On July 10th, Tumblr’s staff blog unveiled a new strategy for the social media platform to become less intimidating, more accessible, and easier to navigate for new users.

The social media dark horse has historically relied on users curating their own experiences, but Tumblr admits this makes the user experience too complicated and that change is necessary for growth.

Tumblr Proposes Big Design Changes

The crux of Tumblr’s plan is to change how users interact with the platform. The design will be more responsive. High-quality content will be provided “with every app launch.” Users will have new ways to discover the platform and will be encouraged to keep returning.

The Strategy Comes at an Opportune Time

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tumblr has launched its statement amidst the recent controversy surrounding Reddit and Twitter, both of which have been under heavy scrutiny due to recent leadership decisions. Tumblr - long considered the free spirit of social media sites - may be looking to capture users alienated from the two social networking giants. Could a timely design change be their ticket to the social media mainstream?