What changed on Tumblr that made people stop talking about it?

solo leveling

solo leveling

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Few years ago tumblr seemed much more popular among bloggers and content creators. For those who still use it, what do you think changed, and does it still have any value for building an audience today?
 
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i simply think they didnt evolve. See how instagram evolved. If instagram stayed the way they started, they would be out by now
 
Tumblr users love deep diving into specific fandoms, hobbies, and aesthetics. If your content fits into a specific subculture, you can build a highly engaged community that is much more supportive than a typical comment section.
 
Tumblr got less popular after the adult content ban, but if ur niche is art or fandoms, u can still get some real followers there.
 
it can still have value if you use it for long-form, aesthetic, or niche communities where consistency matters more than virality. If your content fits a specific subculture, it can still quietly build an audience over time.
 
it didn't die overnight. it got squeezed. creators moved to platforms with better discovery, monetization, and broader audiences. then the adult content ban pushed out a chunk of its most active users. it's still around, just no longer the center of the internet conversation.
 
I think Tumblr lost popularity because people moved to Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms. It can still be useful for reaching niche communities and sharing creative content.
 
SettingSun77 said:
They got rid of porn. Killed them dead. People moved to Twitter and Reddit for it. One of the dumbest business decisions of the internet era.
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you think removing porn is enough to kill a platform ?
 
proxygo said:
you think removing porn is enough to kill a platform ?
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When I worked in porn, Tumblr was a platform that constantly intersected with my work and was especially used by many amateurs to post stuff and get noticed. Weeks after they clamped down on it it was tumbleweeds on there. Arguably it may have gone that way anyway when OnlyFans and other such platforms came along and when Reddit increased in prominence. But it's no coincidence that Tumble became an irrelevance soon after that decision.
 
It still has niche value though, especially for fandoms, art, and aesthetics, but building a serious audience there today is a long shot compared to Instagram or TikTok.
 
Tumblr declined mainly due to content restrictions and competition from algorithm based apps, but it still works well today for niche communities and fandom based audience building.
 
From what I remember the downfall started when they started restricting content.
 
I think other platforms simply took over people attention. Tumblr is still has active communities, but it is much more niche now. If your content matches the audience there, it can still be useful, but I would not reply on it as my main platform anymore.
 
The user growth slowed down, and other platforms slowly started taking all the spotlight.
 
SettingSun77 said:
When I worked in porn, Tumblr was a platform that constantly intersected with my work and was especially used by many amateurs to post stuff and get noticed. Weeks after they clamped down on it it was tumbleweeds on there. Arguably it may have gone that way anyway when OnlyFans and other such platforms came along and when Reddit increased in prominence. But it's no coincidence that Tumble became an irrelevance soon after that decision.
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Can confirm Tumblr was one of my go to sources for porn.

Now I mostly use Reddit.
 
Tumblr definitely isn't as popular as it used to be, but it can still work for certain niches with active communities. I wouldn't rely on it as a primary traffic source anymore, but it can still be useful for getting a bit of exposure and building brand awareness.
 
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