Tumblr Popularity and YOU!

[Trishelle]

Hello all! I had a question concerning having an IC blog on Tumblr! My IC blog has been around for a bit, and has already amassed 100+ followers (which is a pretty dope achievement in and of itself)! However, amidst all that, I see others IC blogs getting thousands of followers and hundreds of likes on their posts, and I find myself getting slightly discouraged that I'll never be as well-liked as them. ;o;

 

My question would be is there anything I can be doing to be on the same level of popularity as them? My IC blog can be found here for those who were interested in taking a look and seeing what I could do better! Thanks in advance!

[H.H.]

jus b urself works 4 me "bro"

 

Seriously though, if you care about being more popular - you shouldn't - then just keep putting yourself out there. Advertise. Run events. Meet people. RP with those people. ERP with those people. Gossip behind those people's back because their ERP is weird. Be a cool person who other cool people and also substantially less cool people like. Be a huge dork that a lot of equally-huge dorks like. Move to Philly. Buy a loft. Start a noise band. Get six or seven roommates. Eat hummus with them. Book some gigs. Paint. Smoke cloves. Listen to Animal Collective. Start some type of salsa company.

 

Keep pushing your image and someday you, too, can be tumblr popular.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I think this is an a potentially dangerous topic. People have their own opinions of what they do and do not find interesting. Or follow-worthy. Or anything else. I don't think you should compare your blog/post/characters/self-worth to anyone else's. I know a fair number of people who look at tumblrs, but don't necessarily have one or want to follow them on the site.

 

The post above honestly said it better than I am. Why focus on a "popularity number" when you could be out having fun instead? I'd wager a bet that most of those people with big numbers aren't focusing on them. (OK, yes. Some do when they set up that XXX number of followers givaways!" But that's literally just attention-seeking behavior. How many of those people who follow after are there to stay or there to see if they win the prize?)

[Reylin]

It's kind of like a successful business.  If you go out looking for money (votes) and everything you do is towards that, you'll likely fail.  However, if you go into business because there's a niche and you love doing it and you do it well, people will come and then keep coming back.

 

Internet popularity has a lot of people trying the first method but many of the most successful only end up there because they did it just for themselves and just happened to find people that liked what they were doing.  So you just have to do it because it makes you happy.  Whatever else happens is really nothing you can control so you might as well do what you want do do the most.

[Trishelle]

Wow...thank you so much, y'all! After reading your responses, I think it's safe to say that I'm focusing on the wrong thing! The main reason I created the blog was because I wanted more people to know about my character and all the things that make her, HER. It makes me happy to post the things I do, and I think that's what I should focus my attention on! Thanks again! :3 (lala flails)

[Delilah Scythewood]

Another thing as well to keep in mind is that some of the more popular tumblr blogs have been around for a long time. Years, even. Just keep doing you and don't sweat the small stuff

[FreelanceWizard]

So, I just started an IC Tumblr for L'yhta, and while I enjoy seeing a like or a new follower on it, that's not why it's there -- and so whether I've got a ton of people interested in each night's episode of L'yhta Theatre :dodgy: isn't so relevant. People who're interested in my character will read it, and those who aren't, won't.

 

Do your own thing to make yourself happy, and you'll find yourself happier than if you chase popularity.

[Branson Thorne]

Well eff me, I only have 37. I suck and people hate me.

 

EDIT: Double eff me, only have 35 lol

[Trishelle]

Well eff me, I only have 37. I suck and people hate me.

 

EDIT: Double eff me, only have 35 lol

 

D'awww! /comfort You shush, I follow you!

[Branson Thorne]

Well eff me, I only have 37. I suck and people hate me.

 

EDIT: Double eff me, only have 35 lol

 

D'awww! /comfort You shush, I follow you!

 

Awww yay 36!:thumbsup:

Started from the bottom, now we're slightly off the bottom.

