The social media and blogging landscapes live and die by the clock. If something is cumbersome enough that it takes more than a few seconds to accomplish, good luck getting anyone to use it. That’s where blogging websites like Tumblr shine: The interface is simple and the commitment is minimal.
“I definitely find Tumblr to be addictive,” said freshman Bridget Bush. “I like that it allows you to more or less create a website that endlessly updates with things that you find interesting, since you choose [which blogs] you follow. It is also an outlet for sharing how you feel, what you think and what you like in the world.”
While many students find themselves addicted to Tumblr, not all share that sentiment.
“I could go the rest of my life without Tumblr, if such a dismal fate were forced upon me,” said freshman government and international politics major Patrick Greenwalt. “Though Tumblr helps emphasize the humanity in us all. I share and express things on Tumblr I otherwise would not, since Tumblr has a sense of anonymity about it.”
Tumblr allows its users to create their own personalized blog within a matter of seconds. Everything from the font to the background and theme can be modified. Pinterest, a social gathering website, is basically a virtual inspiration board where people can pin different photos. Many users have multiple boards all of them related to specific categories like fashion and food. Polyvore, another social media website, also allows people to share photos by creating photo sets and collages, typically of outfits. People can then click on a specific item and find an online store where they can purchase it.
According to statistics from Forbes Magazine, Tumblr receives 526.37 million page-views per day and there are currently 37.63 million active Tumblr blogs. While some of these blogs have a few hundred followers, others have tens of thousands of followers, making them “Tumblr famous.”
With sites like Tumblr and Pinterest, it can be hard to create an original site because most people’s pages are simply filled with regurgitated pictures and sayings. This is not to say that there are not some original pages. But this is where people can really see the difference between Tumblr and Pinterest blogs and individuals’ own personal blogs made through BlogSpot. Personal blogs take a lot more effort because the individual has to come up with original content and they typically take all of their own photos.
The fact that Tumblr blogs take such little effort to create is one of the many reasons that they are so popular. Each blog on Tumblr also has the ability to reach so many people at such a rapid rate that stores such as Urban Outfitters and Black Milk Clothing have created their own Tumblrs.
Urban Outfitters uses their site to post shots of their clothing; many of the pictures being the same as those printed in their magazine. By posting these pictures on their personal Tumblr, fans and basically anyone who likes the photos can share them with others by simply clicking re-blog. This allows UO to reach thousands of people, often within a matter of minutes. Each picture has a link to UO right under the photo so that people can easily be directed to their site and to also give credit to the photo.
Black Milk Clothing is a company based in Australia that makes dresses, tops and skirts, but they’re most famous for their leggings. Black Milk leggings are unlike any others. Some are covered with pictures of actual galaxies taken by NASA while others are covered with jellyfish. Pictures of girls wearing the company’s galaxy leggings can be seen plastered all over Tumblr dashboards and blogs. This is a great way for the brand to reach out to people all over the world. The company even has their own Tumblr where people can post pictures of themselves wearing Black Milk products.
There are Tumblrs out there for everyone. There is even a new Tumblr dedicated to problems at George Mason University — everything from the temperature of Southside’s plates to the long lines at Pilot House on Thursday nights. The popularity of sites like Tumblr only seems to be increasing and whether you are interested in fashion, food or problems at Mason, there is a blog out there for you.
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