Tumblr Launches Post Plus Feature for All US Users, Lets Creators Set Subscription Price for Exclusive Contents

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 21 September 2021, 01:09 pm

Tumblr Is Not Lifting the Porn Ban: Top Official — (Photo : by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images) This illustration picture taken on July 24, 2019 in Paris shows the logo of the US social network application Tumblr on the screen of a tablet.

Tumblr released a new feature called Post Plus. The new feature will allow users to sign up for a subscription that will give them exclusive content from their favorite creators.

Tumblr Post Plus Feature

Post Plus is similar to Twitter's Super Follows feature. The creators on the platform can designate some of their posts as only for paying subscribers. The feature will be launched worldwide in November, according to TechCrunch.

Tumbler has made some changes on the platform since the limited beta version of Post Plus began in July. Post Plus creators can also block users who subscribe to them.

In the past, creators needed to contact Tumblr's customer support if they wanted a certain user blocked, which raised concerns among them.

Also, creators can set a subscription price to $1.99 a month. They can also go for $3.99, $5.99, or $9.99 a month, according to CNET.

Also Read: Tumblr Lets You Decide If You Want Your Blog Viewable On The Web Or Not

If a creator has existing content that they want to add to their Post Plus feature, they can go back and paywall it. The feature is not limited to new posts.

Tumblr is also removing the blue plus badge that appears next to the usernames. The platform stated that most of the adjustments it made were due to the feedback it received from the users.

A lot of the users were not happy about the Post Plus announcement, and some of them even organized a protest by encouraging others to log off.

The users cited concerns regarding the legality of monetizing fan work, though those issues stem from misunderstandings of the copyright law.

In 2016, Tumblr added ads so that bloggers could make money from the platform.

Several Tumblr creators link out to their Ko-fi or Patreon accounts, so Post Plus is pitched as a way to support them without having to leave the platform.

The social media site had difficulties building back its user base after thousands of users deleted their accounts in 2018 when Tumblr banned pornography.

In 2020, Tumblr deleted millions of posts and comments as it launched a more strict hate speech guideline.

Almost half of the current Tumblr users are Gen Z, and the platform hopes that Post Plus can attract more creators.

Turning to Podcasts for Trends

Aside from launching new features, the platform collaborates with other platforms to boost its exposure to younger audiences.

According to The Drum, the microblogging social network struggles to keep up with the other social media sites. In an attempt to maintain its relevancy, the platform introduced the "Big Week on Tumblr" podcast.

The podcast will reveal all of the trends and events of the past week. It will be curated by Tumblr's editorial team, with topics ranging from site features to new releases.

The podcast will only deliver updates, it will air every Friday and it will also feature several pop culture topics, from Marvel to K-pop, from TV shows to movies, and more.

Tumblr's head of editorial, Cates Holderness, stated that the new format would bring fresh content each week. It will allow users to know the trending topics that are often seen in front of the platform's page.

The podcast will also feature charts, statistics, memes, funny posts, and more. It will give users a quick glimpse of what is trending on the platform before opening it.