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So, you’ve got the web site, the feature length articles in the ezine and you’re posting regular riffs on the blog - what’s missing.
For some the missing content strategy might be your micro content strategy. I’m not a raving fan of services like Twitter that promote instant “what are you doing now” types of blurbs, but there’s no denying that lots of people are suggesting by their use that’s the way they want to consume content - in snack size bites.
The question is how and why do you create that kind of content with your already overtaxed content producing brain. Like so many things the answer lies in finding a solution that is effective from a marketing standpoint, yet easy to implement from an actually do it standpoint.
Here’s a tool I would suggest you take a look at. It’s free service is called Tumblr. Tumblr is in many ways a blogging tool, but one with some interesting features built right in that let you create what they call Tumblelogs. I think it just might be the perfect answer to the bite size content challenge.
Tumblelogs.
Unlike blogs, tumblelogs aren’t designed like a newspaper column. They’re the easiest way to share everything you find, love, hate, or create — even if you’re not wordy.
Setting up a Tumblr micro-blog is dead simple. Just follow a couple steps. Once you’ve done that you will be presented with a dashboard that prompts you to upload text, quotes, links, photos, audio or video. Each action creates a formatted post. This set-up is just perfect for the kind of stream of snacks that people seem hungry for.
But, here’s where it gets interesting. You can also add feeds that you already publish. So, with one step you add your Twitter feed to the micro-stream and all of a sudden, people can view your Tweets in something close to context. Now add your delicious feed (or the feed for a specific tag) and content gets posted to your tumblr blog as you surf. You can add YouTube, Digg or any RSS feed to the stream and automatically create as you go. There’s also a desktop widget for posting text and a “Share on Tumblr” browser bookmark tool so you can post something you find on the fly. Posting text and photos via mobile is as simple as sending an email.
What I really like about this format is that that it automatically produces little snippets all day long, but the net collection of snacks can produce an entirely different kind of interesting main course - one that you might never produce sitting in front of a blank screen trying to write something deep.
Okay, now let’s add another twist. The service allows you to create groups and give shared ownership to the members of the group. This is a potentially simple way to create an entirely different kind of content solution. What if you created a group Tumblelog with a very specific focus in mind. How about a group that takes a chapter from a book each week and each member reveals the most significant moment for them in the chapter. How about a group that poses a question each week and then collectively riffs on it. How about a group of strategic partners writing about an industry or a community. I think all of the above would be powerful traffic magnets. (Yes Tumblelogs produce RSS feeds.)
Here’s a Tumblelog that I’ve set-up - duc.ttape.us
Yet, another thing on your list to consider - but certainly food for thought.
Hi John, Good thoughts on Tumblr. I have also been experimenting with ways to use Tumblr for business, and find it is an easy way to set up a site I can point folks to for examples of how partners have used http://www.myxer.com (where I work). I have set up http://www.myxer.tumblr.com as a place I can save links to partner sites, and post widgets, screenshots and other “demos” of Myxer’s service. Now I don’t have to worry about bookmarks or links and just go to the Tumblelog when I want to show someone an example of Myxer in action… Thanks, as always, for your insights and tips!
Hey John,
Great to see you posting about micro-blogging. The beauty of Tumblr is in it’s simplicity. I have been using it for some time now as a not only a personal Tumblog in the way you describe (using twitterfeed as well), but also as a shared stream of information for my small business. Most members of my team are not blog readers, so this has been a great tool for me to pull shared items direct from Google reader and post on Tumblr. This allows me to have a shared stream of posts in my industry as well as a place to put other items on one simple to read site. Tumblr also has a “follow” feature and now I have 3 others friends in my industry using Tumblr in the same way, allowing for greater awareness of newsworthy blog posts - you can “reblog” others posts on your Tubmblog. To push it even further in it’s simple capacity you can simply add commenting to Tumblr by using Disqus. I would encourage anyone thinking of blogging or looking for a free and simple place to share information to start with Tumblr. The barriers to entry are very small.
Hi John,
You have done a great piece of work.
Hey Brad, Nice addition to the conversation. I think it’s so amazing what these kinds of tools, and a little imagination, can open up for people.
I can see using this Tumblr as a way to ease into a full-fledged blog. Tumblr on my website’s homepage, with snacks, links, trends, shared wisdom. Then as the content grows longer, a separate blog gets developed. Like John said, it beats sitting in front of a blank screen trying to force something impressive.
i use a Tumblr style setup to keep track of information that I find on the web personally. It allows me to record tidbits and facts and articles, and then search and categorise them for later use.
[...] Tumblr (like Twitter and other micro blogging platforms) is just another way to expose readers to your brand. Sometimes, people don’t feel like reading long, in-depth articles, and just want to consume content in small, manageable chunks (John Jantsch from Duct Tape Marketing calls this trend ‘content snacking’). [...]