Social media applications like Facebook and Twitter have
been popular for years. Pretty much everyone I know has a Facebook and/or
Twitter page but sites like Tumblr and Pinterest are growing in membership and
relevance. In fact, I utilize Pinterest
on a regular basis along with my Facebook and Twitter profiles. Tumblr and
Pinterest are also known as “lifestyle niche” media.
In a Global Web Index article by Jason
Mander, it is stated that, “Smaller and more specialized platforms are growing
at the quickest rates, with Pinterest (+97%) and Tumblr (+94%) recording by far
the biggest and most impressive increases” (Mander).
So, why is it that websites like Pinterest and Tumblr are
increasing in popularity? Personally, I utilize Pinterest to escape from the
stresses of everyday life. Pinterest is my own little fantasy world where I get
to plan my dream wedding, bake peanut butter Oreo cupcakes, and have the
perfect wardrobe. Pinterest and Tumblr are also useful for our generation, also
known as Millennials.
Social media usage can make us feel powerful and as though
our voices are being heard. Tumblr is effective in this sense. According to an
article from The New York Times by Valeriya
Safronova, “On Facebook and Twitter, users tend to engage with people they
know, while on Tumblr, they connect based on themes and interests. Because of
the anonymity it allows and the variety of media it can host, Tumblr gives
young people a chance to experiment with different personas, many of which
might not match the ones their friends and family are familiar with”
(Safronova). In this way, one can create their own identity on Tumblr as well
as have an active voice.
While Tumblr is beneficial for many reasons, Pinterest also
has several positive aspects. In recent years, news outlets such as The New York Times and The Huffington Post have joined
Pinterest. News outlets, especially newspapers, have faced decreasing numbers
in subscriptions and views. In joining Pinterest, this has been a way to gain
back those numbers. According to an article from The Wrap by Alexander C. Kaufman, The Times’ social media editor, Alexis Mainland, stated, “In most cases
with these pins, you’re able to tap directly into the editor or curator or
journalist. We’re trying to be a little more open about whose particular
interest these pins are” (Kaufman).
This is a smart strategy for news outlets to be more
relatable to their readers. Additionally, other pinners can get a “behind the
scenes” look at how content from these sites are being created from pins on
Pinterest as well as view photography and other ideas from the news outlets.
Honestly, I only really follow my friends and family on Pinterest and enjoy
viewing their pins and seeing what other users are pinning but I think that I
may follow The New York Times or
other similar news sources so I can not only be informed, but also see what the
editors and journalists personally enjoy. This allows the average person on
Pinterest to connect with professionals in the media and news industry with the
click of a mouse or tap of a screen.
Regarding Tumblr, I have a profile, but I do not use it
nearly as much as I use Pinterest. I do think that Tumblr has many positives
when it comes to connecting with others. These other people may just be average
citizens or even celebrities. To give an example, Taylor Swift is a very active
Tumblr user. Other Tumblr users have asked Swift for a cookie recipe and she
gave not only the recipe, but also her personal favorite recipe for pumpkin
chocolate chip cookies, to them. In addition, Taylor has posted selfies with
her cats to prove that she is just like other people who take pictures with
their pets. Taylor Swift has utilized her Tumblr account to not only reach out
to fans about her music, but to be relatable to her fans in everyday life.
Pinterest and Tumblr clearly aren’t leaving us anytime soon.
Will the popularity of these social media platforms continue to rise? Could
they even outgrow other popular social media platforms like Facebook and
Twitter that have been around for many years?
Article Links:
Works Cited
1.
Kaufman, Alexander C.
"New York Times Joins Herd of News Outlets on Pinterest." The Wrap.
N.p., 8 June 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
2.
Mander, Jason.
"Pinterest and Tumblr Are the Fastest Growing Social Networks." Global
Web Index. N.p., 11 May 2015. Web. 01 Mar. 2016.
3. Safronova, Valeriya. "Millennials and the Age of Tumblr
Activism." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 Dec. 2014.
Web. 01 Mar. 2016.
