Home Tumblr Belatedly Adds @Mention Alerts, Long After Other Social Sites

Tumblr Belatedly Adds @Mention Alerts, Long After Other Social Sites

Tumblr wants to make sure you know when you’re mentioned by friends on the Yahoo-owned blogging service.

For at least four months, users have been able to use the @-sign to autocomplete friends’ Tumblr usernames and automatically link to their blogs. The new wrinkle in the feature is that now when you’re mentioned, Tumblr notifies you on your Activity page. 

The existing @mention feature now results in a Dashboard alert to whomever is mentioned in your post.

Previously, Tumblr had three channels of communication that resulted in an alert. You could like posts, reblog posts, or send an “ask” in order for Tumblr to automatically alert a friend on their Dashboard that you’re trying to get in touch. 

Tumblr staff is rolling the feature out slowly, so not all users will be able to receive alerts just yet. So far, nobody on the ReadWrite team has yet managed to verify the new feature, although CNET News reporter Jenn Van Grove took a screenshot that shows that it’s functioning for some users.

It’s nothing new that Tumblr is trailing behind in social features; Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have all had @mention-triggered user alerts for ages. Perhaps this is Yahoo’s response to Tumblr’s lagging growth earlier this year by adding a feature that has already proven itself elsewhere. Tumblr’s addition of this small but useful function will significantly catch it up to competing social networks.

Photo by Flickr user joshwept, CC 2.0

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.