Tumblr Wants To Cash In - Here's How

Don't worry, there will still be cats - and Nicholas Cage.



If you aren't familiar with the social networking site, Tumblr, then you aren't alone. Tumblr is a secretive but thriving social network filled with fun participation with people you've never met and of course, lots of pictures of cats. It is a unique social network, in that it encourages participation and combines all sorts of interests into one addictive and almost never ending stream of content.



However, it is also one of the biggest social networks that hasn't tried to sell or go public. Instead, it has a cult-like following that continually feeds it with what's new, what's old and what people want. In an effort to generate more revenue from the site while still keeping what's great about Tumblr, the company has announced that they will be offering sponsor packages for advertisers.



The packages will start at $25,000 and will give customers splash ads on the Tumblr Radar and Spotlight pages. This means that companies that have Tumblr accounts can advertise themselves on the list of Tumblr suggested sites, allowing more people to find and follow them. This advertising strategy just might be the smartest move that founder David Karp could have made. Instead of turning Tumblr into something more commercial, they've found a way to allow advertising in a way that is sensible and still leaves users with an option, instead of forcing ad banners on them.



Many large brands and even news networks run their own Tumblr accounts and have many followers. By taking advantage of this new advertising program, they can spread their brand and get their content out to millions more users. The only downside to the plan is that instead of seeing actual recommendations about sites that are popular or ones that post similar content, users will have to wonder if it's simply a sponsored recommendation.



Do you have a Tumblr? If so, what do you think about this advertising program?