What is Tumblr and Why Should you use it to Help Your SEO?
If there’s one thing to take away from the younger generations of today, it’s that they are not too fond of befriending parents on Facebook, and they have short attention spans.
How can you market your brand to the millennials in a micro-moment when they are slowly veering away from the biggest social media platform around? Tumblr is the answer. With over 130 million blogs bursting the social media seams, Tumblr is the perfect place to improve SEO—especially amongst the younger generations.
What is Tumblr Anyway?
Tumblrs simplistic and fast-loading design makes it a popular social media alternative for users under the age of twenty-five. It functions like a blog so users can customize their blog posts on Tumblr with any type of content to fit a specific topic of interest.
Tumblr members can make hashtag searches for practically anything under the sun and can choose to follow relevant Tumblr blogs. Big brands like Coco-Cola and Vans are utilizing it for its advertising potential, so why should you hop on board the Tumblr train?
DoFollow vs. NoFOllow Links and What It Means for SEO
Big social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even Pinterest code external links as NoFollow. The website is unique in that all external links are DoFollow. What does that mean? NoFollow links are basically invisible to search engine bots and do not influence your page rank in SERPs. DoFollow links increase website page rank, so if you’re posting a link to a great article on your amazing Tumblr page, you’re going to be sending traffic all the way back to your website! Good news, right?
By effectively using Tumblr, you can link back to your website and increase your chances of rising up in the Google ranks. Make the content interesting and relevant to your brand or business, and you’ll likely gain a few Tumblr followers along the way. Some Tumblr pages have been lucky enough to climb SERPs on their own. This exposure can greatly enhance your website’s SEO.
Most Relevant, Interesting Content
With any overlooked and underused social media platform, there is a need for engaging content. Facebook is a numbers game, where a vast amount of users can be reached but only a small percentage of those people will actually be interested in what you’re selling.
You can reach out to a specific market by utilizing search hashtags and keeping your content relevant. Someone who is following your blog about 80s clothes and music isn’t going to keep up with your blog if you’re suddenly posting irrelevant content about the 2016 presidential campaign.
You have to keep things simple, visually engaging, and relevant to sustain SEO potential on Tumblr. Posting just about anything will not cut it on Tumblr. If it doesn’t have to do with your brand or business, keep it off your Tumblr page.
Keep it Visual
Nowadays, you can’t get on any social media website without seeing a meme or a funny GIF. This is especially true on Tumblr. Rather than bulking up your Tumblr page with a bunch of written content (no matter how well-written it might be), it’s much better to keep things visual.
Since half the Tumblr population is under the age of 25, being able to resonate with the younger generations is essential to your success on this microblogging social media platform. Popular memes like “Not Sure If Fry” or “Condescending Wonka” are always streaming through social media, and coming up with a witty meme yourself will boost your credibility and popularity.
Take interesting, aesthetically pleasing photographs that people will want to share, post a hilarious(but relevant) meme, or maybe an interesting and inspirational quote relating to your business. Keeping in mind the DoFollow potential, great visual content can help your page rank well on Google.
The Takeaway
It will literally take you minutes to set up an account, so why not get started right now! Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you can start an account, start populating content, and over time it will add value to your SEO efforts. Quality SEO takes time and Tumblr can be a valuable long-term investment of that time.
When you get your account set up, drop by the new Infront Webworks Tumblr page and give us a follow!
Lastly when you open your Tumblr account keep in mind your goals. If your goal is to reinforce your brand then; name, theme, and build your posts around your brand. If your goal is to drive keyword-related traffic to your website, then; them, name and build your posts around your keyword and creatively link back to your website while offering quality content!
Matthew is the President of Infront Webworks and is a New England native now calling Colorado Springs home. Matt attended The University of NH where he pursued a BS in Natural Resource Economics & Business Administration. Aside from Infront; Matthew has owned and managed two other online agencies based on the seacoast of New Hampshire and been a key player in multiple technology mergers & acquisitions. When he’s not bathing in technology, online marketing & business; he’s probably spending time with his wife and daughter, boating, skiing the trees, hiking or cooking..he is a foodie for sure!
