Whether you’re scrolling through Facebook or LinkedIn, you’re likely to come across a business meme or two. These pictures are often popular and take minimal effort to produce. That’s why memes are becoming a hit with marketing teams around the world.
However, many businesses still see using memes as a risk. After all, if you use a meme that isn’t as well-received as expected, your business could look out of touch to your audience and there are still those who deem memes as unprofessional.
So, should you take the risk? Memes can be a great way to build your brand image and to connect with your audience. They also have great potential to go viral. That’s why, for many businesses, the risk is worth taking, as long as you do it right.
Why should you use memes?
As a result of the pandemic, more people are spending longer on social media each day. This means your business should already be using social media platforms as a way to connect and engage with your audience.
However, the way you use social media does depend on the site and your target audience. Despite this, many businesses could benefit from using memes. This is because they are commonly used and shared across a variety of platforms.
Using memes can breathe new life into your existing social media strategies, or help you get ahead of the competition if you’re just starting online. As they are highly visual and quick to digest, they work well in today’s online culture.
Memes aren’t becoming more popular in online marketing just because they are funny, but because they are also easy and cheap to produce. Often the memes shared by businesses already exist and have just been repurposed.
When a meme becomes popular, many different businesses and people will reshare it with their twist. This saves your team from having to create the original, but it does mean that they have to work hard to add a new twist to it.
However, if they can get this right, not only will your business look modern and relatable, it can open you up to a whole new audience. This is because there is a community of people who enjoy the use of memes and will appreciate your efforts.
This community is usually created through a sense of relatability. That’s why it’s important to think about what your audience will find funny when creating your memes. If you can make your audience laugh, you will get more engagement.
Posts that contain memes will also often see an increase in shares. This is because those who enjoy it want to actively share it with their networks. This again will boost your engagement and help to grow your audience.
How do you use business memes?
We’ve already touched upon repurposing existing memes and that is the best way to use them. Keep an eye on what is trending and see how you can jump on the hype and make the meme relevant to your business.
However, you mustn’t overstretch and make a weak connection between the trending meme and your business. This could make it look like you are trying too hard.
The best thing to do is keep an eye on your audience. Look at what they are interacting with and sharing. This will help you stay on track with what’s trending and what kind of content they enjoy.
By nature, memes are often a commentary on social themes, or they can rely on satire or nostalgia. While these can appeal to your audience, especially if they are younger, they can easily come across as rude or offensive. You must stay on the right side of using memes.
Besides, there is no point in sharing a meme that doesn’t relate to your business or reflect your brand values. Memes should add to your existing messaging, rather than change it. Your audience will find it forced if you veer off your usual track.
Which memes should you use?
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Memes can be beneficial, but when they go wrong, they can go wrong. So how do you protect your business from the effects of a bad meme? Well, don’t use a bad meme of course!
Part of knowing what will work and what won’t is being clued up on memes in general. Make sure whoever is doing your marketing is aware of what is deemed offensive or not. That way you can avoid any accidental insults.
The next step is always to check the rights on the image that is being shared. While memes are often shared freely, you must stay on the right side of copyright law. No one wants to be sued after all!
Once you have decided what is acceptable for your audience and your business, create clear guidelines that can be shared with your employees and anyone who will be using your social media. This ensures that everyone is on the same page about what can be shared and posted.
