Day 16: Using Tumblr and Instagram To Get More Readers To Your Blog–25 Days To A Better Beauty and Fashion Blog Challenge #SBBC

This post is part of the Scandalous Beauty 25 Days To A Better Beauty And Fashion Blog Challenge! For even more tips, be sure to check out Erin's Guide to Better Beauty Blogging. Tumblr is one of those sites that is just fun to look at. I've been stuck on there for 10, 15, 20 minutes at a time just looking at all the stuff on there. You never know what you'll find there....and this is why it can be a major boost in traffic for your blog.

Some people use it as their main website, others use it to post all the fun pictures they find. I use it as a sister site, more of a way to post all the stuff that I like that doesn't fit on Scandalous Beauty. My tumblr is called ErinScandalous. If you have a Tumblr, post it below so we can follow you!

I've started to use Tumblr by integrating my blog into it. It can manually pick up your blog's RSS feed, then post it to your tumblr. While this is easier, the effect is much greater when you do it yourself.  Only the  link of my new blog posts go up on my Tumblr account. It would be much more effective if an image from the post went up, followed by a blurb and a direct link. My tumblr posts also automatically post to my twitter and facebook accounts.

Here's how it works:

Your dashboard gives you the option to post text, photos, quotes, links, chat, audio and video. This is where you post your original content.  People have the option to follow you on Tumblr. This means that your content will post in their dashboard (the Tumblr equivalent of a  facebook timeline or twitterfeed).

Here's the key: Reblogs. When people that find your post reblog it, it then shows up on their main tumblr page. If someone that follows them reblogs the post, it will keep growing and growing and growing. With this said, be sure to set the click-through link to your blog post or main page. When you use Tumblr to tease your posts, the goal is to get readers to come back to your blog.

A few more tips:

• Use Tags! When you post, you can tag your posts so they can be tracked by others. I have been slacking with this, but it can be a goldmine for people finding you, and for you to find topics that you like.
• Reblogging other people shows them that you are alive! The reblogs post in the original person's feed, and if they like your profile pic/name or they are kind souls, they might follow you back.
• Use images. Lots of images. Be different.

Again, Tumblr can be used as a main blog site. There are lots of themes to choose from, and you can have them edited to look any way that you'd like. Here are some really great blogs that use Tumblr as their main site:

• http://whatiwore.tumblr.com/
• http://girlwithcurves.tumblr.com/
• http://oh-so-coco.tumblr.com/
• http://www.wetheurban.com/

Here are a few more sites that use Tumblr as a supplemental site:

• http://beautylish.tumblr.com/
• http://rzrachelzoe.tumblr.com/
• http://toryburch.tumblr.com/
• http://inspiration.streetetiquette.com/
• http://topshop.tumblr.com/

Another option is using photography sites like Instagram (for Iphone). As you snap images, you can post them to this photo community for people to 'like' and comment on.  The awesome part about this is all of the awesome filters that you can use to make your photos look unique. After you post a picture, Instagram gives you the option to post to facebook, twitter, tumblr, email, flickr, foursquare or posterous.

   This is your main profile page. It shows your short bio, your website, and images that you've posted.

This is an example of a photo with 'likes' and comments. Thanks to photographer Ajani Truth for being a helpful (and very patient) person that day!

Assignment: Join or check out tumblr and instagram! It's not only a lot of fun, but it can inspire a lot of great ideas. Post your own content to "tease" people with new information on your blog.