From Grumpy Cat to Rickrolling to that one screenshot of Willy Wonka, memes have practically become engrained in American culture. What once started as a collection of inside jokes among nerds has since a topic that anyone can relate on. Social media has played a big role in this, too. Nonetheless, there are many myths about memes that are still taken as fact. Here are just a few of the myths in question that online marketing companies can debunk.
"Memes are fairly new." It's fair to say that memes are relatively new, given how recently they've become part of popular culture, but this isn't entirely true. There are many people that believe that they date back to the 70s with comic strips. Others believe they go back even further to the early 20s. Your mileage may vary, depending on what you believe, but companies such as fishbat will tell you that memes are older than most would believe.
"Memes only last for a short time." This isn't always the case. The truth is that while there are many memes that come and go, only serving as distant memories in the fast-paced world of the Internet, others have persevered. How many times have you seen people on Facebook share Willy Wonka pictures adorned with sarcastic text? This is an example of a meme, by some method or another, standing the test of time.
"Memes are meant for fun, not business." Who's to say that they can't be used for both? Depending on the business you run, it's entirely possible to make memes part of your social media strategy. In fact, it's recommended that you do so, provided they're applicable, as these images and videos tend to generate more engagement. As long as they tie back to your offerings, then the memes in question will prove effective.
"If I want to start a meme, I can just create one." Memes cannot simply be "created" like blog posts or press releases. The reason for this is that they require involvement from the general public. If an image is humorous enough, then one person will share it. Soon, another person will do the same. Before long, it will be passed throughout the Internet, thus bringing life to a meme. To say that they can simply be created may just be the biggest myth of all.
"Memes are fairly new." It's fair to say that memes are relatively new, given how recently they've become part of popular culture, but this isn't entirely true. There are many people that believe that they date back to the 70s with comic strips. Others believe they go back even further to the early 20s. Your mileage may vary, depending on what you believe, but companies such as fishbat will tell you that memes are older than most would believe.
"Memes only last for a short time." This isn't always the case. The truth is that while there are many memes that come and go, only serving as distant memories in the fast-paced world of the Internet, others have persevered. How many times have you seen people on Facebook share Willy Wonka pictures adorned with sarcastic text? This is an example of a meme, by some method or another, standing the test of time.
"Memes are meant for fun, not business." Who's to say that they can't be used for both? Depending on the business you run, it's entirely possible to make memes part of your social media strategy. In fact, it's recommended that you do so, provided they're applicable, as these images and videos tend to generate more engagement. As long as they tie back to your offerings, then the memes in question will prove effective.
"If I want to start a meme, I can just create one." Memes cannot simply be "created" like blog posts or press releases. The reason for this is that they require involvement from the general public. If an image is humorous enough, then one person will share it. Soon, another person will do the same. Before long, it will be passed throughout the Internet, thus bringing life to a meme. To say that they can simply be created may just be the biggest myth of all.
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