This is an important read for anybody who is new to Tumblr and/or only likes instead of reblogs.
These icons are at the bottom right corner of every post you see.
On the left is the comment option, the speech bubble. Comments are a quick way to make your thoughts known on a post without reblogging it. Comments are good for chatting with someone after they answer your ask as an alternative to spamming their ask box. Commenting + liking is NOT an alternative to reblogging.
In the middle is the reblog option, the two arrows. This is the most important thing to know about using Tumblr. Reblogging is how Tumblr functions. When you reblog something (art, fic, meme, whatever), you display it on your own blog while keeping the connection to the original poster/creator. This is how creators get their works seen! If you like something, reblog it! I cannot stress this enough!
Reblogging is not to be confused with reposting. You will see artists say to not repost their art. This means that you are not allowed to copy-paste somebody else's art and make it into your own post. This is stealing, and it hurts artists. Reposting erases all connections to the real artist and makes it seem like you made it even though you didn't. If your repost gets reblogged by people who don't know better, all of the attention will go to you instead of the actual artist. Most people get very hostile when they discover somebody reposting art, so it's a good thing that I'm teaching you now!
While we're on the topic of supporting artists, let's take a minute to talk about commissions. Art is hard work, and therefore, art is usually not free. Most artists and writers have a Ko-fi or similar way of accepting tips and donations from people who like their work and want to support them. If you want something drawn/written for you, be respectful! Find somebody who has open commissions and ask them how much it will cost to buy their time and talent. Many artists and writers also open drawing/writing requests or prompts, which are free. However, free to request does not mean free to use. If you want to save and use somebody's art, you have to pay them for it unless they say otherwise.
Finally, on the right is the like option, the heart. Likes are the most misused feature on Tumblr. Here's a little secret: likes are useless here. Liking a post is not an alternative to reblogging. Tumblr has no algorithm, so the only thing that will support your favorite artists is you reblogging their work! Likes are little extras that you give along with a reblog, or drop on somebody's post to tell them that you see it. For example, I only use likes on my friends' text posts, such as answered asks or vents, or on something that I reblog as a reminder to myself that I've seen it before (and as extra love for the creator). When I admire some art or writing, I give them a like and a reblog.
An extra warning for people who have never reblogged anything but have hundreds of likes: you will likely be blocked on sight by a lot of people. Having so many likes but no reblogs means that you look like a bot and that you are actually messing up the system. Nobody will think that you're cringe for reblogging what you like! Now is the time to start interacting for real! Be free, have fun, and reblog to your heart's content!
How about the ask box? This can go by many names as customized by the user. This is a place for people to start a conversation, ask a question, or play an ask game. If somebody answers your ask and you want to keep talking, the polite thing to do is either comment or reblog it. Spamming somebody's inbox with individual sentences instead of keeping it in one post is time consuming and widely considered to be annoying.
Last but not least, your follower count. Here's another secret of Tumblr: nobody cares about your follower count! Nobody can see it except for you and it won't make you or your posts any more visible because there's no algorithm. If you want interaction, find some friends and cool artists and reblog their stuff. Very few accounts are considered to be "Tumblr famous" and frankly, you don't want that kind of attention here.
Please let me know if you have any questions! How you interact with this post is your first test so I can see that you are listening and learning! 💜
