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Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, is taking steps to migrate Tumblr to WordPress, following its acquisition of the platform in 2019 for $3 million. Since the acquisition, Automattic has focused on enhancing Tumblr's platform and boosting its revenue. Now, the company is set to transition Tumblr's backend infrastructure to WordPress, according to a blog post published on Wednesday.
Automattic made it clear that Tumblr will retain its unique identity and user experience, even as it transitions to WordPress. "We acquired Tumblr for its unique qualities and strengths, not to dilute them," the post emphasized. "We appreciate Tumblr’s streamlined posting experience and current product direction. This change will only affect the backend; users won’t notice any difference from the outside."
The move to WordPress is expected to bring several benefits, including streamlined collaboration between the two platforms. Automattic's team will be able to create tools and features that work across both WordPress and Tumblr, while Tumblr will also benefit from the open-source innovations developed for WordPress.org. Additionally, WordPress stands to gain from the creative tools and resources that have been developed for Tumblr.
However, the migration poses a significant technical challenge, as Tumblr currently hosts over half a billion blogs. "This is one of the largest technical migrations in internet history," Automattic declared in its announcement. "Some doubt it can be done, but we welcome the challenge."
It’s worth noting that other companies have faced similar challenges when overhauling their backend infrastructure. Twitter, for example, rewrote portions of its backend architecture while keeping the site operational in its early years. Similarly, Slack transitioned its app’s architecture to new code a few years ago. Even further back, Myspace famously shifted to Microsoft’s stack, a move that some believe contributed to its decline.
Automattic did not provide a specific timeline for the completion of the project or share a detailed roadmap. The blog post simply announced the company’s plans to transition Tumblr to a WordPress backend in the future.
Tumblr, once a vibrant hub for socializing, blogging, and fandoms, was initially sold to Yahoo for over $1 billion in 2013 under then-CEO Marissa Mayer. Yahoo aimed to turn Tumblr into a social media powerhouse and expand its advertising business. However, Tumblr struggled to compete with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Even after Automattic took over, the site continued to incur significant losses, reportedly around $30 million annually, according to Automattic’s CEO Matt Mullenweg. While Tumblr saw a brief uptick in users following Twitter's acquisition by Elon Musk and its subsequent rebranding as X, this influx did not result in a substantial revenue increase.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/28/tumblr-to-move-its-half-a-billion-blogs-to-wordpress/
Automattic made it clear that Tumblr will retain its unique identity and user experience, even as it transitions to WordPress. "We acquired Tumblr for its unique qualities and strengths, not to dilute them," the post emphasized. "We appreciate Tumblr’s streamlined posting experience and current product direction. This change will only affect the backend; users won’t notice any difference from the outside."
The move to WordPress is expected to bring several benefits, including streamlined collaboration between the two platforms. Automattic's team will be able to create tools and features that work across both WordPress and Tumblr, while Tumblr will also benefit from the open-source innovations developed for WordPress.org. Additionally, WordPress stands to gain from the creative tools and resources that have been developed for Tumblr.
However, the migration poses a significant technical challenge, as Tumblr currently hosts over half a billion blogs. "This is one of the largest technical migrations in internet history," Automattic declared in its announcement. "Some doubt it can be done, but we welcome the challenge."
It’s worth noting that other companies have faced similar challenges when overhauling their backend infrastructure. Twitter, for example, rewrote portions of its backend architecture while keeping the site operational in its early years. Similarly, Slack transitioned its app’s architecture to new code a few years ago. Even further back, Myspace famously shifted to Microsoft’s stack, a move that some believe contributed to its decline.
Automattic did not provide a specific timeline for the completion of the project or share a detailed roadmap. The blog post simply announced the company’s plans to transition Tumblr to a WordPress backend in the future.
Tumblr, once a vibrant hub for socializing, blogging, and fandoms, was initially sold to Yahoo for over $1 billion in 2013 under then-CEO Marissa Mayer. Yahoo aimed to turn Tumblr into a social media powerhouse and expand its advertising business. However, Tumblr struggled to compete with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Even after Automattic took over, the site continued to incur significant losses, reportedly around $30 million annually, according to Automattic’s CEO Matt Mullenweg. While Tumblr saw a brief uptick in users following Twitter's acquisition by Elon Musk and its subsequent rebranding as X, this influx did not result in a substantial revenue increase.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/28/tumblr-to-move-its-half-a-billion-blogs-to-wordpress/
