The Meme Marketing Guide to Go Viral on Social Media

Greater than three billion folks use social media, and 60% share memes and humorous content material on social media. Memes have developed from easy web jokes to valuable marketing tools, shaping cultural conversations and driving engagement.

Standard advertising and marketing struggles to face out as customers lengthy for authenticity and humor over gross sales adverts. Manufacturers that fail to interact are being ignored.

Meme advertising and marketing surpasses the chaos with relatable, shareable content material that ignites conversations and establishes connections—with out breaking the financial institution.

This weblog will enable you to perceive why meme advertising and marketing works and easy methods to use it to make your model ever-lasting.

Every part to Know About Meme Advertising

The Evolution of Meme Advertising

Meme advertising and marketing is the artwork of utilizing humor to make manufacturers relatable, shareable, and memorable. It takes popular culture, trending jokes, and witty one-liners and rebranded them into content material that spreads throughout social media platforms.

One who is aware of this higher than most is Aidan Brannigan, a viral content material strategist and co-founder of No Boring Manufacturers. In our latest webinar on How to Create Viral Content for LinkedIn, Aidan shared his insights on how memes is usually a game-changer for manufacturers. 

His inventive humor company helps companies develop by partaking, meme-driven content material. Having labored with manufacturers like ClickUp and Fiverr, Aidan understands how humor is usually a highly effective instrument for model advertising and marketing.

“We make memes, we make humorous skits, any Creator-style video that’s humorous… It’s a method to join, a method to convey intelligence, and a method to promote to folks with out them even realizing.”

– Aidan Brannigan

Why Memes Work in Advertising?

Memes aren’t simply jokes—they’re psychology-backed advertising and marketing gold. They faucet into emotion, relatability, and prompt recognition, making them one of the vital profitable content material codecs for enhancing engagement.

Our human mind processes visuals 60,000 instances sooner than textual content, and memes, with their image-text mixture, present fast, digestible content material that resonates with the viewers. However past pace, memes flourish on ease and shared experiences. 

A examine by Oracle discovered that 92% of customers bear in mind manufacturers that use humor of their content material over those who don’t. This proves that humor—particularly within the type of memes—enhances model recall and strengthens consumer-brand relationships.

As a reminder from our latest webinar with Aidan, he highlighted how memes thrive on relatability and shared struggles, making them a robust instrument for engagement. 

His phrases have been:

“The rationale memes are so efficient is that the majority of them are based mostly on ache factors. A typical marketer is juggling 97 issues directly, barely maintaining—and memes seize that battle in a means that makes folks really feel seen.”

— Aidan Brannigan

Memes don’t really feel like adverts; that’s the reason they work. Meme advertising and marketing slides previous client defenses and fosters genuine connections. They make manufacturers really feel human, witty, and relatable, which is precisely what our audiences crave in 2025.

4 Key Advantages of Meme Advertising

Meme advertising and marketing isn’t nearly getting fun—it’s an eminently profitable technique for manufacturers seeking to increase engagement, keep memorable, and group constructing whereas retaining bills low. Listed here are 4 key advantages that work wonders for companies:

1. Low-Value, Excessive-Engagement Technique

Standard advert campaigns require large budgets, whereas memes price subsequent to nothing to create and share. A well-crafted meme can attain hundreds—if not hundreds of thousands—with out spending large on adverts.

And when paired with the proper engagement methods, they develop into much more highly effective. In case you’re searching for methods to amplify your social media attain, leveraging memes together with proven engagement-boosting tactics can take your content material even additional.

2. Elevated Model Recall and Virality

Memes stick! When a meme pertains to the viewers, they bear in mind it and share it additional. They’re constructed for virality, making them one of the vital profitable methods to maintain a model on the forefront of individuals’s minds.

In the course of the webinar, Aidan Brannigan talked about Virality, which isn’t nearly reaching hundreds of thousands—it’s about reaching the proper viewers in a means that resonates profoundly.

