Tumblr brings in-stream ads to Web dashboard
People scrolling through Tumblr's dashboard on the Web will now see sponsored content alongside posts from blogs they follow.
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Tumblr may finally be catching up in the advertising game with the launch of in-stream ads on its Web dashboard.
When Tumblr users scroll through the dashboard on the Web, they'll now see sponsored posts appear alongside posts from blogs they follow, the company said Thursday.
Tumblr started including sponsored posts in users' streams on its mobile applications in April. Like the ads on mobile, users will see up to four sponsored Tumblr stories a day on the desktop that are denoted by an animated dollar sign icon.
The sponsored posts will roll out to all users by the end of June and will feature content from seven initial partners: Viacom, Ford Motor, Universal Pictures, Capital One, AT&T, Denny's, and Purina.
"We have been overwhelmed by the incredibly positive response to our advertising approach -- from both Tumblr users and our partners," said Lee Brown, global head of sales at Tumblr. "The engagement rates on the Tumblr Radar and Sponsored Mobile Posts have been spectacular and we have taken this same carefully architected approach to this new Web in-dash opportunity."
Previously, members saw ads only to the right of the dashboard and in the Spotlight section of Tumblr's desktop version. This new ad placement may remind users of how Facebook inserts ads into the News Feed or how Twitter displays promoted tweets.
Tumblr, which Yahoo recently acquired for $1.1 billion, has more than 100 million blogs and boasts more than 70 million posts a day. Yahoo promised not to "screw it up" when the company announced the deal, and said the "two companies will also work together to create advertising opportunities that are seamless and enhance the user experience."
Update, 2 p.m. PT: Adds comment from Tumblr and details on the sponsored posts.