#Reblog for Good
Creating and Curating Your
Nonprofit Tumblr
Kate Tkacik
Foundation Center-San Francisco
thelifeguardlibrarian.tumblr.com
#tumblrtalk
tumblr?!
• Founded 2007 by David Karp– acquired by Yahoo in 2013
• 225+ 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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tumblr types
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tumblr types
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tumblr types
• Artists
• Designers
• Lifestyle
• Authors
• Educators
• Students!
• Journalists
• Allies/Advocates/Activists
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tumblr types
• 50% of users are between 18-34*
• Equally divided between men & women*
• Average user spends 14 minutes on tumblrper visit (more than Facebook)*
*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/
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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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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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tumblr types
• Content balance is different for every tumblr
– Created content vs curated content
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why tumblr 4 nonprofits?
• “Tumblr is kind of like a gateway drug for activism.”
• 64 percent of users say that they care about social causes and look into them on Tumblr
• Potential for virality
*Millennials and the Age of Tumblr Activism, NYTimes, Dec. 2014 (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/style/millennials-and-the-age-of-tumblr-activism.html?_r=0)
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getting started
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customize
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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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customize
• Use custom domain (https://www.tumblr.com/docs/en/custom_domains):
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FOLLOW
• The first rule of tumblr is FOLLOW
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FOLLOW
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follow & search
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• tumblr.com/explore• See also: tumblr.com/2014 • tumblr.com/spotlight
#tumblrtalk
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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post!
• Posting is so easy. I promise.
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post!• Post using bookmarklet or mobile apps (tumblr.com/apps)
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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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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)
• Relevant tags: #nonprofits, #charities, whatever is subject specific to your cause (i.e. education)
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tags
• When you add tags to your post here:
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tags• Your post will also show up here (in addition to your blog page
& your followers’ dashboard):
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tags
• Like following, track ALL the tags, including your name/blog name
• You can track any tag/term
• Tracked tags will automatically appear when you put your cursor into the search bar
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Tagsex: tumblr.com/tagged/nonprofits
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http://unwrapping.tumblr.com/post/64992950643/using-old-tag-search
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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
ready to tumblr!
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…Ok, I signed up. But I don’t get it. I just don’t.
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balancing content
• It’s up to you—but make it YOUR tumblr
• Even if you’re running your nonprofit’s tumblr, remember to keep a personality
• Share a selfie or fandom affiliation
• 2:1 curated to created content
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learn the culture
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• See a #tag/meme/abbreviation you don’t understand? • Knowyourmeme.com• Urbandictionary.com
#tumblrtalk
…What’s with all the porn and f*ckyeahs?
#NSFW
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it’s still the Internet
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fuckyeahyellow vs fuckyeahlgbthistory
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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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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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the inexplicable internet
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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. #nonprofits, #education, #artistsontumblr
• Sponsor posts: tumblr.com/business
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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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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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you got this
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tumblrs to dig
• smithsonianmag.tumblr.com
• pewresearch.tumblr.com
• Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network: glsen.tumblr.com
• Natural Resources Defense Council: nrdc.tumblr.com
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Resources
• 12 Must-Follow Nonprofits on Tumblr (http://www.nptechforgood.com/2015/01/19/12-must-follow-nonprofits-on-tumblr/)
• Millennials in the Age of Tumblr Activism (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/style/millennials-and-the-age-of-tumblr-activism.html?_r=0)
• “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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contact
Kate Tkacik
Foundation Center-San Francisco
thelifeguardlibrarian.tumblr.com
Twitter: @lifegdlibrarian
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