“In case you’re in an excellent area of interest {industry} the place you solely have like 10,000 consumers, a publish getting 1,000 views is viral since you’re reaching 10% of the market in a single publish. The most important factor is to rewire your notion of viral and construction it based mostly in your {industry}. Individuals often misconstrue humor content material as simply getting fun, however the entire aim is to funnel folks—it’s for working companies.”

— Aidan Brannigan

3. Appeals to Youthful Audiences

Millennials and Gen Z dwell and inhale memes. In case your model needs to remain related and culturally linked, meme advertising and marketing is the proper resolution. Memes make manufacturers really feel much less company, extra human, and extra in tune with what youthful audiences interact with on-line.

4. Encourage Neighborhood and Model Character

A fantastic meme can ignite conversations and construct a model persona that the viewers loves. It provides manufacturers a relatable voice—one which feels pure moderately than overly polished. Memes uplift engagement, interplay, and inside jokes, all of which nourish group loyalty.

Now that we’ve cracked the code on why meme advertising and marketing works, it’s time to get right down to enterprise – how do you truly create your profitable meme advertising and marketing technique? Let’s dive in!

6 Methods to Create a Meme Advertising Technique

1. Viewers Notion

Meme advertising and marketing isn’t about utilizing laughter for its personal sake—it’s about making humor that speaks on to your audience. In case your memes don’t align together with your viewers’s humor type, they received’t interact—and worse, they may miss the intent fully.

Understanding your viewers is the inspiration of any profitable social media technique. A well-defined social media marketing plan ensures that your content material, together with memes, resonates with the proper folks and drives significant engagement.

Why Is Viewers Notion Important in Meme Advertising?

Not all humor works for each model. A B2B SaaS firm can’t depend on Gen Z TikTok humor, simply as a life-style model wouldn’t depend on corporate-style LinkedIn memes. Notion about your viewers ensures that your memes really feel pure and never pressured. It additionally helps manufacturers keep away from cringe-worthy content material that may hamper their credibility.

“We don’t need to get canceled, we don’t need to be seen as tone-deaf, and we don’t need to be cringe. You resolve all three of these when you have some type of consciousness of your area of interest and {industry}. If you understand the {industry} rather well, you understand the ache factors of those folks.”

— Aidan Brannigan

The right way to Establish and Analysis the Proper Humor Model for Your Viewers

1. Establish Your Viewers Demographics:

• Are they Gen Z, Millennials, or Gen X?
• Do they favor witty sarcasm, {industry} ache factors, or lighthearted jokes?
• Are they extra formal or informal in communication?

2. Observe Your Rivals’ Meme Methods

• Which meme types carry out nicely in your {industry}?
• Are their memes partaking, or do they fall flat?
• What engagement ranges do their meme posts generate?

3. Dive Into Area of interest Communities:

• Browse Reddit, Twitter, and area of interest Fb teams for humor developments.
• Search for memes that get probably the most engagement in your {industry}.
• Establish frequent jokes, frustrations, or shared experiences.

4. A/B Check Completely different Humor Kinds:

• Experiment with {industry} humor, popular culture memes, or trend-based memes.
• Observe engagement metrics to see which types work greatest.
• Regulate it based mostly on what resonates most together with your viewers.

A B2B SaaS firm like HubSpot leverages memes based mostly on {industry} ache factors, utilizing relatable humor about advertising and marketing struggles. Their memes spark engagement as a result of they spotlight real-world challenges their viewers faces.

In the meantime, a B2C life-style model like Nike infuses trending web humor into their memes, typically taking part in on motivational themes with humor tied to health tradition. This strategy makes their model really feel culturally related and enjoyable.

2. Staying Culturally Related 

Meme advertising and marketing prospers on timeliness and cultural recognition. Staying culturally up to date means leveraging developments, viral jokes, and moments whereas guaranteeing they align together with your model’s voice. It’s about understanding what’s trending immediately—not final month—with out forcing it.

Sustaining cultural developments is not any straightforward feat, particularly within the ever-evolving social media atmosphere. With new codecs, challenges, and engagement ways evolving continuously, manufacturers want to remain forward. 

Understanding the biggest social media trends can assist manufacturers predict what’s coming subsequent and combine related, high-impact meme methods that resonate with their viewers.

