The emergence of memes on social media has changed the way people interact online. Memes allow people to communicate using a static image with a caption. They usually add humour to the conversation which keeps users interested in engaging with a post or other users. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat have all seen a meme takeover in the past couple years. People aren’t interested in reading lengthy posts anymore. They want to be entertained, even if the information they are getting is serious. So, memes have been perfect in this capacity.
Realizing the growling popularity and effect of memes. digital marketers across large and small businesses decided to run with it. They’ve made use of memes in their strategies to boost user engagement. The traditional promoted advertisements on various social media platforms, though somewhat effective, are becoming obsolete. Those ads don’t grab the attention of users anymore. Users don’t want to be fed information anymore, they want something to laugh at or relate to. This is exactly what memes bring to the table.
Memes are emotion jerkers. They’re created to make you smile, laugh, feel nostalgic or give a sense of relatability. When a company develops a record of making consumers laugh or relate, its content becomes memorable. An accumulation of memorable content keeps the brand on the consumer’s mind. Especially when they are in need of the type of service the company provides, they’ll instantly remember the company that stood out to them the most. Think about it, we all like to be entertained as consumers. Just like a commercial jingle, you can’t get out of your head, a funny meme can stick in the back of your head.
You should always try to use memes to highlight a product or service you’re offering. But, you should know that using memes is more than just finding the first one you see in a post. Like any other technique, you have to study and keep up with memes. Using the wrong meme whether it is old or irrelevant can be a turn off to users. So, you have to get it right. That said, here are some tips for using memes the right way.
Everyone loves a good laugh, but you have to make the joke relatable to your target audience. For example, you can’t make a meme about mortgages when your audience is made up of teenagers. Teenagers barely know anything about mortgages. So, you’d have to appeal to their interests. Though memes are generally engaged by people 15-35, memes exist for older audiences too. So, whoever makes up your audience is who you’re relating to. Using issues that your audience can laugh at our relate to is important in choosing the appropriate meme.
All brands have an identity and with that identity a certain voice. When you use a meme it becomes your voice. The memes you use and how you use them tell your audience a lot about your brand. So, it is important to use memes that align with the message being brought across while keeping with your brand’s identity.
Using old or irrelevant memes is the fastest way to turn off a user. Some memes are outdated or over-used and people don’t want to see that. Using memes that are trending or are still popular is important in grabbing people’s attention. Sometimes there are short periods where a meme floods social media. People will use the same photo or static image with many different captions and many different scenarios. This is the time to use that meme. Using the mem while it’s fresh promotes shares and engagements among users.
Reusing existing memes is great, but sometimes to promote a specific product or service you must create your own. As long as the message is relevant to the meme, the people will love it. Showing that you know how to use memes shows consumers you’re aware of your surroundings and trends that they like. Creating your own meme might take a little work because it will need to be funny or relatable, but it’s worth it.
Using memes is just utilizing ready-made content. So instead of spending time to create graphics or other content that you need to promote your brand, memes are already there for you. Memes are quick and use fewer resources.
As talked about before. The more people comment on, reshare or tag a friend in your memes, the more traffic comes to your page. When people see that your content is refreshing they’ll want to see more. They want to see emotion jerking content. It shows them that companies are interested in appeasing to their interests.
People are always on their phone. Checking their social media in the morning, while on their way to work or school, at lunch and when they get home. Companies that are up-to-date with technological trends attract people because they want companies that are inline with their own practices.
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