For the better part of a year, I’ve had a Tumblr feed. For as long as I’ve had it, I’ve struggled to figure out what to do with it. I left it back in October, only to return to it a few days ago when my Google+ habits gave me some social media zest.
“I can make this work,” I thought. “I just need to figure out what to do with it.”
Successful Tumblrs, I’ve noticed, have a theme of some kind. My personal favorite lists hilarious things that kids have submitted as homework. Sadly it’s now on summer vacation. Many websites, newspapers and magazines have Tumblrs for content. Others exist to pass along artwork, recipes, videos and memes of all kinds.
I was determined to post my own work as much as possible, whether it was text, videos or photos, even if it took me a while to gain followers because I didn’t pass along Popular GIF #5638. I took inspiration from two of my friends’ blogs — Lauren’s and Jessica’s — and tried to let it come naturally.
Finally, earlier today, I made my decision. I’ll use my Tumblr to display my travel photography, and pair the photos with proverbs I deem thematically pertinent (or, you know, cool). I take many, many photos, but I’m not a photographer in any trained sense. Using my Tumblr to show them off seems like the perfect way to get them “out there” without needlessly duplicating any content from my Google+, Twitter or personal site (although my existing work on here will stay). It’s a simple pet project.
I’ve posted four photos total since deciding to take my microblog in this direction — I hope to add one or two every day — and it’s been fun selecting the photos and the quotes to accompany them.
I feel an odd sort of triumph that I’ve sorted out the formerly mystifying Tumblr. Even if I’m the only one who ever looks at it.
I totally feel your pain about Tumblr. My students tell me it’s simple and really great. A few graphic artists scream about it. But I just didn’t get it. Maybe because I’m a text person, mainly.
But then I looked up from my computer and I noticed that the wall to my left is covered in thee pieces of papers, pics, cards I like, postcards. My wall is a Tumblr site. That’s when it hit me. I’ll do the same.
Maybe it’s a generational thing. But to me, Tumblr is best when it’s just aesthetic and not thematic. People post all the odds and bits of their e-lives there. And now I use it a good bit, I also see that it’s pretty easy. I was trying to make it harder than it is.
“I was trying to make it harder than it is.”
I think that was my problem, too!
Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
i just use my tumblr to get pictures and post the link to my blog hehe
-Bianca at http://theinbetweengirls.wordpress.com/