Should my business be using memes?
If you are on social media, more than likely you have scrolled across something like this…
Or this….
Not seeing or hearing about a meme is nearly impossible.
Using the trusty Google, when you search “what is a meme?” it’s defined as…
“An element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation.
a humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by Internet users.”
Being a social media marketing company, we have an office full of social media users.
When asked, “What’s your favorite meme?”
Answers like Grumpy Cat…
Hey Girl…
and Condescending Wonka…
Were all a few of the crowd favorites.
Although these memes are all different, they have something in common.
They’re funny and relatable.
Now you know what a meme is, you may be wondering… what’s the point of a meme?
From a business perspective, if you’re on social media and having troubles reaching younger audiences or problems with engagement, this may be your “in.” Scrolling through social media, a person is more likely to comment, share or like a post if humor is involved. Visual content (like a meme) is more than 40 times more likely to get shared on social media than other types of content. The reason? It’s easier to digest a small amount of text with a relevant image attached. You’re competing for attention with millions of other users on social media so you want to put your content in a format that will stop scrolling users in their tracks.
Karly, one of our very own Social Media Managers who has seen the power of performance a meme can provide, states,
“memes provide comic relief and relatability for a social media audience. I use memes for my business accounts knowing that the memes I share will tie back to the industry and will make sense to the viewers. They can always count on a laugh from my memes.”
Memes can be used to get the word out about upcoming events or about a new product or service your company is launching. Using a meme to generate buzz about an upcoming event for your business can create excitement and discussion around the event using humor. If people see that your business uses updated content and actively engages with their followers, they will want to be a part of your event and business. Overall, memes are a great option for funny content. People love a good laugh, and that’s one of the main reasons people are on social media, right? A meme can get a message across to your audience in an approachable way. If a meme is shared from a business page that is funny and relatable, it is likely that meme will be shared by the viewer, ultimately reaching a larger audience. This large reach could benefit your social media presence greatly.
If you are thinking about using a meme or creating your own meme in an upcoming social media post for your business, think about these three things…
1. What was the original purpose of the meme and what emotion was it trying to convey?
This ensures that the humor behind the original meme is still in place and will be effective with your own humorous concept in the picture. If you’re unsure about the origin of the meme or the purpose behind it, don’t use it. It will only make your business look out-of-touch with your audience.
2. Is this meme appropriate and will it be enjoyed on social media?
Memes do “expire.” So, it’s important that the meme you are using is relevant and will continue to generate shares and feedback. The text placed on the photo must be appropriate, that is why doing proper research on the original meaning behind a meme is a crucial step in generating your own meme.
3. Is the meme being used correctly?
You want memes to get the viewer excited. Ultimately the goal of using a meme is to generate more reach. Before you post your meme think “Would this make my customers laugh?” What meme would you share on your own personal page to your customers? That way you know whether or not the meme would work. If you are unsure of a meme you created, ask those around you! It may be funny to you, but others may not quite understand the message you are trying to convey. This is another great way of knowing the performance of your meme before it gets published.
Memes are great, but they aren’t for everyone.
If your business is on social media, you have seen content that works well and doesn’t perform as you hoped. Every audience is different, so keeping that in mind while using a meme is important. Some audiences appreciate the use of memes more than others, so using your best judgement and knowledge of your own audience is key. If you post a meme once, and your audience doesn’t interact or respond to the content, it may be worth it to move on from that specific meme.
If you are wondering how to make a meme:
There are quite a few tools online that are free and easy meme generators.
The most popular…
https://imgflip.com/memegenerator
https://makeameme.org/memegenerator
Using one of the generators listed, you can
- Choose a popular and appropriate meme picture background that fits your text
- Type your own text in the designated boxes
- Download the meme (for FREE)
Ultimately, if your business is looking for content that is fun, engaging and unique to your business a meme may be a good option. If you are unsure whether or not to use memes, test one out. See if they work for what your business is promoting.
You never know until you try!
Optimize Social Media provides social media & reputation solutions that evolve with our clients. As social media experts we manage Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yelp, YouTube and Instagram accounts for our clients on a daily basis. We help the modern business owner implement a specialized social media strategy so that they can make more money in real life. Enjoy our blog.
