As great as email marketing is on its own in the digital world, the truth of the matter is that extracting the maximum amount of reach and impact from this process often requires a willingness to dip into other outreach channels. Specifically, we’re talking about social media and its inherent connection to the inbox.While Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are the “Big Three” on this front, that doesn’t mean that tapping into the aforementioned overlap between these channels is only confined to these networks. To prove this point, and provide your brand with a new angle of attack as it seeks to gain more members for its contact list, let’s take some time to talk about how Tumblr fits into this approach – as well as how best to leverage the power of this platform once your profile is up and running.
Know the Language and Culture of Tumblr
When it comes to building a following on Tumblr and transforming this audience into members of your email marketing contact list, Albert Costill of Search Engine Journal explains that the best way to kick this process into high gear is by learning the language and culture of this community. While the same concept holds true for Facebook and the other major social media channels, Tumblr most certainly has its own unique style – something that you might not be familiar with, despite having prior experience with other social networks.In particular, Costill notes that the various niche communities and subcultures that populate Tumblr are known for their own dialects. Specifically, the following examples can give you an idea of what to expect as you start to wade into the waters of this network:
- Hyperbolic language
- Ironic phrases or sayings
- Loose grammar
- Reaction gifs
- Clever domain names
By researching the “language” of your target community or audience, you can word toward developing a brand voice that speaks to these individuals in a relatable and meaningful way.
Place an Emphasis on Interaction
Once you’re able to communicate and connect with your following in a fun and engaging manner, Costill points out that the next step in building your branded presence is by interacting with your fans. From sharing their content to commenting on relevant offerings, taking the time to enact this strategy shows these viewers that your brand is listening and appreciates what they have to say – two attributes that definitely come in handy when you’re ready to start requesting contact list signups and the sharing of email-related content.
Craft Content That Evokes a Response
As far as your own Tumblr-oriented content goes, Tessa Wegert of the Content Marketing Institute suggests that your best course of action is to aim for evocative and emotional offerings. In fact, offering up something that incites a response from your viewership is exactly what this community prefers when it comes to social content.Digging a little deeper, Wegert also notes that content that travels down this “high-arousal” path – be it awe-inspiring, amusing, happy, or sad – is more likely to be shared and go viral across the Tumblr-verse when compared to commentary-driven or sterile selections. This means that sharing your branded story, spotlighting employees, and anything else that taps into the human element of this outreach process is in a prime position to make a lasting impact with your audience and help spread the word about your email marketing operations.
Let Visuals Guide the Way
If you’re feeling really intrepid with the growth of your presence on Tumblr, Wegert suggests placing a heavy emphasis on visual content. Much like Pinterest and Instagram, this social community responds exceptionally well to graphics and images, so incorporating these offerings into your strategy goes a long way toward making your branded page a “must visit” destination.In the same vein as before, emotional and engaging visual content is almost always preferred to its more traditional or “official” counterparts. This isn’t to say that infographics and other standard fare can’t make the cut; just take that tweaking and tailoring these selections to fit more in line with what this social audience expects is often the key to going viral on the Tumblr platform.At the end of the day, promoting your brand on Tumblr requires a unique approach, plenty of hard work, and the dedication needed to see this affair through to the end. However, with the insight you’ve picked up here serving as a guide, there’s no reason why your brand can’t make the most out of this opportunity and start converting its Tumblr following into email marketing contact list members today.
