Meme Marketing | The Underdog of Viral Marketing

The internet is awash with an endless sea of content, making it increasingly difficult for businesses to cut through the noise and capture the attention of their target audience.

But what if there is a secret weapon that can help you achieve this? A marketing strategy that is often overlooked yet has the power to turn your brand into a viral sensation overnight.

We are talking about the under-appreciated underdog of viral marketing - meme marketing.

In this article on memes for viral marketing, you will discover how harnessing the power of memes can help your brand reach new heights of success.

What is Meme Marketing?

Meme marketing is a creative and effective way of using memes (humorous images or videos) to promote your brand, product, service, or message. It can be used in conjunction with other forms of digital advertising, such as social media campaigns or email marketing.

The goal of meme marketing is to connect with audiences on a more personal and relatable level, making the brand more memorable and increasing the chances of the message going viral.

The key to successful meme marketing lies in finding the right mix between clever visuals and funny captions that resonate with your audience.

Benefits of Meme Marketing

Memes have become an increasingly popular form of communication, and for a good reason - they are easily understood, widely shared, and can be used to quickly capture attention.

Using memes in your marketing can help you:

• Reach a wider audience
• Connect with your audience on an emotional level
• Increase brand recognition
• Drive social media engagement
• Generate more website traffic and leads
• Prove your brand's relevance

Demystifying Meme Marketing

There are several myths and misconceptions surrounding meme marketing, which can make it seem intimidating or unachievable for brands. The truth is that anyone with access to the internet and a good sense of humor can create effective meme campaigns.

All Memes Do Not Have To Be Casual or Silly

Most companies, particularly those in the B2B field, struggle with memes because they think memes should have a quirky and casual language, which goes against their brand's tonality.

Indeed, memes are often humorous, but this does not mean that all your meme campaigns have to be casual or silly. In fact, you can use memes to convey serious messages and promote important causes.

The key is to find the right balance between humor and seriousness that resonates with your audience.

You Don't Always Need Playful Fonts

Many people believe that memes must be written in playful fonts for them to be effective. This is not necessarily true and can often backfire if your brand's aesthetic does not match the font style.

Instead, focus on crafting clever captions and creating visuals that are visually appealing and convey the right message. If you need help, you can always hire a meme expert to create the perfect combination for your campaign.

Hiring Meme Creators

Hiring meme creators and marketers is not an easy task for companies, as they need to be very strategic in their approach. Companies are now looking for people who have a deep understanding of internet culture and the ability to create relatable and viral content. They prefer to hire those who already have a meme page of their own, as this gives them assurance that the candidate is well-versed with the meme culture and is likely to do a good job.

Companies are also looking for people with strong communication skills and a good sense of humor. This is because meme marketing is not just about creating funny images but also about understanding the target audience and knowing how to communicate the brand's message in a way that will resonate with them.

For example, the popular fast food chain Wendy's has a social media team that is known for creating clever and funny memes, which often go viral. This has helped the brand connect with younger audiences and establish a solid social media presence. Similarly, companies like Swiggy and Zomato have also used memes as part of their marketing campaigns, to great success.

However, it's not only the big companies that are leveraging meme marketing. There are also smaller companies and start-ups that are using meme marketing to reach their target audiences and gain more visibility. Many of them are hiring meme creators and marketers who have their own meme pages and are able to create relatable and viral content to increase the reach of their brands.

The Meme Analysis Framework

Before executing a meme marketing strategy, it is vital to analyze memes, particularly those put out by competing brands.

Understanding the competition is crucial for your business to create memes that will stand out and capture the attention of its target audience. By analyzing the memes put out by competing brands, you can identify gaps in the market and create memes that will fill those gaps and be more likely to be successful.

Another important aspect of analyzing memes put out by competing brands is identifying trends. Memes are constantly evolving, and what was popular last year may not be popular this year. By analyzing the memes put out by competing brands, you will know what memes are currently trending and can use them to your advantage.

But how do you go about analyzing memes?

While there are many ways to do it, it helps to follow a specific framework. So, here is a 6-point meme analysis framework:

1. Identify the message or theme of the meme: What is the meme trying to communicate or convey?
2. Consider the context in which the meme was created or shared: What social, cultural, or political events or issues may have influenced its creation and popularity?
3. Analyze the use of imagery and language in the meme: How do these elements contribute to the overall message or theme of the meme?
4. Consider the intended audience of the meme: Who is the meme targeted towards, and how does it appeal to them?
5. Examine the reaction and response to the meme: How has the meme been received and shared on social media and other platforms?
6. Reflect on the impact and significance of the meme: What does the meme reveal about the current state of society or cultural trends?

By following such a framework, you can gain valuable insights into the memes created or shared by competing brands and use them to create more effective and successful memes for your own brand.

Analyzing Viral Meme Pages

In addition to analyzing memes put out by competing brands, you can also explore the most popular meme pages on social media.

Popular meme pages often have tens of thousands of followers, and the content they post can go viral in a matter of minutes. By studying these meme pages, you can gain valuable insights into which memes are most popular, what content resonates with the target audience, and how to create memorable and shareable content.

Let's take a look at three popular meme pages.

RVCJ

RVCJ Media has over 9.5 million followers on Instagram and specializes in creating original content that appeals to a young audience. Their memes often feature popular celebrities and Bollywood actors and use humor to draw in the audience.

Observations

• All text on memes is capitalized
• Text is spread across the meme and not crammed into just one side or corner
• The logo is centered at the top and has mentions of other platforms at the bottom corners
• They have different content buckets for different engagement types, like shares and comments

FilterCopy

FilterCopy has over 4 million followers on Instagram and specializes in creating humorous memes about everyday life. Their memes often feature relatable characters and situations and use wit to engage the audience.

Observations

• Images are well-lit, vibrant, and relevant
• Text is presented in a conversational tone
• The design is aesthetically pleasing
• Images and videos are prioritized more than text

ScoopWhoop

ScoopWhoop has over 2.3 million followers on Instagram and specializes in creating content about current topics and trends. Their memes often feature thought-provoking quotes or statements and use wit to draw attention to current issues.

Observations

• Memes focus on controversial topics and inspiring quotes
• Text is used to emphasize the point of the meme
• Colors are used sparingly to make the memes stand out
• The use of humor is subtle and not over the top

Conclusion

Meme marketing is a powerful and unconventional approach to viral marketing that has been overlooked by many businesses. However, as the internet and social media continue to evolve, the use of memes as a marketing tool will only become more important.

By understanding the power of memes and analyzing memes put out by competing brands, businesses can create memes that will stand out and capture the attention of their target audience.

Meme marketing is not just about creating funny images but also about understanding the target audience and knowing how to communicate the brand's message in a way that will resonate with them.

As the demand for meme marketing continues to grow, businesses that embrace this strategy will have a significant advantage over their competitors in the digital age.

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