Meaningful Social Media Management Guidelines for Engagement
Just like with every product for sale today, social media ads are more costly now than in previous years. But it’s not due to the same type of inflation, as say, your bread and milk at your local grocery store.
It’s because social media ads are becoming more competitive, with more and more businesses using it to advertise. So if you want to get in front of social media users via paid social media advertising, and keep your current audience engaged, your organic content has to be eye-catching, likable, and relevant.
Memes are a perfect candidate.
A Brief History of Memes
It was certainly surprising for us to learn that the word “meme” was first introduced in 1976, analogous to “phoneme,” the smallest unit of speech. Linguist Kirby Conrad defined it as “a self-replicating chunk of information.”
Today, memes are more like an inside joke. Users share memes to express themselves and connect with others. Using memes within your business’ social content humanizes your online presence and adds more personality.
Memes can be appropriate for almost any industry’s social content, although you may reconsider using them for more serious industries, like government or healthcare, unless they’re incredibly relevant.
Let’s take a look at a few other guidelines that can help you understand when and how to use a meme in your organic social media content strategy.
Know the Meaning of the Meme Before You Post on Social
Mismatching a meme to a situation is, as Gen Z says, “cringe-worthy.” And certain memes come with connotations that you may not want to associate with your small business.
Use our friend Google to learn more about the meaning behind the meme, and avoid any that could be confusing, offensive, or scandalous. There are plenty of Internet resources that give background information on each meme; use them wisely.
Relate the Meme to Your Industry
Have a purpose for sharing a meme. The meme should have relevance to the message you want to share.
Sharing a meme just for the sake of it won’t be engaging as one your target audience relates to and can connect to your business or product. A meme that relates to your business will come across as a genuine organic post.
Capitalize on Timeliness
An outdated meme won’t have the impact that a current one will. In fact, memes have changed quite a lot over time. If you choose one that’s from the early days of memes, some of your audience may not be familiar with it. (“I can haz cheeseburger,” anyone?)
The most effective social post is current and timely. So, too, should be the meme you choose for your content.
Reflect Your Brand Voice
To help keep your branding consistent and improve chances of brand awareness among your target audience, ensure the meme you choose reflects your brand voice – the tone and word selection that makes sense to your product or service.
A misaligned meme loses meaning, and that’s a waste of organic social content or paid social ad spend.
Consider Skipping a Call to Action
For a meme post on social media, consider whether you really need a call to action associated with it. Not every piece of organic social media you post should have a CTA anyway; much of it should be for engagement and educational purposes.
By skipping the CTA, you give the client a post to simply enjoy, rather than one that feels like you’re using the meme to sell something.
Have Fun With It!
People love humor – and if what you have to say can be made humorous without trying too hard, take advantage of it.
Create Totally Unique Organic Social Media Content and Paid Social Media Ads
Brainstorming social media posts isn’t everyone’s top talent, but a skilled social media writer and strategist can map out relevant and engaging content that makes people want to click that “like” button.
The social media team at iFocus Marketing has proven time and again to our clients that they can get the interaction and clicks they want to generate leads and convert. Serving nationwide brands and local companies, iFocus was recently named best ad agency in Kansas City by The Pitch.
Let us put your talent to work for you. Let’s chat about how we can manage your social content and develop a powerful, productive strategy through our social media advertising services.
Jenifer Calandra is an award-winning digital copywriter and copy team lead at iFocus Marketing with 12 years of marketing experience. She curates copy from conception to completion, capturing client voices, and building their authority in their industry. Her knack for storytelling is deeply rooted in journalism, and you’ll find her work published in various regional newspapers and magazines. At home, dogs and a never-ending cascade of home-improvement projects rule her life.