Memes are super shareable, engaging and present a fantastic way to get your brand seen by lots of new people very quickly.
Now, I know you’re thinking, “but memes don’t suit my brand” and I totally get it!
I was apprehensive at first too, but then I realized that there are so many big brands that are making memes work for them. Disney, Netflix, and Denny’s all use memes to stand out in their industries. Plus, their audience LOVE them.
Now you’re probably thinking, but I’m not a big brand, but believe me, you don’t need to be to have some fun and see results by creating on-brand memes that will help you stand out in your industry.
I think that memes are a fantastic way to connect with your audience. They have great potential to grow your following, and you can even use them to repurpose your content!
But how can you create memes that are appropriate for your business?
Here are my 8 top dos and don’ts for sharing and creating the best memes.
1. Do use memes that match your brand’s voice
Don’t share memes that don’t match the tone of your brand. Consider why your audience follow you, and what content they usually expect you to post.
If you deviate too much from your usual content, your audience might get confused.
2. Don’t jump on a viral bandwagon — unless you can make it work
Some trending memes leave space for everyone. The How It Started Vs. How It’s Going meme is a great example of something everyone can join in with.
But some memes just won’t work for your brand, and your audience might start to see you as desperate to fit into a crowd you don’t belong in.
3. Do use a meme correctly
Many businesses get criticized for misinterpreting memes and using them incorrectly — even big brands like McDonalds! So play it safe, and if you’re not sure, don’t use it! You don’t want to go viral for the wrong reasons…
4. Don’t be afraid to use your own images
Sharing your original content is a great opportunity to show off your brand. You could get your content in front of so many new people! And who knows, your meme might even go viral (for the right reasons!).
5. Do create memes with a meme generator
A meme’s visual is crucial to communicating the right message, and if your meme doesn’t look the part, it won’t be as shareable.
There are plenty of meme generator websites that use templates to help you create a meme in the right format. Sites like imgflip, imgur, and Meme-Creator, all give you the tools to create classic and original memes for free.
6. Don’t use memes too often
They’re a lot of fun to create and share, but don’t base your entire social media strategy around memes. They should bring diversity to your content and be used as a repurposing tool when appropriate.
Maybe start by creating and sharing one meme a week that relates to your core content. See how your audience responds, and if they like it, consider using memes more frequently.
7. Do post them on multiple platforms
Memes work well across all social media platforms, and you can also include them in blogs or emails. If you’re clever, you can even find ways to reference them in videos!
8. Don’t forget to use them in your repurposing strategy!
You could start by finding some images you’ve shared previously and thinking about how to reshare them as a meme. Are there any pictures of you talking at events that would suit a funny caption, or can you draw out a pun from your long-form content?
Ask your team too, are there any memes that they think could be adapted to suit a topic your business deals with? You might find there’s more than you think!
You certainly don’t have to turn your business into a joke account to make them successful, but if you give them a go whilst saying on-brand, you might find your audience really respond to them. And you never know…your business might just go viral…
If you’d like to learn more inventive ways to repurpose your content, grab yourself a copy of my book, Content 10x, More Content, Less Time, Maximum Results.
Thank you for reading! Don’t forget to say “hello” on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram!
This article originally appeared on Content 10x.com
