Irrespective of whether you are a Tumblr addict, a passionate tweeter, a BuzzFeed junkie, an avid Reddit, or an Instagram enthusiast, you could rest assured that you cannot avoid or stay away from memes on the Internet. Memes are all-pervading. According to Business News Daily, Grumpy Cat, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Alex from Target, or the Success Kid had all got started as regular people but got came to the limelight almost overnight on the Internet. There are a plethora of memes floating around on the Web, and they can be shared easily.
Memes have great entertainment and engagement value. Suppose the Internet is a restaurant, then memes are the appetizers. When done right, meme marketing could prove to be successful. It goes beyond just a branded joke as it invariably shares something valuable with the audience. Memes are best for brands and businesses since they have been designed and created specifically for social networking sites and providing value via entertainment.
Memes
Memes are not supposed to be excessively promotional. Memes should be crafted and use in a manner that makes everyone laugh while casually referring to the brand. Remember that your audience intuitively shares memes only because of their intriguing nature and high entertainment value.
Memes can be the best way of communicating with your target audience. However, if you end up choosing the wrong memes or change some popular memes without bothering to consider the sentiments of your audience, it can end up offending them. This can harm your brand image. Avoid culturally-insensitive meme content. Choose an appropriate meme from an impressive collection of memes at Meme Scout.
Here are some meme marketing mistakes to avoid.
Mistake: Using Memes without Understanding Them
If you are not sure of the right way of using a particular meme, it is best to avoid using it. Do not ever use memes without doing a thorough background check-up. If you use the wrong memes, your audience may not find them relevant or relatable, and it may even hurt their sentiments. Explore online sites and examine all details and information about a specific meme to be on the safe side. Understand the underlying message of a meme, otherwise, things can backfire seriously, and your meme will look very much out of touch.
Mistake: Do Not Unnecessarily Wait & Waste Time or Opportunity
Some memes enjoy massive popularity even after many years. However, some other memes may lose their craze and fall flat within a few days or months. If you are thinking of Memejacking, you should not waste any time and do it, at the earliest, while the meme is in vogue and enjoying public adulation. Remember that all memes have a specific shelf-life that is not an indefinite one. Memes could quickly go stale, and you should refrain from sharing something that is not fresh. When brands try to capitalize on old memes, their target audience will at once, assume that the brand is out of touch. It is best not to use expired memes as nobody has the time for such a stale meme.
Mistake: Using Uncreative Memes
Even though you are thinking of recycling popular memes, do not make the mistake of using them without a unique twist. You may consider adding a personal touch. Try to focus on creating an authentic rendition that helps to win audience engagement. Your audience finds original or authentic content overwhelming, as long as they are witty and nicely photoshopped. Always feed your audience with quality content.
Conclusion
Memes are a mind-blowing treat when done well; however, they could be a flop case if marketers and brands fail to learn from their mistakes.