How to Go Viral? Try Meme Marketing!

Elon Musk said, “Who controls the memes, controls the universe.”

I don’t know much about the universe but I know quite a bit about marketing. 

Recently, I decided to do more research about meme marketing, and what I found out was even bigger than I initially thought.

In this article, I’ll show you:

1. How does meme marketing work?
2. I’ll show you a simple strategy for going viral.
3. How long does it take to see results?

What Is Meme Marketing?

Understanding meme marketing is pretty simple.

We all know memes are now a popular form of communication today.

And you’ve probably found yourself scrolling through your social media feeds, seeing memes all over the place.

Memes have this weird ability to grab our attention and strike a chord with us on a personal level.

And that’s where meme marketing comes into play.

Because when people find your content relatable or humorous, they’re more likely to like, comment, and share.

So I decided to experiment more with meme marketing myself.

Here is an example that I’ve recently posted:

If you’ve ever worked as a freelancer or contractor, then it’s likely that you can relate to this highly exaggerated situation.

So why is Elon Musk so convinced of meme marketing? There are 3 reasons for this.

Why Are Memes Important?

1. It Evokes Emotions

One of the main reasons meme marketing works so well is its ability to evoke emotions and spark conversations. 

The reason people can’t stop sharing memes is this: because of “how it makes them feel.”

Let’s look at this example here.

If you’re working hard to build your business, then this meme hits home!

And what about this one? Can you personally relate to this one? Comment YES if you can.

The point is…

Whether it’s a clever twist on a trend or a humorous take on an event, memes prompt reactions because people can relate to them emotionally and personally.

2. Built-in Sharing Factor

Memes have this built-in sharing factor. 

People love to share content that makes them laugh or nod in agreement, which means your meme-based marketing campaigns have the potential to reach people far beyond your initial audience.

You see this meme?

It perfectly sums up why we MUST try Meme Marketing.

3. Memes Humanize Your Brand

In fact, a study from New York University discovered that memes are 10 times more effective than regular marketing visuals, achieving a 60% higher rate of organic interaction.

According to Forbes, businesses employing memes in marketing are 60% more likely to attract purchases, and millennials typically view 20–30 memes daily.

So …

If you’re aiming to add flavor to your marketing strategy and build genuine connections with your audience, memes could be the missing piece.

Now, even if memes are cool and all, how do you actually use them for your marketing?

Here’s one meme strategy that’s very simple to get started with.

This strategy even has a name and it’s called:

Memeing On The Meme

It’s basically taking an already popular or trending meme, and then tweaking it with your personal touch.

And don’t think that’s cheating or copying because this is precisely how memes evolve over time and become part of culture, and even brands use this strategy.

For example, Netflix often tries to jump on opportunities like that by taking comments or memes that users are making about them and turning them into a memes of their own.

Here’s an example where they make fun of their own message that pops up on the screen when you haven’t interacted with the interface for too long while watching:

And if the idea of tweaking memes is too simple for you, here’s a bonus tip:

When it comes to meme-ing the meme or any other strategy, remember that timing is very important. 

Outdated memes usually don’t work so well anymore.

So if you see a meme pop up on your feed and it has a lot of likes, that is an opportunity for you to tweak it and add your own personal touch.

As with everything, practice makes perfect. So if your first dozen memes don’t take off, don’t worry, it can take a while to get the tone right.

That’s also one of the most common questions: 

How long does it take to see results with meme marketing?

If you create a relatable meme that’s trending, it could take minutes to see results.

But for most people, it’s probably a month or more.

As with everything in marketing, it really depends.

• On your audience
• The quality of your memes
• And how well they resonate

As I said at the beginning of this article, I’m also practicing to get better at memes.

Here’s another example I’ve recently posted:

I saw a meme with exactly this picture, and I decided to use it for a situation that many coaches like me can relate to.

The really cool thing is that creating memes is super easy and free. Simply search for “meme generator” on Google to find free tools to start creating memes.

The tool that I like to use is ImgFlip, and here’s the link: https://imgflip.com/memegenerator

Learn more about Meme Marketing and more ways to effectively grow your social media accounts by reading this article next.

Share your favorite meme with me in the comments below! I’d love to see what makes you laugh.

My Three Takeaways

1. Meme marketing is effective because memes can evoke strong emotions and spark conversations, making people more likely to share content that resonates with them on a personal level.
2. Creating memes is accessible and cost-effective. There are numerous free tools available, like ImgFlip, that make it easy to generate memes, allowing marketers to experiment and refine their meme marketing strategies without significant investment.
3. The success of meme marketing depends on timely engagement with trending memes and consistent practice. Creating relatable and high-quality memes can take time, but it can lead to rapid results if done correctly, with some memes going viral in minutes.

And don’t forget to subscribe on my YouTube channel, @creategrowprofit.