Tumblr
Encyclopedia
Tumblr is a website and microblogging
platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. Users can follow other users, or choose to make their tumblelog private. The service emphasizes ease of use. The site ranks as the 10th largest social network
with 6.8 million weekly visits. According to comScore, Tumblr scored 13.4 million unique visitors in the U.S. in July, 2011 — up 218% from July, 2010. Tumblr, Inc., the company operating the website, has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan
, New York City
.
as lead developer. 75,000 existing bloggers soon switched to the platform, and since that time, the service has garnered more than 3 million users. In 2009, Tumblr acquired the Tumblr iPhone
app, initially known as Tumblerette, that was created by Jeff Rock and Garrett Ross.
According to a March 8, 2010 post by David Karp to the Tumblr staff blog, the site is now averaging 2,000,000 new posts and 15,000 new users every day. As of 2009, Tumblr had an 85% retention rate, compared with 40% for Twitter
.
On March 17, 2010, the Tumblr staff blog announced that Tumblr could be accessed on BlackBerry
smartphones via an app created by Mobelux. On April 17, 2010, the application was made available on BlackBerry App World
.
In September 2010, Marco Arment left Tumblr to focus on Instapaper.
On December 5, 2010, Tumblr was inaccessible for about 47 hours due to errors during maintenance.
As of May 1, 2011 Tumblr included more than 5 billion total posts and over 17.5 million total blogs. In June of 2011, Tumblr surpassed Wordpress
in total number of blogs, breaking through the 20 million mark. Tumblr has since surpassed 34 million total blogs.
On October 21, 2011, Tumblr became the first blogging platform to host President Obama's blog.
. Tumblr has raised funding from Union Square Ventures
, Spark Capital, Martin Varsavsky
, John Borthwick
(Betaworks), Fred Seibert
, and Sequoia Capital
(among other investors). Tumblr shares two lead investors with Twitter
. President and COO John Maloney was the founder of UrbanBaby with wife Susan Maloney.
Microblogging
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size...
platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. Users can follow other users, or choose to make their tumblelog private. The service emphasizes ease of use. The site ranks as the 10th largest social network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
with 6.8 million weekly visits. According to comScore, Tumblr scored 13.4 million unique visitors in the U.S. in July, 2011 — up 218% from July, 2010. Tumblr, Inc., the company operating the website, has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
History
David Karp founded Tumblr in 2007 with Marco ArmentMarco Arment
Marco Arment is an iOS and web developer living in Westchester, New York. He was the lead developer of the Tumblr blogging platform. He created and currently operates the Instapaper bookmark and reading service as well as co-hosting the Build and Analyze podcast.-External links:* * * * ]]...
as lead developer. 75,000 existing bloggers soon switched to the platform, and since that time, the service has garnered more than 3 million users. In 2009, Tumblr acquired the Tumblr iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
app, initially known as Tumblerette, that was created by Jeff Rock and Garrett Ross.
According to a March 8, 2010 post by David Karp to the Tumblr staff blog, the site is now averaging 2,000,000 new posts and 15,000 new users every day. As of 2009, Tumblr had an 85% retention rate, compared with 40% for Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
On March 17, 2010, the Tumblr staff blog announced that Tumblr could be accessed on BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
smartphones via an app created by Mobelux. On April 17, 2010, the application was made available on BlackBerry App World
BlackBerry App World
BlackBerry App World is an application distribution service and application by Research In Motion for a majority of BlackBerry devices. The service provides BlackBerry users with an environment to browse, download, and update third-party applications. The service went live on April 1, 2009...
.
In September 2010, Marco Arment left Tumblr to focus on Instapaper.
On December 5, 2010, Tumblr was inaccessible for about 47 hours due to errors during maintenance.
As of May 1, 2011 Tumblr included more than 5 billion total posts and over 17.5 million total blogs. In June of 2011, Tumblr surpassed Wordpress
WordPress
WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and publishing platform powered by PHP and MySQL. It is often customized into a content management system . It has many features including a plug-in architecture and a template system. WordPress is used by over 14.7% of Alexa Internet's "top 1...
in total number of blogs, breaking through the 20 million mark. Tumblr has since surpassed 34 million total blogs.
On October 21, 2011, Tumblr became the first blogging platform to host President Obama's blog.
Recognition
- In January 2009, Tumblr was named by the staff of PC WorldPC World (magazine)PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
as one of "Obama's top five tech tools".
- In August 2009, Tumblr's CEO, David KarpDavid Karp (entrepreneur)David Karp is an entrepreneur living in New York City. He is the founder and CEO of the short-form blogging platform Tumblr. In 2010, he was named to the MIT Technology Review TR35 as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35.-Early life and education:Karp grew up on the Upper...
, was named Best Young Tech Entrepreneur 2009 by BusinessWeekBusinessWeekBloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
.
- In August 2010, Tumblr was named as a finalist in Lead411's New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Hot 125.
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, among others, use Tumblr.
- In 2011, We are the 99% tumblr went viral and became the unifying sloganSloganA slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
for the Occupy Wall StreetOccupy Wall StreetOccupy Wall Street is an ongoing series of demonstrations initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters which began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district...
movement.
Finances
Tumblr's original funding came from Karp's earnings as a software consultant at parenting site UrbanBabyUrbanBaby
UrbanBaby is a New York-based Internet forum devoted to anonymous discussion of urban motherhood founded in August 1999.The site had employed David Karp as a software consultant before he went on to found Tumblr using his earnings from his time at UrbanBaby. A similar site in Japan is the Yomiuri...
. Tumblr has raised funding from Union Square Ventures
Union Square Ventures
Union Square Ventures is a venture capital firm based in New York City, New York, United States.The firm was founded by Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham in 2004...
, Spark Capital, Martin Varsavsky
Martín Varsavsky
Martín Varsavsky is an Argentine entrepreneur based in Spain.Born to Carlos Varsavsky and Silvia Waisman-Diamond, Varsavsky attended primary school at the New Model School and the Colegio Nicolás Avellaneda high school....
, John Borthwick
John Borthwick
John Robert Borthwick is an English former professional footballer who made 225 appearances in the Football League playing as a forward for Hartlepool United, Darlington and York City....
(Betaworks), Fred Seibert
Fred Seibert
Frederick "Fred" Seibert is a television and film producer and entertainment entrepreneur who owns Frederator Studios, and who has held leading positions with MTV Networks, Hanna-Barbera, and Next New Networks; he owns Frederator Studios...
, and Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is a Californian venture capital firm located on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. The Wall Street Journal has called Sequoia Capital "one of the highest-caliber venture firms", and noted that it is "one of Silicon Valley's most influential venture-capital firms"...
(among other investors). Tumblr shares two lead investors with Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. President and COO John Maloney was the founder of UrbanBaby with wife Susan Maloney.