While reading the articles for this week and your blog I found some very interesting points about the rise of specific sites in 2015. I was surprised that Google+ had apparently gained users during 2015. I feel as though many tried Google+ when it was first released but dropped it quickly after. This brings me to your points about Pinterest and Tumblr, of all the platforms these are the two to gain the most users this year? Maybe it’s because so many people are already active on the other platforms that they are just now turning to less popular sites like Pinterest and Tumblr? I just don’t understand, I mean I can see why people are using Pinterest like you said, but Tumblr? I am not at all surprised about the rise in Pinterest; it’s a great place to find recipes and quick workouts. You can find all kinds of stuff on the site, from hairstyles to dessert, like you said it helps you escape your everyday reality. Now, with the buy button like we talked about earlier in the semester, it’s making those dreams a reality and I can only imagine it will get more popular as they perfect the buy button.
ReplyDeleteI really can’t understand where the growth of Tumblr is coming from. Last semester I used Tumblr for my blog and literally no one had it. I used to use Tumblr, probably when I was in middle school, primarily to reblog photos. I could see people using it now to share meme’s of popular shows or movies but I really don’t think it’s a place to voice an opinion like you had mentioned in your blog. I believe that Twitter or even Facebook might be a better place for that. I feel like Twitter and Facebook attract a lot more people than Tumblr as well as a broader audience.
I think it was interesting that the articles you used mentioned news outlets using Pinterest, I have never seen this. I am not exactly an avid news follower or even an avid pinner but I am still surprised that this is even a thing. I could understand magazines having Pinterest’s to pin different hairstyles, fashions or even recipes depending on the style of magazine. In fact, according to Magazine Media Readers are Social, 65% of avid magazine readers follow a magazine on Pinterest or re-pin content posted by a magazine. This is exactly what I predicted, I personally don’t follow any magazines on Pinterest but I have re-pinned exercises or recipes from magazines without even realizing it.
In reference to your questions at the end of your blog, I think these platforms may continue to rise, especially Pinterest. Like I said earlier in my post, buy buttons will only make Pinterest more popular. I however don’t think that people will part with Twitter and Facebook because all these platforms are very different so you cant just use one.
Mander, Jason. "Pinterest and Tumblr Are the Fastest Growing Social Networks."
Global Web Index. N.p., 11 May 2015. Web.
“Magazine Media Readers are Social.” MPA The Association of Magazine Media.
Web.
It’s no question that Facebook and Twitter dominate as the Internet’s leading social media. However, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and other niche media have been on the rise in popularity over the years, and this growth will not subside any time soon.
ReplyDeleteAs we’ve discussed many times in class, the power of the Internet is shifting into the hands of the user, as each experience is directly tailored to each individual. From bookmarked websites to targeted advertising, our Internet browsing is entirely customized to our own personal preferences and habits.
According to an article published by “Global Wind Index, “the typical Facebooker [is] now active on 4+ other networks […] the rise of alternative platforms […] have encouraged certain behaviors to migrate away from Facebook – with photos shifting to Instagram, for example, or blogs moving to Tumblr” (Mander). Regardless of the platform, the point is that users are moving to different, specific sites to hone in on their personal interests to optimize their online experience. Pinterest is perhaps the one that falls in line most closely with this emerging trend, as the “boards” can range anywhere from baking recipes, photography, or design layouts. These boards can be customized and built by users based on whichever interest they desire, and the options are limitless.
Another social media that tailors to people’s interests is Instagram. It revolves primarily around photography and video, which sets a sort of restriction as to what can be posted, but the way in which people fill their gallery is based solely on their interests. For example, as a photographer, Instagram is my application of choice because it allows me to share my best work with my friends and fellow followers. But what if you’re not a photographer? No worries – others may choose to fill their gallery with the food they eat, the countries they visit, their favorite dance moves, or homemade products they are selling. Each user’s profile has a gallery that directly reflects their personality.
A series of studies conducted by “Social Media Today” reflects that Instagram growth has declined over the past year, though. “As seen from our data, there's only one trend on Instagram, and it's downward […] the follower growth on Instagram has declined 88.21%. […] Engagement rate has decreased as well, from the 2.8% engagement high in April to the 1.08% engagement low in December” (Saric). It only makes sense that the decline in Instagram usage is due to the further development of niche media, such as mobile applications or social platforms that even further tailor to the wants and needs of users. An example of this can be seen with Facebook’s Messenger application, which shifts the platform’s messaging feature from the Facebook app itself, into its own designated app for a simplified chat experience for users.
