Memes can be thought of as the new editorial cartoons for the 21st Century.
- Memes are a great way to share opinions using words and images.
- Memes that are well suited to their audiences can go virtual.
- Using the power of a photo or an image can really drive home your message.
What is a Successful Meme?
- Each successful meme has a target audience.
- Memes have largely replaced old-style newspaper editorial cartoons.
- When getting started ask yourself – “Who is my target audience?” “Who am I trying to reach?” Every successful meme has a target audience.
Reasons to Meme
- Communicate message to audience.
- Visuals have stopping power.
- There’s little to no cost to making a meme and your meme can reach millions of viewers.
- Humour is powerful.
- Memes can make the reader feel social validated.
- Social validation is why people look to others to see if behaviour is normative and validated.
Visual Content
- Memes love visual content.
- Algorithms for visuals capitalize on fact that viewers are six times more likely to remember an image than text.
- Algorithms favour images.
- The purpose of a meme is to make people laugh or smile.
- At the very least you want to your audience to crack a smile.
Meme Tips
- The best memes are simple and are easy to spread, spread and spread.
- We are going to use free websites, and software but can be truly powerful if done right.
- If content involves a joke it needs to be easy to understand.
- People view social media for distraction. Memes are great for this.
- Many look at social media in the office or while in transit.
The Power of the Meme
- Memes can be uniting around a social cause or issue.
- If done right reader shouldn’t have to think too hard to understand your meme.
- Don’t make your meme mysterious, simply relate the meme’s text to the photo.
- Good to use trending phrases and photos if you want your meme to go viral.
IMG Flip
- Make your first meme by going to imgflig.com.
- IMG Flip has blank meme templates for just about everything.
- You can sign up for an IMG Flig account for $4/month. (Doing so will allow you to remove imgflip watermark.).
- If you don’t’ want to pay the $4 per month, to the top of the webpage, choose “white box” then put in the image and the watermark goes away.
Meme Generator
- Makeameme.org is another meme generator website.
- The Meme Generator uses the classic top text bottom text format.
- Meme Generator is mobile friendly so you can make memes on the go.
- Meme Generator has an online e-store where you can order mugs and other items that you can have your meme printed on.
What is a GIF?
- A gif is a basically a moving picture with a graphic interchange format.
- Giphy.com is a great website that allows you to make memes and gifs.
- Same principles apply in terms of communicating your message to a specific audience.
Elaine Allan, BA, MBA
Technology & Business Blogger
Vancouver, BC