I Can Haz Memes?

What’s your favorite meme? The one that always makes you laugh or smile when you scroll past it? Alright, go and search for it. We’ll wait here... Wow you’re back! Did you realize that there were so many different versions of your favorite meme? Memes are amazing tools of communication because of how adaptable they are for almost any situation. This is why including them in your social media strategy is a great way to build relationships with your followers. Everyone loves them and they’re normally recognizable no matter who you’re marketing to. 

Know your meme.

We know memes as a funny picture or groups of pictures that are usually captioned. These captions can be anything from a reference to pop culture or even an inside joke for a specific group of people. Their popularity comes from how easy they are to change into an inside joke. However, did you know that the first published use of the word meme was in 1976 by Richard Dawkins? He actually called it a mimeme, which is from the Greek “that which is imitated.” It was shortened to meme and soon became an internet vessel for cat jokes.   

Where can you find memes?

Memes pop up all over the internet. You’ll catch them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and even blogs. Basically, anywhere you can share an image you can share a meme. People even save their favorites to their computers or phones to share on social media or even through text messaging. Maybe if you aren’t familiar with memes that might seem a bit strange to you. But that goes to show the versatility of a good meme. When they’re made well and connect with their audience they become a form of communication, much like the emoji.   

Memes and community.

People often send or share a meme to communicate how they’re feeling. Especially if they found it funny. The “I Can Haz Cheeseburgerz Cats” memes started out pretty much as a fun share. People also use memes to give a funny twist to something frustrating them. Take, for example, when Game of Thrones ended and millions of people were disappointed. This resulted in a flood of memes reflecting that disappointment and frustration. They can cover any range of topics from politics to what it’s like to be a millennial. They can be generic or very specialized. The thing that ties memes together is that they typically use humor to relate to the viewer. 

How to use memes in your social media strategy.

So, should businesses use memes in their social media strategy? Yes! Memes are a great way to relate and bond with your followers. They add a human aspect to your business that doesn’t always shine through on the internet. On top of that, when done correctly, memes are very shareable which increases your audience reach. 

You can start by simply sharing memes that are relevant to your business and your customers. Before you get too deep, it’s important to research both your audience and the memes. This can be done by scrolling through your social media platform of choice and learning how different memes look as well as how people are reacting to them. It’s also a good idea to research specific memes before sharing them on your page. Even social media superstars, like Wendy's, miss the mark on occasion. To protect your brand make sure you understand the connotations of the meme before doing damage you might not be able to undo.

DIY memes.

Once you get comfy with sharing memes you can dive into making your own. It’s super simple now because there are a ton of meme generators out there ready for you to add in your own text! The key here is to keep it simple, but relatable to your followers. You want to follow the same structure as in the original meme but personalize to a shared experience. Also, don’t force it. When humor is forced it’s usually not funny. Now that you know about memes we should probably give you some advice on how many of these hilarious memes you should be posting. Our recommendation is typically to use them sparingly, unless, of course, your business is to churn out memes. Having a meme show up every now and then is fun, but to have it be every post will turn followers away.

Memes are a great way to build your relationships with followers and increase your audience without paying for paid ads or promoted posts. They’re a way for you to show that you’re in on the joke. And who knows, you might even create your own memes that take the internet by storm!   

Need help sharing the best memes on the web with your fans? Contact us for a no-obligation consultation with our team of experts today!