Memes have caught the imagination of online audiences very quickly with their distinct brand of humor. While memes have been around for many years, it is only after social media took the world by storm that they have come into their own. With Gen Z, in particular, hooked on to memes, marketers have realized that they are among the most effective ways of getting across to young audiences, according to a report in Business News Daily.
Memes stand out in the clutter and also have the potential of going viral, giving invaluable exposure to the brand. However, making mistakes in meme marketing can dilute the ROI significantly. Some common mistakes meme marketers tend to make:
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Using Stale Memes
While some memes remain popular for years, most of them fade away as quickly as they arrive on the scene. It does not matter how old the meme is. To catch the audience’s attention, it must be topical and entertaining. If the meme is outdated, it will leave the audience cold and they will also think that the brand is slow to react and old-fashioned.
One of the worst things meme marketers can do is not keep up with the trends and use memes hot off the block. You must not also make the mistake of endlessly recycling memes on your social media accounts or website as people will recognize them and think you are fresh out of new ideas, says a Meme Scout designer.
Also read: Best Monday Memes That Will Keep You Laughing
Not Being Creative
The thing which most people appreciate about memes is that they are typically innovative. The more creative you are and zanier the humor, the more chances of memes going viral. However, you must appreciate that being creative does not mean that you have to design a completely new meme every time, rather, you should be innovative enough to keep improvising on existing memes to give them a fresh twist. People love brands that can put a new spin on existing things.
Trying Too Hard To Be Funny
While it is true that humor makes memes go the distance, but you need to keep in mind that the young generation that is more geared to viewing memes is extremely sharp. Young people can immediately make out that you are trying desperately to be funny, and the more desperate you are, the less funny you become. It is not uncommon for marketers to try to become so cool that they miss the mark completely.
Even though memes are wildly popular these days, it is always possible that they do not fit your brand, and you need to switch your approach to avoid being cringe-worthy.
Conclusion
Memes are wonderful things to get your brand message across, however, you must be careful to understand what they mean and stand for before attempting to use them. Many marketers have been singed badly because they have used memes that people across different countries, cultures, and ethnicities have found offensive, outrageous, or simply funny in a completely unintentional way. Be sure to remain true to the personality of your brand.
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