7th Jan 2020

How to Incorporate Memes into Your 2020 Social Media Strategy

Over the last decade, we have seen brands shift their social presence from polished to personable. Brands are embracing a raw, organic and natural approach to their 2020 social media strategy! Not only that, but they are trying to boost their following by creating relatable, entertaining and witty content. And memes are one of the ways that brands are connecting with their audiences.

What is a meme?

A meme is a concept, behaviour, or idea that spreads, usually via the internet. Memes most commonly manifest themselves in a visual such as a picture or a video, but it can also take the form of a link, hashtag, a simple word or phrase.

Memes are an excellent way for your brand to connect with your audience! If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a meme is worth a million… or something like that. In the modern age, memes are a way that we communicate our struggles, ideas and humour. That makes them the perfect vehicle for you to show your understanding of your demographic while seamlessly promoting your product. So if you’re ready to modernize your 2020 social media strategy with the introduction of memes, here’s how to get started.

Do your research:

The first step to creating a viral meme is research! This is the perfect time to participate in some social listening. Stay on top of viral content by actively participating in digital social spheres. Viral content changes fast and that means that is imperative that you are keeping up with current trends. Constantly trolling social media for relevant content can be time-consuming. That’s why we suggest utilizing websites like Memebase. They make your job easier by conveniently aggregate the hottest memes for you!

Know your audience:

The difference between creating a meme and a viral meme is understanding your audience. Consider who your audience is what resonates with them. People like and share content that they relate to. Speak your audience’s language, then you will reap the rewards.

We’ve found that memes resonate more with younger demographics and brands that sell consumer products! However, that doesn’t mean your B2B brand can’t test out their strategy.

Remember that it is important to stay true to your brand’s voice in this phase. Ask yourself questions like “Does this represent my brand’s ideals?” or “How will my audience perceive this?”. Asking yourself these critical questions will help you to avoid coming across as tone-deaf.

Get Creative:

Now it’s time for the fun stuff, creation! Creating content is an excellent way to develop your brand’s image and voice. When creating trendy viral content, speed is important. You want your team to be able to brainstorm, produce and distribute the content quickly! Give your social media team creative freedom to put their twist on popular content and remember to tie the meme back to your product. Streamline your social media approval process so you can post before the tend passes.

Capitalize on trends:

Staying on top of digital trends can be a full-time job! In fact, it is. That is why so many brands to turn social media managers to keep their content fresh. If you’re too busy to scour social media platforms, or just aren’t interested, consider hiring a social media specialist.

When looking for viral content, we recommend turning your attention to Twitter. From viral images to meme formats, Twitter is a breeding ground for up and coming memes. Twitter’s retweet and quote tweet features make it one of the best places to share content and start a dialogue! If you want to be on top of viral trends, make sure you’re staying up to date with the latest Twitter memes.

When capitalizing on a viral trend, put your brand’s unique twist on it. Incorporate your brand’s voice and always tie the meme back to your product or service!

Get the whole team involved: 

As they say, 2 heads are better than 1. And that is especially true when it comes to memes. The very definition of a meme is a thought or concept that spreads between people. Try getting your team together for a brainstorming session, not only is it fun but it can help you gain insight from a variety of personalities!  

 

The best memes created by brands:

Now that we have covered the basics of creating a viral meme, let’s look at some of the best memes that brands have created!

SparkNotes’ Twitter began gaining attention in 2019 after they revamped their Twitter strategy. The new strategy heavily relies on memes to make their often-stale content interesting to a younger demographic. Here are some of our favourites:

2020 Social Media Strategy

2020 Social Media Strategy

Brands have also had success sharing memes on Instagram. Curology, a custom skincare brand, leveraged images from the teen classic Mean Girls to promote their products.

Creating a meme doesn’t always have to be complicated! Slim Jims kept it simple and relatable with this classic format:

Ready to over hall your brand’s 2020 social media strategy? Our team can help. Contact Us Today to learn more.