This is a mammoth question and in the end will most likely result in deciding if it's something your social media department is willing to take on because, as with all social media platforms, if it isn't run and kept up with properly, it will tank and, for those who aren't aware, a dead page is considered a page that has tanked. Just because you have a social media presence on a platform does not ensure that your organization is relevant on that platform. Before we get to that though, let's take a look at what Tumblr is and how Tumblr works.
What is Tumblr?
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| The Best of Tumblr Facebook page |
Tumblr is a social networking website and microblogging platform founded in 2007; it has been owned by Yahoo! since 2013. It is popular for its quick-witted reblogging capabilities as you can see in its presence on other platforms such as the Facebook page
The Best of Tumblr which takes screenshots of popular Tumblr posts and posts them on Facebook. That works out great for people like me who don't have much personal interest in using Tumblr and can enjoy the "best of" humor without getting sucked into the vast sea of daily Tumblr community posts.
How Universities Are Already Using Tumblr
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| Brenau presence on Tumblr |
Many colleges and universities have already taken the plunge into the world of Tumblr. Some successfully while others are left with tumbleweeds blowing through their rarely used accounts. Even if you don't have a main page, you may not realize that your university's name is already in the world of Tumblr. All sorts of student organizations are probably already utilizing Tumblr in the name of your university. And that's great; you don't have to lift a finger to get your organization's name onto Tumblr. There is a flip-side to that in the form of mocking/venting pages but you can't control the Internet and trying to do so only looks worse on you. So, don't worry about that; just think positively!
The great examples of universities utilizing Tumblr include frequent posts and an ongoing conversation and photos that are worth reblogging.
Reblog-worthy posts usually include recognizable campus shots or shots with students in recognizable places.
Another use for universities on Tumblr would be to host a spot for helpful information to get students through college life. These do require a bit of upkeep so dust doesn't start to gather on the page and the information become obsolete from lack of users. That's the thing with social media; you can have excellent information but if it is on a platform that is not utilized by the admins often enough, it is in danger of being viewed as outdated. If your page is not current, your information is not current.
Effectively Use Tumblr
Tumblr has become ubiquitous with viral-seeking, shocking, quick-witted repartee. Can you keep up? Are you able and willing to put the social media power behind creating a Tumblr page that won't fall to the wayside? What tone do you want to set for your university in this constantly spinning conversation wheel? Are you comfortable with not being able to control the conversation? Through all of this, I see that the most effective ways to utilize Tumblr in a university setting is to keep fresh. To do that, you must have a person dedicated to your Tumblr page. You need to make sure you have students engaged in your page, follow current students, reblog student content, reblog relevant posts, and encourage student content, as well as generate original content.
You shouldn't jump into creating a main university page. You should meet with all departments involved in these types of decisions at your university and see what their take on it is. It all goes back to the beginning of this post: is Tumblr something your social media department is willing to take on?
