What is a meme?
It is a cultural symbol or social idea that is compelling and shared. It can be something as simple as an intentional misspelling, a hashtag, a picture, a symbol or a link to a video.
Nowadays, more and more companies and brands are benefited by using memes; they create a buzz around their products and services and get huge exposure within a short period of time. They deliver their marketing messages to their target markets with the help of memes.
Why memes are so popular?
Because it has an influence to go viral. Further, it encourages creativity along with the conversation of current news and topics. It is quite easy to create and share.
Memes also have a longer shelf-life in social media, mainly because they generally adapt and get updated. Sometimes, they even cross reference other memes to create meme hybrids.
What makes a meme go viral?
As I already told, meme has a great influence to go viral. Did you ever think what makes it viral?
Here are the few reasons for that:
1. Ownership is negligible:
No one particularly owns a meme. Even if you are pledged to create the meme, it will adapt itself depending on the time, situation and group. It means that using another brand’s meme isn’t off-limits.
2. Relevance is not compulsory:
It is not compulsory that all the memes you create must be related to your brand. It is used mainly to catch the attention of the community and share something that interests the community members along with the topic of your brand. This helps you get a wider audience for your brands.
3. Linked to social networks:
Although memes always don’t need to relate directly to your company’s mission or to your brand, it must connect the users to your social media strategy.
For example:
If Facebook is your main platform for marketing, add memes to the campaign and then promote a hashtag along with it, which can be used to take users back to the main community. It will engage them to your main flow of content updates and keep them as long term members in your community.
Why is it good for your campaign?
1. Image based:
Memes are image based and due to that they attract more audience. Making image along with the text is more favorable. It allows the user to understand quickly and easily.
2. Creates the community:
If anyone shares your meme in their social network, definitely they enjoy the fun and entertainment of the message behind it. Most importantly, they are putting their seal of approval on your brand’s message when they share.
People who share your meme may be part of the same community, which again helps you to grow your social media following and loyalty.
3. Shareable:
In social media, it is quite easy to share the content or images within a matter of seconds, especially from our mobile devices. Memes are especially made for this type of sharing.
For example: Posting a picture from a recent game with the caption of poking fun at a recent blunder (that is also in the realm of your brand message) would be a content likely to be worthy of Twitter re-tweeting, Pinterest repining and Facebook sharing. It will ultimately spread the awareness of your brand.
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