News of Tumblr’s recent partnership with social media analytics firm DataSift, which allows brands to see how their content is being consumed and shared, pricked up my ears.
Since being acquired by Yahoo last May, the blogging site has made a number of strategic moves – many being metric-related feature and tool additions. The latest move helps marketers with their social marketing campaigns by providing them with real-time insight and brand sentiment, it could mean big things. The deal may see Yahoo generate more revenue via Tumblr through ads, as DataSift’s similar joint ventures with Facebook and Twitter have done.
As one of the fastest growing, most highly engaged social networks that is often forgotten by brands, will this encourage more B2B companies to turn to Tumblr to engage users in brand storytelling if they know exactly what their audience wants?
I, for one, have seen an increasing number of agencies using Tumblr to host their main website. I see this as a cutting edge way of showing that your brand is truly social and, simply put, it’s the perfect marketing tool to increase reach and raise brand awareness. Tumblr harnesses a massive community where content is constantly shared, and this new deal will enable brands to a; see if their audience is there b; review what they’re talking about, and c; measure brand/industry sentiment.
I’d love to see more B2B brands in the Tumblr sphere, especially as the site has given DataSift access to current and historical data – that’s a wealth of audience information for marketers to get their teeth into. Brands should also leverage the fact that Tumblr users tend to be prominent content creators, so the potential to tap into and engage this market is huge.