It only makes sense that this trend will continue in the years to come. Users and audiences are oiling the works toward a self-depicted and user-oriented lifestyle, and as technology continues to advance, so will our online experiences.
Works Cited
Mander, Jason. "Pinterest and Tumblr Are the Fastest Growing Social Networks."Pinterest and Tumblr Are the Fastest Growing Social Networks. Global Web Index, 11 May 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
Saric, Marko. "Instagram Growth And Engagement: 2015 Year In Review." Social Media Today. Social Media Today, 16 Jan. 2016. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
Rachel LaRotonda
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think Pinterest and Tumblr are useful for our generation because honestly, they are just more appealing. Yes, everyone we know has a Facebook and/or a Twitter profile because they were the pioneers of this social media craze. With that being said, personally I believe that Facebook and Twitter can become almost “cluttered” with people you don’t actually care about and advertisements galore. The beauty of Pinterest and Tumblr is that they are “lifestyle niche” media and they know how to cater to their targeted audience.
According to TechCrunch, “Facebook this year continued to hold the number one position as the top app installed on U.S. smartphones based on the average number of unique users, according to a new reports out this week from Nielson, but its mobile messaging application clocked in as the fastest-growing app of 2015…in terms of the top apps by users, Facebook led the way with more than 126 million average unique users each month, up 8 percent over last year where it was also the top app” (Perez). There is a reason that Facebook is the number one app installed, just liked you said people feel powerful on social media. I think we can all agree we have a few friends that just love to voice their opinions via Facebook. Now, it’s not a bad thing to voice your opinion on Facebook, but there are definitely better places to do it. That’s where I think Tumblr comes into play. Jason Mander says, “but it’s them smaller and more specialized platforms which are growing at the quickest rates, with Pinterest (+97%) and Tumblr (+94%) recording by far the biggest and most impressive increases” (Mander).
Being a very avid Tumblr user I agree with your statement saying that Tumblr users connect based on themes and interests. With that being said, I think it creates a better environment to really voice your opinions. If you follow blogs that you like and are interested in, you can make open forums for other people to either agree or disagree with your statements. Essentially you’re having anonymous conversations, which writing that sounds weird but I swear to you, it’s not.
Pinterest although very different from Tumblr, I agree still a smart strategy for really getting as personal as you can via social media with news outlets. Pinterest is great because you can put in what interests you and just scroll through pictures, recipes, ideas etc. for hours. The only thing I don’t like about Pinterest, and this is a personal thing, is that people can see what I like or “pin”. Whereas on Tumblr I could “like” something and no one can see it, they only see what I publicly put on my blog.
Pinterest and Tumblr are probably not going to leave anytime soon, but given that each platform has been around for quite sometime without an extreme rise in popularity, I don’t think their popularity are going to increase just yet. Between you and me, I think that’s a good thing!
Works Cited
Mander, Jason. "Pinterest and Tumblr are the fastest growing social networks." Global Web Index. 11 May 2015. Web.
Perez, Sarah. "Facebook Remains The Top App Of 2015, But Messenger Was The Fastest-Growing."TechCrunch. 18 Dec. 2015. Web.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your insight to these niche websites. I have used both Tumblr and Pinterest since high school. I wouldn’t call myself an avid user of the sites but when I find myself not being able to sleep at night, these are two prime go-to websites. I remember these two sites being extremely popular and relevant to my life in high school, and they haven’t gone out of style since. Apparently, many people feel the same way when Mander states, “..It’s the smaller and more specialized platforms which are growing at the quickest rates, with Pinterest (+97%) and Tumblr (+94%) recording by far the biggest and most impressive increases.”
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to Tumblr, I feel like I didn’t know anyone who wasn’t on Tumblr. It was a place for people to keep “diaries” and post photos of things that they enjoyed. I always envied the people who were able to make their site look so effortlessly chic and hip. I also loved how you could just scroll for hours and hours through photos and gifs. In a way, Tumblr was the beta type for Instagram. It was a new site that gave users the chance to express themselves from they layout to the content that was posted. This was a shift away from the automated layouts and basic functions of Facebook. However, I ultimately gave up on Tumblr after I found it to be too tedious to keep up with the latest layouts and trying to keep my site relevant, so while my account is in active with no new posts I still have the account. So for those nights that I can’t sleep, I still always have something to scroll through. Now, this led me to Pinterest. When I first started using Pinterest I was obsessed. Much like you say, I would make my dream wardrobe and other lifestyle “goals” collections. It was also minimal effort. If I liked it, I could just pin it and I was done. My major problem with Pinterest was how I could never find the sites to buy the items that I pinned. Thankfully though, Pinterest recognized this issue and as someone in out class pointed out earlier in the semester, they now have instituted a “buy button” function.
