I've build the largest design meme account on the internet...
@designershumorI've also built one of the
largest nft meme account on the bird app (Twitter).
Not a flex but it's important that you understand I know what the fuck I'm talking about when it comes to memes. It's what has helped me create passive income for the last few years.
By the end of the article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to make your own viral memes.
So let's jump in
Think of a meme like a virus. They travel from person to person through imitation, sharing, and repetition. But as it spreads, it can sometimes mutate and change.
Traditional memes - are the typical memes you see circulating on social media. They usually contain recognizable images, such as a scene from a movie, a celebrity, or a viral image. They often comment on the latest trends and current events.
Dank Memes - an expression to describe memes that are intentionally bizarre. These memes require a deeper understanding of the context and are often understood by a smaller group.
Edgy Memes - Memes with dark or shocking humor.
[PRETEND THIS IS AN EDGY MEME]
Linguistic Memes - A meme which involves stretching grammar to achieve the intended joke.
Wholesome Memes - A meme promoting the health of mind and/or soul. It supports positivity, compassion, love, understanding, and affection. Awe.
Making a meme is easy. Making a good meme is hard. The good news it is easily teachable.
You need to learn in the wild. Mainly because internet memes are forever changing. Remember the virus metaphor.
Here’s 2 steps to get started:
1. Find Inspiration2. Create Your Meme
If you are on sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit, you likely encounter memes all the time...
But if you are new to memes, here are some places to start finding memes:
These are the ultimate destination when it comes to jumping on current trends. My first go to for a usable templates when any situation arises.
I'm a huge fan of twitter topics for finding great funny content. Twitter has a finger on the pulse when it comes to what's trending on social media.
Here's how I use topics…
Step.1
Click on the More button on the right hand nav. It's just above the tweet button
Step.2
You will now see a pop-up. On the top of that pop-up is the Topics button. Click on that
Step.3
Now you're on the Topics page. On the top of the nav you will see - Followed / Suggested / Not Interested. You will need to click on Suggested and follow you're interested. On the image to the right you can see what I follow on my Crypto account.
All of these topics help me stay on top of my niche and create relevant content.
Step.4
The Topic I want you to focus on here is the Funny Tweets topic as this is a hub of inspiration for creating memes.
40 classic memes (CLICK TO SEE FULL LIST)
1. Kermit the frog, none of my business meme
2. Grumpy Cat Meme
3. Shiba Inu Doge meme
4. Cool guy Greg
5. Ermahgerd memes
6. Demotivational Posters
7. Most interesting man in the world memes
8. Fry from Futurama squinty eye memes
9. Ecards memes
10. Philosoraptor
11. Condescending Willy Wonka
12. Forever Alone memes
13. Trollface memes
14. Flipping Tables memes
15. Yao Ming face/ B***h, please
16. Scumbag Steve memes
17. Overly Attached girlfriend memes
18. Ancient Aliens memes
19. Pepe the frog memes
20. Bad Luck Brian memes
21. Socially awkward penguin memes
22. One does not simply memes
23. All the things memes
24. High expectations asian father
25. Cereal guy memes
26. Success Kid memes
27. Impossibru memes
28. U Mad? Memes
29. Disaster Girl memes
30. Mocking Spongebob memes
31. Shut up and take my money memes
32. Conspiracy Keanu memes
33. Confused Black girl memes
34. This is fine memes
35. Epic Fail memes
36. Unhelpful High School Teacher memes
37. Distracted Boyfriend
38. Puking Rainbows memes
39. Is this a pigeon memes
40. Saltbae memes
Memes are ridiculously easy to create. Most memes follow a fairly simple format - text over an image. So you don't have to be a graphic designer to create viral memes.
Memes can be both static and dynamic, typically featuring a combo of text and an image.
There are two types of memes:
Static - jpg, png
Dynamic - mp4, GIF
Creating a static meme is actually much easier than you'd imagine.
Online tools like
Imgur,
Imgflip, and
Mematic, let you add your own distinctive style to a current meme in a jiffy.
If we look at Imgflip you can simply browse from a collection of memes like Drake Hotline Bling meme and countless others:
Once you’ve chosen a meme template from the imgflip library you can customize your meme. Simple add text and voila you have a meme.
If you’re looking to create a dynamic video
meme, I highly recommend Kapwing. Personally, I use Kapwing for all my memes. You can use a free version but your content will be watermarked.
Kapwing has an awesome updated library of meme templates for you to grab. You can also add your own videos from anywhere simply by adding the link of the source (game changer)
Similar to creating a static image, after choosing your video you add your text above the video.
With a simple interface, Kapwing lets you cut, combine and layer video clips to transform your imagination into memorable memes.
1. Know Your Audience
Before starting you should try to get to understand your audience’s sense of humor. This will help you understand what they type of memes they will appreciate. For example dank memes would not work great if your target audience is between 35-50.
2. Brand Voice
Whatever meme you do decide to share, it shouldn’t contradict your brand image. It should support it instead.
3. Trend hopping
Memes have a short lifespan, so it’s best to post a new viral meme while it’s still hot and trending. Once the meme reaches its peak, people will get bored of it. So remember, post the right meme at the right time.
If you want your meme to catch on, Don't just stop after posting it on twitter and Instagram. Reddit, Tumblr & interest have historically been favorites for meme displays. So don't miss out on that.
The best way for you to understand memes is to be immersed in the culture. Try creating with various mediums, tools and styles - you'll find your fit!
Whatever your feelings towards memes are you cannot deny the fact they are here to stay. You also cannot deny the fact that memes generate huge amounts of engagement.
If your goal is to build an online audience then you need to include them in your content strategy.
Period.
* MemeLords are the pro memers. These are creators who meme for breakfast. They are respected by many and generally have a massive social capital in their circles.
