In 2013 one platform created more requests for POVs and testing from our Fortune 500 clients than any other. That platform… Tumblr.

What makes Tumblr unique? The platform is a hybrid of social & the web. Tumblr provides a massive (225m monthly uniques) and highly engaged audience as well as complete creative control over the look & feel of the experience. This is a valuable proposition for extending the equity & discoverability of a brand’s digital presence.

Tumblr can serve as a campaign destination or social hub which has become a lost element within the social ecosystem. Most social platforms have moved away from a destination approach and are focused on atomized content engagement. Meaning the emphasis is on making sure your content is engaging enough to capture users attention within a short amount of time.

With Tumblr, brands are not limited to a single media type, there are no design restrictions and no character limits. A brand can create a compelling experience that transcends the social stream and maps to discovery through traditional channels such as search.

Here is an example of THE SIGNAL from Lexus. Note the design freedoms of the platform.

Other key elements to consider: Tumblr blogs can support custom URL’s which are ideal for campaign landing pages. SEO has been a key focus area for Tumblr and the platform is optimized for mobile.

Here is an IFC example of a custom URL solution

Here is the IFC example as the #1 search result for Spoils of Babylon

Regarding engagement, Tumblr content tends to have a longer shelf life compared to some of the other social platforms that integrate time decay of the content into their algorithms. With Tumblr as content is re-blogged it continues to earn impressions over time.

In a recent briefing by the Tumblr team, I was pleasantly surprised by the composition of their audience. Let’s just say that breakdowns are consistent with today’s millennial focused campaigns. And the rate at which Tumblr’s daily users are actively creating original content, re-blogging content and/or “hearting” content is significantly higher than I was expecting. All of this with a very healthy daily growth rate.

A recent Social Media Intelligence Report from Adobe referenced that in Q4 2013 Tumblr’s RPV (Revenue per visit) rose 340% year over year, with a healthy $1.10 revenue per visit. Facebook is currently #1 with a $1.22.

Another shocking revelation was the amount of time spent per visit with an average session of 20 minutes with 66 pages visited per day.

How Brands are using Tumblr

Community Driven – Some brands are relying on their users to power their Tumblr presence. Here are a few standout examples:

Disney The Looking Glass

Samsung Camera

Commerce-Driven – Here a few brands who are extending commerce and maximizing the referral revenue potential of Tumblr

Target On the Dot

GameStop

Angry Birds

AT&T

Tumblr now supports a more robust paid amplification offering as well, allowing for targeting that covers both desktop & mobile. At a later date I’ll get further into to paid amplification on Tumblr.

With all of this momentum, in my opinion, Tumblr will be a force to be reckoned with in 2014.

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFIn360