Using Tumblr for business

Tumblr is a smart and easy-to-use micro-blogging platform. Barely takes 5 minutes to register, select a theme and make a post.

So the question is, 'How can businesses use Tumblr?". Shocking as it may seem, many businesses have been using Tumblr quite regularly. I suppose having presence on an additional social network only helps in widening your reach. 

Importance of blogging to build content

SEO or not, everyone knows the importance of having quality content. Content is what will make or break your online reputation. Having more than a gazillion options to choose from, people will bounce away from your page if your content appears non-informative. The inevitable question remains- How do you grow your content? 

Blogging is an excellent medium to publish quality content and interact with readers at the same time. Whether you are a big brand or just starting out, blogging is a great tool to reach out to a wider audience that is keen on gaining more information. People who read blogs are people who are more inclined towards acquiring information and this information in turn will affect their choices in the most subtle ways. How often do we read something that influences our buying behavior? As someone who enjoys shopping, I am more keen on buying products I have heard of online via blogs. Blogs can be used to review/compare products, provide more information on the products, information about latest industry trends (whats hot and whats not) and so much more. 

If you are looking for a quick yet informative medium to publish your information and at the same time gain followers, you should try Tumblr. Further research into what companies are actually using Tumblr, took me to this source of information. Businesses in varied fields are using Tumblr as a medium to expand their online presence.

Different brands are using their Tumblrs for different purposes. You can concentrate on talking about current service issues like Twitter does or showcase daily activities within your organisation or even share your favourite media! As long as your brand is associated with the content, you are increasing your reach. Tumblr can be used to show the fun side of your organisation or be used as a professional tool to talk about latest industry updates. Either way, it is easy to use, quick to update and in general, looks cool.

A few pointers to note are-

1. It is not a substitute for Twitter or any other social network. 

2. Only take on enough responsibility that you can manage based on human resource available in your organisation. In simple, use Tumblr if you are going to update it regularly. Nothing worse than having a social networking profile that has not been updated in months. This generally has a bad effect on readers and can drive them away from your brand. 

3. Don't duplicate information. If you have posted something on Facebook, don't duplicate the content on Tumblr. That makes no sense. The best plan is to condense your Tumblr activities by concentrating on the objective. Looking at the different business examples posted above, you'll notice that every brand has customised their Tumblr in a unique way based on the design of their social media strategy. 

I personally think, Tumblr can be a great tool for smaller businesses. The lovely themes available for free (and paid) are designed to improve the aesthetics of your content. Looking good is scoring half the point, the rest half will come from the quality of your content. Just like Twitter, you can choose to follow people who interest you. Tumblr offers a variety of categories to choose from, there by helping you build relationships and engage with people.