Introduction to Scheduling on Tumblr
Tumblr is a popular social media platform for sharing blog-style content. Scheduling Tumblr posts is an effective way to queue content in advance and maintain a consistent posting cadence. While paid scheduling tools exist, there are also free options available. Let’s explore how to successfully schedule Tumblr posts for free.
Benefits of Scheduling Tumblr Posts
Reasons to schedule Tumblr content include:
- Maintain a steady posting schedule without daily effort
- Plan and batch content in advance
- Post at optimal high-traffic times
- Promote key posts at strategic times
- Analyze best posting days and times
- Save time by scheduling batches of content
- Collaborate with others on content
Challenges of Free Tumblr Scheduling
Potential downsides to free scheduling include:
- Limited capabilities compared to paid tools
- Manual workarounds are required in some cases
- Harder to analyze performance without analytics
- Difficult to determine the best posting times
- Restrictions on the number of accounts and posts
Schedule Posts Natively on Tumblr
Tumblr has a “Queue” feature to natively schedule posts up to 2 weeks in advance. This is the easiest free option.
Use Third-Party Scheduling Tools
Tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, Everypost, and Recurpost offer free versions with limited Tumblr scheduling capabilities.
Use Social Media Management Platforms
Platforms like Sprout Social and Sendible have free trials or tiers that enable basic Tumblr scheduling.
Leverage Calendars and Reminders
Manually schedule by setting calendar reminders on chosen dates/times to post specific content.
Repost Content from a Secondary Account
Use a secondary Tumblr account to schedule posts, then reblog that content to your main account.
Collaborate with Others to Schedule
Have assistants or team members schedule Tumblr posts for you from pre-approved content.
Analyze the Performance of Scheduled Posts
Review engagement on queued posts once live to optimize timing and content.
Types of Content to Schedule on Tumblr
You can schedule most Tumblr post types for free:
- Text posts
- Photos
- Short videos
- Quotes or links
- Minimal captions
More complex content requires workarounds.
Tips for Successful Free Tumblr Scheduling
- Spread out scheduling over days/weeks
- Post at a consistent frequency
- Use relevant hashtags and tags
- Have backup content available
- Limit bulk uploads to 20-30 posts
- Monitor performance after posting
- Ensure proper image sizes
Limitations of Free Scheduling Tools
- Time-consuming manual work
- Limits on the number of accounts and posts
- Unable to schedule some content types
- Lack of robust analytics and data
- Harder to pinpoint optimal posting times
Should You Upgrade to Paid Tumblr Scheduling?
For managing high-volume Tumblr accounts, paid tools like CoSchedule or Hootsuite provide helpful workflow automation, analytics, and customization. However many users’ basic scheduling needs can be met with free options.
The Future of Free Tumblr Scheduling
We can expect Tumblr to continue improving its native scheduling features. Third-party apps will likely expand their free Tumblr capabilities and integration options to provide more robust yet affordable solutions.
Conclusion
- While limited compared to paid tools, free options like Tumblr’s native queue, Buffer, and Hootsuite provide helpful basic scheduling capabilities.
- Balance free scheduling with real-time interaction. Analyze engagement analytics once content is live. Have backup content available.
- For simple needs, free Tumblr scheduling gets the job done. For larger volumes, invest in paid tools.
FAQs
What’s the best completely free Tumblr scheduling tool?
Tumblr’s native queue functionality is the best and simplest completely free option, allowing you to schedule posts up to 2 weeks in advance.
Can you schedule Tumblr photosets and long-form posts for free?
Scheduling complex sequences like photosets or long posts is trickier and may require manual workarounds with free tools.
How far in advance can you schedule Tumblr posts for free?
Tumblr’s native queue goes up to 2 weeks. Most third-party free tools limit queues to 1 week or 30 posts at a time.
Do any free Tumblr schedulers offer analytics?
Limited analytics may be available, but for robust analytics on engagement and the best times to post, a paid tool like CoSchedule is needed.
What are the top paid Tumblr schedulers?
Leading paid Tumblr scheduling tools include CoSchedule, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Sendible, with prices starting at around $15/month.