What’s in a Meme?

Memes can be thought of as the new editorial cartoons for the 21st Century.

1. Memes are a great way to share opinions using words and images.
2. Memes that are well suited to their audiences can go virtual.
3. 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