In an attempt to appeal to younger generations, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer confirmed the purchase of blogging service Tumblr for a startling $1.1 billion. Tumblr, a site known for its assortment of GIF-heavy blog posts, is popular amongst younger crowds. Mayer wrote a Tumblr post herself, promising “not to screw it up.” A good sign of Yahoo’s promise is retaining Tumblr founder David Karp in the same role as CEO. Karp also assured no major changes would be made, stating, “Our team isn’t changing. Our roadmap isn’t changing. Tumblr gets better faster with more resources to draw from.”
However, what does the acquisition mean for both Yahoo visitors and Tumblr loyalists? Tumblr might see an increase in advertisements as a way for Yahoo to monetize the site. However, a huge problem potential advertisers face is the large number of Tumblr accounts sharing pornographic material. Yahoo might claim to act as transparent as possible, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they begin to come down on the more adult-driven blogs. On the plus side, popular Tumblr blogs could be displayed on Yahoo’s front page.
Only time will tell exactly how the acquisition will affect either party, but one thing’s for sure: Yahoo’s ready to jump back into the fray alongside Google. Who knows? Maybe we’ll hear the classic “Yahooooo!” yodel from yesteryear once again.
[via CNN Money]