If you are a marketer, especially a digital marketer who specializes in social media marketing, chances are you already know the impact memes have on the audience. From providing a good laugh to conveying useful information, memes are among the most commonly used forms of expression and communication in today’s time. Why waste a lot of time typing out sentences to express how you feel when a simple meme can do the trick?
If you are a brand that is trying to make it big on different social media platforms, you need to hop on the meme bandwagon and stay on top of your meme references to stay relevant. Memes are a great way to connect and engage with your followers, which is why they have become an excellent marketing tool in the last couple of years. So if you are thinking about adding some fun and entertaining memes to your social media marketing campaign, read on to learn more about effectively using memes for marketing.
Why are memes perfect for your next social media campaign?
- They are easy to consume – since memes are usually circulated as a single image or a short gif, your audience is not overwhelmed with too much information at one go.
- They are easy (and free!) to make– With dozens of meme generators available online, you can quickly create memes without breaking the bank.
- They are a great way to showcase your brand’s personality– No matter your brand’s style, tonality, and personality, there is a unique meme type out there for you to add to your social media profiles.
- They increase audience engagement– Quirky and innovative memes are a great way to increase your views, likes, shares, etc., across different social networking sites. The weirder and funnier the meme, the better your chances of a higher engagement.
- They create a sense of belonging for your audience– By making memes that your followers can relate to personally, your brand helps foster a community where everybody feels like they are part of an inside joke.
How to make memes work for your brand?
- Understand your audience– The first step to creating a good meme that your audience can relate to is to know your audience and their preferences. Does your brand create products and services for millennials and gen-Zs? Are you a clothing brand that creates sustainable clothing? The memes you create will change depending on your brand and the type of demographics you are catering to, so make sure to understand your audience and their likes and interests before creating and sharing your first meme.
- Maintain brand consistency– Even though memes are becoming more and more mainstream, do not just incorporate them in your next social media campaign without aligning the memes to your brand voice and image. The memes you create should be relevant and trending while also reflecting your brand’s tone and personality.
- Create original memes– While repurposing viral memes and making them work for your brand is easier to do, creating original memes is a great way to highlight your products and services in a light-hearted way that your audience can engage with. Use popular meme templates and references and add your own spin to the format using images from your repository. Another fun way to increase engagement is by asking your followers to send in their images or funny quotes that your brand can then create a meme out of. Incorporate your brand name, slogan, logo, etc. into an existing image to stand out.
- Keep up with popular trends– Memes are volatile and can go out of style as quickly as they first appeared, so it is crucial to pay attention to timeliness when working with memes. Keep a close watch on your social media platforms and feeds to know what is viral and trending. Sharing the right meme at the right time is important if you want your meme to go viral.
- Do not overdo it– While memes are a fun way to interact with your audience and get a few laughs, going overboard will bore your audience and might come off as you trying too hard to stay relevant. Use memes sparingly if you want them to be effective. Remember, memes are supposed to complement your social media content and not replace it entirely. Too much of anything is never a good thing, and the same goes for memes. So, find the right balance to keep your audience hooked and wanting more.
- Experiment with video memes– Even though image and text-based memes are the most popular, video memes are also a great way to entertain your audience and generate a buzz about your brand. Unleash your creativity through short videos and stand out from the crowd. Tools like InVideo are great for editing videos, adding captions (user surveys have shown that adding closed captions to videos increase watch time by up to 12% as around 85% of videos are viewed without sound!), creating gifs and more. The right kind of video memes are an effective way to leave a lasting impression, so play around with different styles of videos as part of your next marketing campaign.
Memes have been steadily growing in popularity and gaining traction, so it comes as no surprise that brands worldwide, from high-end lifestyle brands to local retailers, use memes in their social media profiles. On the surface, memes might look like just another way of killing time while scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, but when used correctly, they can be an effective marketing tool that will help your brand reach a wider audience. So what are you waiting for? Start following the latest trends, understand your audience and their meme humor, and start creating memes to spread some joy and smiles and connect with your audience and increase your reach.