Why Is Cultural Relevance Essential in Meme Advertising?

Memes age like milk, not wine—they’ve a brief shelf life. What’s humorous immediately is likely to be irrelevant (or embarrassing) tomorrow. Manufacturers that use outdated or pressured memes danger showing disconnected. Alternatively, those that combine developments naturally can improve engagement and relatability seamlessly.

The right way to Keep On Prime of Cultural Traits With out Lacking the Mark

1. Monitor Trending Matters Every day:

• Observe Twitter (X) Traits, TikTok Challenges, and Reddit threads.
• Keep watch over meme-dedicated web sites like Know Your Meme.
• Verify industry-specific social conversations to remain forward.

2. Transfer Quick—However Not Recklessly:

• If a pattern aligns together with your model, soar on it rapidly.
• Keep away from ready too lengthy—memes lose relevance in days, typically hours.
• However don’t drive it—not each pattern is supposed on your model.

3. Perceive the Context Earlier than Posting:

• Analysis a meme’s origins earlier than utilizing it.
• Keep away from memes with controversial, offensive, or political backstories.
• If uncertain, take a look at it internally or with a small viewers earlier than going public.

4. Adapt Traits to Match Your Model’s Character:

• Modify trending memes to mirror your model’s {industry} and tone.
• Instance: An actual property model may tweak a trending meme to focus on home-buying frustrations as an alternative of forcing a generic joke.

5. Have interaction With Pop Tradition With out Copy-Pasting:

• Use references from films, TV reveals, and viral web moments.
• Guarantee your execution is authentic and aligns together with your model.

Wendy’s Twitter technique is a masterclass in cultural relevance accomplished proper in meme advertising and marketing. They use trending memes with a playful but on-brand tone, retaining their viewers engaged whereas staying true to their voice.

3. Creating Authentic vs. Repurposed Memes

Meme advertising and marketing includes two main procedures: crafting genuine memes from scratch or repurposing trending memes. Genuine memes are custom-made for a model, whereas repurposed memes adapt an current template to a model’s voice. Each have their place—it’s all about utilizing them thoughtfully.

Why Does It Matter?

A powerful meme advertising and marketing technique balances originality and adaptableness. Whereas authentic memes construct model id, repurposed memes capitalize on current virality. Manufacturers that grasp each approaches keep contemporary, relatable, and forward of opponents.

When to Create Authentic Memes?

• When Constructing Model-Particular Humor: A singular model voice units you aside, and with a powerful fan base, authentic memes develop into immediately relatable, driving engagement and virality. 
• When You Wish to Create Lengthy-Lasting Content material: In contrast to trend-based memes, authentic memes can keep related longer.
• When Concentrating on Area of interest Audiences: Typically, industry-specific humor doesn’t match a trending meme template—creating your personal works higher.

Slack typically creates {custom} meme content material based mostly on office humor, which aligns with their model message with out counting on developments.

When to Repurpose Viral Memes?

• When a Meme Is Already Viral: If a meme format is trending, adapting it retains your model top-of-mind in real-time conversations.
• When Aiming for Fast Engagement: Repurposed memes require much less effort however nonetheless ship high-impact outcomes.
• When Tapping into Web Tradition: In case your viewers is already partaking with a meme, adapting it helps you mix into the dialog naturally.

Netflix ceaselessly repurposes trending memes, including their very own spin associated to common TV reveals, making them immediately relatable and shareable.

The right way to Stability Authentic vs. Repurposed Memes Successfully

1. Know Your Model Id: In case your model depends on humor, spend money on creating authentic meme types.
2. Journey Traits the Proper Means: Soar on viral memes earlier than they fade, however guarantee they align together with your model’s voice.
3. Combine It Up: Use authentic memes for long-term branding and repurposed memes for real-time engagement.
4. Check and Study: Observe which memes resonate most together with your viewers and alter your technique accordingly.

4. Select the Proper Platform

Memes flourish on social media platforms the place content material spreads speedily and engages customers in humorous, relatable methods. Nonetheless, not all platforms work the identical means. The perfect platforms for meme advertising and marketing rely in your audience, model voice, and targets.

