One year later the first tests have startedweb blogging site Tumblr, now owned by WordPress.com’s parent company Automattic, is launch its communities are available in beta. Communities provide semi-private spaces on Tumblr where people can network around topics of interest, similar to Reddit’s forums known as subreddits or X-communities.

Communities feature entered for the first time public beta this spring offering Tumblr users dedicated feeds that are distinct from its existing algorithmic “For You” and chronological “Next” feeds.

The idea is to refocus Tumblr around what it does best: connecting users with their interests. This is something the company is already known for, especially in areas like its fan communities around TV shows, movies, video games, actors, musicians, and artists, among others. The Communities feature capitalizes on this built-in request, allowing users to organize themselves into groups as large as I love Taylor Swift Or art or as niche as it gets fans of the book “Wicked” who have not seen the film or musical.

Tumblr believes the communities structure will also give users a better way to find blogs they want to follow and build online collections, compared to more traditional methods like searching for topics or following hashtags.

The communities themselves can also be public or private, so users can create large groups or simply network with friends. Tumblr will make communities appear at the top of search results and will also feature a landing page where users can browse communities directly.

At launch, Communities will be available on the web, iOS and Android.

Since its acquisition by Automattic, Tumblr has experienced layoffs and restructuring like the site following lose money. The company also plans to move your backend to WordPress to make the operation of the site more efficient.