Monday, August 02, 2010

A Nice Bridge between Facebook and Twitter

Today's New York Times article "Media Companies Try Getting Social with Tumblr" explains how media outlets such as The New Yorker and the Huffington Post are using the Tumblr blogging service to push out content simply and effectively in ways that complement their Facebook and Twitter sites. If you examine these sites, they are almost like "trailers" to the larger content provided on the main website.

Why would they bother using a third type of social media? Folks are already following them on Facebook and Twitter.

For one thing, they can integrate their Facebook with Tumblr, offering their Tumblr blog readers the opportunity to post comments directly onto their Facebook site. This cross-fertilization can bring more readers on board. "Notes" are also added which reveal who liked the posts and who "re-blogged" them. Readers may be able to find those with similar interests more easily.

Comic by rivv
Secondly, they are not limited to such short posts, they can add video, bigger and better pictures!, and more enticing snippets connected to their longer stories from their main websites. Tumblr makes it really easy to share not only text, but also photos, quotes, links, dialogues, audio, video, and slideshows.  

Tumblr themes are available in 5 languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Italian with the promise of more in the future. No Spanish?  No Chinese? I think this blogging platform would be great for our world language teachers.

Mobile apps are proliferating, but right now they are mostly for Apple products and Blackberry. I did not find Droid apps on their site.

I really like the look and feel of Tumblr.  Could it be that I'm getting bored with Blogger? Any support out there for switching our New Trier Library blog to Tumblr?
Posted by Judy Gressel at 9:39 AM
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1 comment:

Linda Straube (Ms. S) said...

I am willing to go with the group on this one, but it seems worth experimenting with this – I love that you actively encourage us to try new tools; we definitely don’t want you to be bored :-)

As I understand it, the PROS include (a) more connections and more visibility within in library/tech community, right? Do we have a sense of how much more? And (b) being easier to use and (c) an innovation that we can try and then perhaps suggest for another project.
Potential CONS could be that (a) we will lose some current followers, but we can add a forwarding link, right? Or (b) that others are reluctant to learn a new platform to contribute.

JudyG, I would like to be able to see some current Tumblr blogs. Do they have some kind of index or suggestion on how to find them (since you can change the URL to hide Tumblr)?

So what does the group think? Are you up for this?

9:41 AM

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