Why Does It Matter?

Each platform has a particular content material type and viewers habits. Deciding on the proper platform helps manufacturers maximize engagement, virality, and viewers interplay. Understanding the place your memes will carry out greatest ensures higher ROI in your advertising and marketing efforts.

Prime Platforms for Meme Advertising and Their Strengths

1. Instagram: The visible platform the place memes deliver engagement by Reels, Tales, and Feed posts. On Instagram, manufacturers can make the most of memes to extend shares, followers, and model consciousness.
Greatest for: Way of life, leisure, B2C manufacturers.

2. Twitter/X: Memes flourish in fast-paced conversations and trending subjects. This Twitter (X) is greatest for real-time meme reactions, witty one-liners, and trending hashtag engagement.
Greatest for: Information, popular culture, tech, and B2B manufacturers.

3. TikTok: Quick-form content material within the format of classy challenges, duets, and comedic skits can entice large traction right here. Manufacturers can modify meme developments into relatable video content material.
Greatest for: Gen Z-focused manufacturers, influencer collaborations, and leisure niches.

4. Fb: Though not as meme-centric as Instagram or Twitter, Fb nonetheless holds a powerful viewers base for humor-driven engagement. Manufacturers can use memes in teams, adverts, and viral posts to attach with completely different communities.
Greatest for: SMBs, native companies, and older demographics.

5. LinkedIn: The underdog in meme advertising and marketing, LinkedIn is seeing an increase in B2B manufacturers utilizing humor to face out. Memes can humanize skilled content material whereas retaining engagement excessive.
Greatest for: Company manufacturers, startups, and private branding.

6. Reddit: A meme goldmine, Reddit thrives on community-driven content material. Manufacturers can interact in subreddits related to their {industry} and share memes that align with area of interest pursuits.
Greatest for: Tech, gaming, finance, and community-based advertising and marketing.

7. Pinterest: Whereas not a typical meme-sharing platform, manufacturers can create branded meme boards and use humor-based visuals to drive long-term site visitors to their web site.
Greatest for: DIY, vogue, and life-style manufacturers.

5. Measuring Meme Advertising Success 

Meme advertising and marketing success isn’t nearly making folks snicker—it’s about turning engagement into measurable success. Whether or not it’s model consciousness, web site site visitors, or conversions, tracking the right metrics ensures your memes drive outcomes.

Why Is It Essential?

With out clear administration, meme advertising and marketing can really feel like capturing at midnight. Monitoring efficiency helps manufacturers refine their content material technique, enhance engagement, and enhance ROI. Understanding key metrics ensures memes align with enterprise goals, not simply social media hype.

Key Metrics to Measure Meme Advertising Success:

1. Engagement Price: The gold normal for meme advertising and marketing. It consists of likes, feedback, shares, and saves, displaying how nicely your viewers interacts together with your content material.
The right way to observe: Engagement price = (Whole interactions ÷ Whole attain) x 100.

2. Virality Coefficient: This metric measures how rapidly and broadly your meme spreads. A excessive virality coefficient means customers aren’t simply partaking—they’re sharing.
The right way to observe: Virality = (Shares per consumer) × (Conversion price of recent viewers into sharers).

3. Click on-By means of Price (CTR): In case your meme features a CTA (name to motion), CTR reveals how many individuals click on in your hyperlink to study extra.
The right way to observe: CTR = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) x 100.

4. Return on Funding (ROI): Measures how meme advertising and marketing contributes to gross sales, leads, or web site site visitors. A profitable meme marketing campaign ought to have a transparent influence on revenue-driven targets.
The right way to observe: ROI = [(Revenue from campaign – Cost of campaign) ÷ Cost of campaign] x 100.

6. Greatest Practices and Widespread Errors to Keep away from

Do’s:

A profitable meme isn’t simply humorous—it’s relatable, shareable, and aligned together with your model’s message. It ought to ignite engagement, encourage shares, and subtly strengthen your model’s id.

