Introduction
The popularity of memes is growing day by day. A large number of memes are created and shared daily. Platforms, such as Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., are flooded with memes. Make them an essential part of marketing strategy. They grab the attention of your readers, increase engagement, and create a strong brand image. Also, it will give a fresh and exciting look to your old content.
In this article, we will discuss how to leverage the power of memes to grow your business. You will learn how to connect with people and create a perfect meme.
Importance of Memes in Marketing Campaigns
With meme marketing, you can attract consumers by creating humorous and engaging content. You can connect with your readers, build an online community, and be remembered for a long time.
Here are a few reasons why memes are essential for brand marketing:
Memes are Inexpensive and Easy to Create
You need not start from scratch. You do not have to create an original photo or video. It saves you time and money.
You can use the existing media and add a twist or a new caption to it. Also, you do not need professional design skills to create a meme.
Memes Help to Create Community
Memes help to create your brand image. You can spread your message in an easy-to-understand language. This way, you attract followers and viewers who can relate to the same situation as yours. As you all are on the same platform, it develops a sense of community among your followers.
Memes Generate More Shares
People relate to a joke easily. Memes entertain your audience that increases engagement, and shares across different media.
Also, it is not always necessary to create a brand-related image.
You can create simple memes that entertain, relate to your audience, and depicts the mood of the day. The main idea behind this is to keep creating a buzz about your brand.
Memes Increase Your Brand’s Authenticity
With memes, you can depict current trends. You can share complex concepts, emotions, company culture, etc., in a simple form. It makes your brand more authentic, modern, and contemporary.
You can add a fun element to the content to make it fresh and authentic for your viewers.
It creates engagement on a large scale as people can relate to your brand and remember it for a long time.
Things to Know While Creating and Using Memes
Memes help you to connect with your existing and new audience but only if done the right way. You must focus on creating a sensible meme so that you do not sound foolish or hurt anyone’s sentiments. Yet, there is no particular way to create memes. But here, we will discuss a few points that you must follow while creating them.
Know Your Brand Voice
Memes help you to expand your reach and grow your fan following. They are of high importance if you are targeting a younger audience. As a marketer, you should create a high-quality meme that is funny but not rude or offensive. It should show your brand’s unique voice to make you stand apart from your competitors.
You must understand your target audience by asking yourself these questions:
- What content your customer prefers?
- What kind of shows do they prefer to watch?
- What methods can you use to entertain them?
- What are the problems faced by your readers?
If you know what your audience is interested in, you can create relatable memes.
Do not include call-to-action in your memes. Its only purpose is to entertain and create brand awareness. This way, you can get maximum shares, reach a wider audience, and generate more leads and sales in the long-term.
Develop Your Meme Collection
- You can create a library of existing or your memes to refer to anytime.
- You can use existing popular and trending meme templates, images, GIFs, or videos. Or, you can start from scratch and add original captions to them.
- You can engage with your followers by adding a funny caption to an already popular image.
- Do not create anything funny that comes to your mind, and avoid making fun of your readers. It can ruin your brand image. Keep yourself updated about the current trends highlighting funny moments. It will help you create fresh content.
Create Original Memes
Creating an original meme is a bit more complicated. You have to search for images, plan a format, and add captions to it. It requires more time and energy. But, original content is loved by people and gets the most shares. If you use an already popular image, keep your message original that relates to your brand or audience.
You can also use your customers’ images and videos with your products.
Here are a few points to remember while creating customized memes for your brand:
Image rights: Check the licensing rights of an image. It will protect you from getting trapped in legal trouble.
Meme types: You can experiment with different meme styles, such as images, videos, GIFs, etc., and see what works best for you.
Text: Keep your text short and relatable.
Font type: Many font styles are being used. But, some have gone out of fashion. So, select font carefully; otherwise, your meme will look outdated. Use easy-to-read and large font size.
How to Create Memes?
- Do not keep using the same images or sharing an old meme. It will spoil your marketing efforts.
- Keep yourself updated about the current trends. You can visit knowyourmeme.com, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, etc., to know about the latest trends and get meme ideas.
- Several online meme generators allow you to create free memes. But, sometimes, a few of them place their watermark on the final image. You can either opt for their paid plan or hire a designer to create your meme. This way, you can add your watermark, which is an essential part of branding.
- Most of these sites allow you to create and download royalty-free memes.
- You can use images that are not copyrighted and modify them.
- You choose a template, upload an image, add text, watermark, download, and share.
A few resources that allow you to create free memes:
- Canva.com (no watermark)
- Imgflip.com
- Memegenerator.net
- Inpixio.com (no watermark)
- Appypie.com
How to Spread Your Memes?
Here are a few ways to spread memes to make the best out of your marketing efforts:
Share on Social Media
Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are hubs for sharing visual content. You can share them on these platforms and add a brief, witty description or a caption to them.
Create a Blog Post
You can create a dedicated blog post to represent the concept behind the meme. You can also add a call-to-action button to generate more leads.
Optimize Your Memes for Social Sharing
Optimize the page on which you have used memes for social sharing. Add sharing buttons. Readers can share them with their connections. It will increase your visibility beyond your network.
Conclusion
Meme marketing can be compelling if used the right way for your marketing campaign. You can give a modern look and human touch to your brand. It will help you to reach a new and broader audience. You do not have to create a perfect content plan every time and directly connect with your readers.
So, reinvent yourself and add a humorous touch to your brand to increase its chances of getting viral.
Written by: Preeti Shah
Evaluated by: Rajinder Soni