[Aya]

I can't imagine it really matters too much... just enjoy yourself! :-D

[SapphireSkylines]

*follows U'khoa* Yay! I have another mutual. lol

[Kellach Woods]

i have a tumblr for following peeps pretty much, i rarely put stuff on it.

[SapphireSkylines]

*follows everyone on this thread with a tumblr link*

[Branson Thorne]

*follows U'khoa* Yay! I have another mutual. lol

 

"Did we just become best friends?"

[Aysun]

Despite having what feels like quite a few followers, my tumblr is pretty quiet! But it's mine! As in, for me!

 

While it can be disheartening to only get a few notes on something you post, don't let it make you think it's because no one likes it or cares to read it. Sometimes things just get lost in the dashboard (most of the time this, because wow so many posts if you follow a lot of people). Other times people only reblog certain things, or only like certain things/styles of things, based on what they want showing on their own blog.

[Faye]

There's really no recipe for what to post to gain followers. All sorts of people follow all sorts of blogs for all sorts of reasons. So really, post whatever content appeals to you. Otherwise, some tricks for gaining new followers:

 

1. Follow other blogs that interest you first! They may follow back

2. Tag your posts so people searching for the type of content you're posting can find you

3. Post actively without any long lulls of inactivity. Setting up a queue can help you with this (and also help you from spamming anyone's dash with several posts at once)

4. Voicing any sort of controversial opinion (or basically any sort of opinion, period) will usually cost you at least a couple followers

5. Respond to your messages, participate in people's ask memes, do memes you get tagged in and tag others in them, etc. People will be more interested in a blog that actually interacts with them and others.

 

Aside from that, though, I wouldn't strive for tumblr popularity. There's no pay off there, and the most tangible reward you'll find are more people to get angry when you post something they dislike. Just do you imo. If that gets you tumblr popular, great, and if it doesn't, that's great, too.

[Max]

Doling out original content (Screenshot edits, art, etc.) will certainly get you noticed. Engage in the community often. Run an event or two and network with others.

[Ellmida]

Wow...thank you so much, y'all! After reading your responses, I think it's safe to say that I'm focusing on the wrong thing! The main reason I created the blog was because I wanted more people to know about my character and all the things that make her, HER. It makes me happy to post the things I do, and I think that's what I should focus my attention on! Thanks again! :3 (lala flails)

 Personally I was never really a fan of the tumbler blogs, though I know people who use them and are happy with it. Me I tend to orient more to story posts and I like to use the forums a lot for that reason, plus it's the easiest way for me to make connections outside of game.

 

If you want to be able to share your character with more people you could post a link to your tumbler or check the calendar for events to bring her to.

[Hixxi]

Tag your posts, tag your posts, oh my god, tag your posts.

 

When I started my art tumblr I was really discouraged at first because no one was paying me any attention - I did not know tags were a thing. I try not to make them very specific. Something like 'screenshot' is going to be more visible than 'dunesfolk lalafell screenshot'. The other thing that has improved my rate of likes and reblogs is to submit posts to other popular tumblrs. There are lots out there that exist purely as aesthetic blogs or screenshot blogs or game blogs or writing or fanart blogs so if you submit some original content, you can check out similarly themed tumblrs and see if you can submit your link to them.

[Kodie]

Tough part is (for me at least) that my FFXIV isn't my primary tumblr. So when I follow, like something, or send an ask, it's coming from my primary non FFXIV account. I did specify on the front page of my tumblr that I do have an FFXIV account, but I know a lot of people won't check that. So in the end I probably losing out on some potential followers.

[Leggerless]

I'm running a bit behind, but I do a weekly post blog (aptly named XIV Squared) as my original content (and maybe a few screenshots here and there).

 

Really lagging behind though... guess 3.5 took up more my time than expected

 

Also, yea. Tagging posts. Think keywords for web searches and that's pretty much the same thing.

 

Edit: Now, if you want to be truly pragmatic? There's also scripts you can run from browser apps to see--from everyone you follow--who follows you back as well.