What makes these niche websites more popular than our traditional social media is their user engagement. Tumblr and Pinterest allow people to be social in a way that is different than just “liking” things. Saric states how “...Instagram users continue to be less sociable - 97.4% of all the engagements in December were likes.” Traditional social media mediums have recognized this and have started to try to add some variation to “liking” something. For example, Facebook now allows people to give an emotion to express their “like.” However, these changes are still behind the ball. These niche and lifestyle websites allow for people to be social in I guess I would say the every-day to day boring aspects of their lives. On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram people use those sights to kind of highlight their big moments in their lives or express their opinions. Sometimes, people just want some help figuring out what carpet will match their new living. Sometimes people just want to scroll through a community that obsesses over the same movies that they like. So in conclusion, niche websites have tapped into a deeper sense of personalizing social media, that traditional medium have yet to adapt to.
Works Cited:
Mander, Jason. "Pinterest and Tumblr are the fastest growing social networks." Global Web Index. 11 May 2015. Web.
Saric, Marko. “Instagram Growth and Engagement: 2015 Year in Review.” Social Media Today. 16 Jan. 2016. Web.
It’s undeniable that Twitter and Facebook obtained the title as the worlds leading social media networking platforms on the Internet. In many instances, its almost as if these two social media platforms created a hierarchy in the social media world, and the overwhelming power demeans the users from diversifying ourselves. Yes, Twitter and Facebook are both remarkable networking platforms that set an extremely high bar in the social media world. The rise of social networking sites has proven that users are rapidly seeking new ways to connect with other people. Social Media platforms such as Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram are now beginning to break this hierarchy ruled by Facebook and Twitter. Furthermore, there has been a paradigm shift between the user and the Internet. The Internet allows the user to have the power to customize and control different segments of the web.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s incredible about the rise of the social media age is the influx of new platforms. Each platform is able to offer a different perspective on the ways users are able to connect with others. Facebook and Twitter promote the rights to the First Amendment by encouraging users to speak out instead of being silent. Additionally, these media platforms play a vital role in branding and advertising. Social media platforms such as Tumblr and Pinterest offer a different approach, an approach that expands on the, “lifestyle niche.” According to, Global Wind Index, “It’s not hard to see how the rise of alternative platforms will have encouraged certain behaviors to migrate away from Facebook […] the emergence of numerous messaging apps is playing a part [where] many conversations that used to take place on Facebook are now being hosted elsewhere” (Mander). Tumblr and Pinterest differentiate themselves from frontrunner media platforms by constructing a more personable atmosphere for the users and provides a different approach on ways to connect and network with other users.
Instagram is another social media networking platform that happens to aid in this paradigm shift of media platforms. Instagram allows users to post photos and videos that can have very personal and sentimental meaning to them. It also plays a vital role in marketing, branding, and advertising. Instagram is personally my favorite social media platform as being a photographer and filmmaker I love the fact that I can share my photos with other users. Posting my work allows me to market myself to the Instagram world, and can potentially open up doors for my career as many companies in all different fields of work have an Instagram page. In Marko Saric’s article, Instagram Growth and Engagement, he discusses the rise of Instagram users. Saric states that Instagram “had a 0.23% follower growth in December – this makes it a stronger platform on the front than Facebook and Twitter.” (Saric) I believe platforms like Instagram and Tumblr are starting to become stronger platforms due to the lifestyle niche is possesses and the freedom of expression through visuals, quotes, poems, videos, and the chance of being seen and heard by others makes these platforms remarkable.
Mander, Jason. "Pinterest and Tumblr Are the Fastest Growing Social Networks."Pinterest and Tumblr Are the Fastest Growing Social Networks. Global Web Index, 11 May 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
Saric, Marko. "Instagram Growth And Engagement: 2015 Year In Review." Social Media Today. Social Media Today, 16 Jan. 2016. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.