sleepover SF, Peter Vidani, and WooThemes. Thank you!
What does this mean for the user? Nothing really, other than that 13 themes have been added to the already large Tumblr Theme Garden and that you’ll have to pay between $9 and $49 to use any of these themes. Alternatively you can still design your own theme or grab one of the 337+ other free and mostly excellent themes. Fred Wilson surely laughing all the way home about this move.
If you don’t know what tumblr is, or whether your blog should be on tumblr, read Jonathan Bailey’s excellent Should Your Blog Be On Tumblr.
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