Currently, Tumblr hosts 125.7 million blogs. Tumblr's micro-blogging format allows users to post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos easily from a computer or smartphone. While Tumblr appeals largely to a younger audience, politicians and political groups have been increasingly using the platform to share information in a coherent, clever, and thought-provoking manner.
Here are 5 of the top political Tumblr blogs that effectively use the features unique to Tumblr for political purposes: A photo posted on the State Department's Tumblr promoting a Google+ Hangout with Ambassador Luis Cdebaca.
1. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State uses photos, video clips, rhetorical questions, links to articles, and quotes on their Tumblr in order to inform viewers of the Department's achievements in diplomacy.
The Department is also effective in cross promoting their other existing social networks using Tumblr; for example, posting a link and image advertising their upcoming Google+ Hangout.
2. Public Campaign Action Fund
Public Campaign Action Fund is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that uses Tumblr to help achieve its goal of improving current campaign finance laws and rallying for political reform. The presence of political cartoons, videos, surveys, and charts on this Tumblr page makes it not only effective, but also intriguing for political junkies on Tumblr.
3. The White House on Tumblr
While Tumblr launched back in 2007, it took the White House a few years (or six) to create an official Tumblr Page. The tech savvy team, however, has been hard at work since its launch on April 26, 2013, with their first post outlining exactly what to expect on the new blog.
As reported back in April, "With citizens still recovering from the political hangover that resulted from the 2012 election, Tumblr could be just what the White House needs to encourage political engagement in a less formal atmosphere."
4. It's Always Sunny in Kabul
"It's Always Sunny in Kabul" is a blog designed to reveal the complexities of America's involvement in Afghanistan through images, quotes, and first-hand accounts. A combination of clearly reflective content with satire creates a juxtaposition in the blog that is compelling. This blog has it all: videos, memes, pictures, articles, links, and quotes.
5. Cartoon Politics
The power of political cartoons in pointing out social ills dates back to the days of Thomas Nast, who used cartoons to expose the corruption of Boss Tweed and his Tammany Hall to those who could not read in New York. On the "Cartoon Politics" Tumblr, one can find political cartoons discussing everything from education to religion; healthcare to gun control, making it one of the most comprehensive accounts on the Internet.