Tumblr Sideblogs: Can They Get Followers?
Ahh, the enigma of Tumblr sideblogs—a place where your most niche obsessions can flourish away from the gaze of your main blog’s followers. They’ve got a sort of secretive allure, don’t they? But, for all you curious Tumblr explorers, a burning question lingers in the air: Can sideblogs actually gain followers? Let’s dive deep into the fantastic and occasionally perplexing world of Tumblr to get to the bottom of this!
The Basics of Secondary Blogs
First things first, let’s break down what sideblogs (also affectionately known as secondary blogs) actually are. When you create a Tumblr account, you kick things off with a main blog—but you’re not just limited to that little corner of the internet. Tumblr gets generous and lets you create up to ten secondary blogs per day! Whoa there, hold your horses! That sounds cluttered, right?
But here’s the kicker: while having these blogs can be a blast, they come with some restrictions. Your charming little secondary blog can’t like posts, follow other blogs, or make submissions. So, while you can produce all sorts of wonderful content on these secondary blogs, they are a bit like that kid in class who wants to raise their hand to participate but just can’t! Unfortunately, this means that secondary blogs cannot *officially* gain followers outside of reblogging from your main blog.
Are Your Sideblogs a Secret?
Now, onto the juicy bits about privacy and visibility! Can people see whether your sideblog is related to your main blog? Well, allow me to be the bearer of somewhat good news and cautionary tales. If you keep your activities limited and don’t reblog or link between your accounts, average snoopers likely won’t put the pieces together. However!
There’s a neat little feature that you might not know about called “Show author portraits.” But honey, hold onto your hats because this is available only on sideblogs. When you enable this feature, your sideblog’s posts will display your main blog’s profile picture, making it as obvious as a neon sign that you own that blog. So, if you want to keep your secondary venture a secret, you’ll need to disable that little gem.
Privacy Settings Galore
Should you decide that you want to keep your Tumblr experience as close to “top secret” as possible, there are several nifty features that give you more control over your digital footprint. Just a heads up, most of these settings can only be accessed via desktop:
- Disable “Share posts you like.” Your account settings have the power to prevent others from seeing what you’re into. Why let folks snoop about your likes when you can keep that under wraps?
- Disable “Share the Tumblrs you’re following.” This ensures your followers don’t suspect that you have a bizarre collection of cat cafes in your blog list! (Well, that’s the actual reason for having a sideblog, isn’t it?)
- Enable “Hide [your account name] from people without an account.” This prevents random internet voyagers from seeing what nuggets of wisdom or chaos you might be spreading.
- Enable “Discourage searching of [your account name].” This will make you as elusive as that one friend who insists on remaining off social media.
For more details on these delightful privacy options, check out Tumblr’s support page. After all, what’s the use of running a sideblog if you can’t revel in its anonymity?
Blocking Made Easy
For those who want their sideblogs to remain untouched by the prying eyes of mutuals and *gasp* friends, you have the versatility to block specific users from viewing your sideblog. Here’s how to do it:
- Access your sideblog via the desktop version of Tumblr. (Because using a mobile device is just *so* last season.)
- Click on settings and find the “blocked Tumblrs” section.
- Type in the URL or username of the person you’d like to block.
- And voilà! They’re blocked from your sideblog, but they can still check out your main account. It’s as if you’re pulling off an elaborate magic trick, and they don’t even know it!
The Good News: Messaging and More
Now, even though sideblogs can’t exactly follow other accounts, they still have some fun features! You can interact through comments and even send messages! So while you’re not racking up followers on your sideblog, you can still engage with other users in *delightfully sneaky ways.*
Fun fact: when you have your sideblog, you can reblog from your main blog! This dual-usage can catch some eyes, so maybe not all is lost in the world of followers. Just be aware that reblogging can lead to connections, and those may not always be as incognito as you’d like!
Pitfalls of the Sideblog
Taking a good ol’ gander at the digital landscape, there’s something crucial to keep in mind: the followers you gain through your main blog will see your activity. Yes, really! If your main blog is busy reblogging posts from your sideblog, guess what? The general public may start to connect the dots faster than you can say “Tumblr is like a massive web of interconnected randomness.”
Yet, some users have lucky breaks! A nice twist is when your *primary blog followers* stumble across your sideblog and want to follow it, even without an official “follow” feature. But let’s be realistic; users with sideblogs will often ride the coattails of their main account for visibility.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Can you gain followers on your sideblog? The least sarcastic answer is: not officially. Sideblogs act like the mysterious cousin of your main blog, capable of standing alone but often overlooked in the official follower count. If you want *anyone* to see your sideblog, link it, reblog from your main blog, or occasionally interact in ways that bring attention to it!
At the end of the day, Tumblr is immensely flexible. You can have fun and cultivate your niche community. However, doing so anonymously is akin to trying to keep a cat purring under wraps while blasting heavy metal music—difficult at best! So, embrace the quirks of your sideblogs, dive into the chaos of anonymity, and just remember to keep the secret sauce of privacy close to your chest.
Final Thoughts
In summary, sideblogs offer *a hidden realm* on Tumblr. They are your creative sanctuary without the pressure of having to hold up an image publicly. Use them to explore interests, collect thoughts, and let loose in a space that doesn’t always have to reflect your entire identity. Just remember: while they might not attract a follower base of their own, they are precious playgrounds for your creative whims and fancy!
So, get out there, unleash your side adventures, and keep it quirky! Who knows—the tumble-tastic community might just embrace your eccentricities, following along on your main blog as they like and reblog your side exploits! That’s the beauty of the Tumblr jungle, after all—it’s all about the connection! And hey, never underestimate the power of a cheeky meme or a cat pic to attract new friends.
