Tumblr has been around since 2007 but many brands are just now starting to utilize it. Content consumption on this micro-blogging site works is very different from Facebook and Twitter. There are many companies that get it completely wrong but +AOI Tea Company is one of the few who I think does a bang up job on their Tumblr blog.
Stand Out from the Crowd
One of my biggest pet peeves is when a company uses the stock layout. This screams of laziness and shows that you don’t really care about anything but gaining extra customers. AIO’s layout is big, beautiful and looks like it made just for them. This your chance to show off your product and logos!
People Like Pretty Pictures
+Tumblr is a hyper-visual platform. Users endlessly scroll through a stream of pictures with very little text. Although there isn’t a character limit, this is not the place to get wordy. Tea is a beautiful product so this should be easy for most companies to pull off. AOI does a great job of making their posts short and sweet.
Give an Insider’s View
Social media is an opportunity to really connect with your fans. There’s lots of boring behind the scenes stuff that no one needs to see but when there is something exciting, make sure that you share it. AOI’s recent post about an employee’s anniversary and birthday celebration is a perfect example of that.
It’s Not All About the Sale
Some social media platforms are better for selling than others. Tumblr is not designed as a place to get sales. It’s a place for you to build brand recognition and build your following. If every post you make is nothing but a sales pitch with product links, no one has any reason to follow you.
Reblog, Reshare, Recycle
One of the most important things to know about Tumblr is that is mainly a content consumption platform. Don’t just create content, make sure that you are also consuming. Reblogging is an easy way to fill in the gaps between your own original posts. You can even add these to your queue so that they will automatically get posted on the schedule that you set. AOI does a great job of reblogging lots of great content about matcha. Yummy baked goods, packaged treats, and recipes are all easy to find and a great way for them to find Tumblr users who also love matcha.