If you have been on social media for any length of time you most likely have come in contact with a meme. The meme is an important aspect of modern online culture.
What is a meme?
A meme is a concept that is spread rapidly through online social connections. A meme takes popular cultural references and transforms them into fresh, culturally significant content. These humorous and highly sharable pieces of content are passed on and edited through social media networks.
So where did they come from?
Meme, as a term, was coined by Richard Dawkins an evolutionary biologist in 1976. He created the term to describe how an idea, behaviour or style can spread and morph within a culture. The internet has reappropriated the term to describe the viral sharing of entertaining popular culture edits. Memes are generally created by adolescents looking to contribute and share within their own social networks.
Why do they matter for your business?
Memes are highly viral – meaning that they easily spread through a network of social connections online. Memes, if used correctly on social media networks, can create moments of high exposure for your company. They can also make your brand seem more relatable and relaxed. By creating content that is highly sharable and adds value to your customer’s lives, you create a higher level of buy in from your social media followers. This can have long lasting benefit for your brand.
Check out The Origins of Memes below