The right way to Create Profitable Memes

1. Preserve It Easy: Memes must be quick, snappy, and immediately comprehensible. Overcomplicating the message reduces shareability.
2. Align with Your Model Voice: A meme ought to mirror your model’s persona. In case your model is playful, lean into humor. If it’s extra skilled, use wit as an alternative of randomness.
3. Use Trending Matters Correctly: Hop on viral developments rapidly earlier than they develop into outdated. Velocity is essential in meme advertising and marketing.
4. Make It Shareable: Memes ought to resonate together with your viewers in order that they really feel compelled to tag others or repost.
5. Check Completely different Codecs: Experiment with GIFs, static photos, text-based memes, and even video memes to see what works greatest on your viewers.

Dont’s:

Meme advertising and marketing can backfire if accomplished incorrectly, resulting in unfavorable PR or viewers backlash. Avoiding frequent errors helps manufacturers keep related and revered.

Widespread Meme Advertising Errors to Keep away from

1. Leaping on Traits Too Late: In case you use an outdated meme, your model seems to be out of contact moderately than stylish.
2. Forcing Humor: Not each meme must be laugh-out-loud humorous. If humor doesn’t suit your model, use wit or intelligent references as an alternative.
3. Ignoring Viewers Sensitivity: Keep away from offensive or polarizing content material that might result in backlash. All the time think about your viewers’s values and humor type.
4. Overbranding the Meme: Slapping a emblem on a meme makes it really feel company and fewer natural. Let the humor lead—delicate branding works greatest.
5. Not Reality-Checking or Researching a Meme’s Origin: Some memes originate from problematic contexts. All the time analysis earlier than utilizing them in your technique.

Profitable Meme Advertising Examples

1. Dunkin’ – Flirty Spider Doughnut Marketing campaign

In October 2024, Dunkin’ launched a playful advertising and marketing marketing campaign that includes its Halloween-themed Spider Doughnut. The model personified the doughnut with a flirtatious persona, sharing suggestive and humorous messages throughout social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. 

Why It Went Viral:

Dunkin’s marketing campaign stood out by giving a novel, cheeky voice to a seasonal product, tapping into the Halloween spirit with humor and persona. This strategy resonated with audiences, resulting in excessive engagement and widespread sharing.

2. Duolingo – Duo the Owl’s “Demise” Announcement

In February 2025, Duolingo created a buzz by humorously saying the “dying” of its beloved mascot, Duo the Owl, on social media. The model launched an announcement asking for privateness in the course of the investigation, playfully suggesting that ready for customers to finish their classes might need been an element. 

Why It Went Viral:

Duolingo’s sudden and daring transfer to “kill off” its mascot intrigued and entertained customers, prompting them to share the information and have interaction in conversations in regards to the model. The marketing campaign’s novelty and humor made it extremely shareable.

3. Ryanair – Witty Responses to Buyer Complaints

Ryanair has gained consideration for its humorous and unorthodox social media technique, significantly in responding to buyer complaints. As an illustration, when a passenger complained about being assigned a window seat and not using a window, Ryanair’s social media group replied with, “You should be new right here,” acknowledging the commonality of such complaints with a cheeky twist. 

Why It Went Viral:

Ryanair’s candid and humorous engagement with clients breaks the traditional company mildew, making their interactions entertaining and shareable. This strategy humanizes the model and fosters a novel on-line presence that resonates with a broad viewers.

The Large Takeaway

Meme advertising and marketing isn’t only a pattern—it’s a revolution in digital engagement. As conventional adverts lose their grip on customers, memes have stepped in as the final word attention-grabber, seamlessly mixing leisure with model messaging. They’re cost-effective, relatable, and, most significantly, shareable, making them one of the vital highly effective instruments for manufacturers seeking to go viral on social media.

So, what’s the takeaway? In case your model isn’t leveraging meme advertising and marketing but, it’s time to start out. With SocialPilot’s highly effective scheduling, analytics, and collaboration instruments, you may effortlessly combine meme advertising and marketing into your content material technique. 

Keep agile, experiment with completely different codecs, and most significantly—have enjoyable with it. As a result of in immediately’s digital world, the manufacturers that make folks snicker are those they bear in mind.