Are memes appropriate in B2B marketing today? (What you need to know about them)
Increasingly, B2B organizations are following in the footsteps of their consumer-focused counterparts and turning to memes to boost marketing and PR as they continue to search for methods to stay relevant and top-of-mind among the sea of information and material being generated every day. On the internet, memes are prevalent. Every single second of every single day, a new trend emerges, and before long, someone will have made a meme about it. But should a B2B business use them in its marketing strategies? We will have a look at it in this article.
Defining a meme might be challenging because there are many types and forms of humour used in a meme. According to the dictionary, memes are described as “a cultural item in the form of an image, video, phrase, etc., that is spread via the internet and often altered in a creative or humorous way.” To us, a meme can be defined as a thought, action, or idea that is typically shared over the Internet. Memes have evolved into a powerful marketing trend, in large part due to social media.
Meme marketing, a form of viral marketing, tries to use memes as a tactic in a company’s marketing campaign. These goals may be, for instance, to attract more visitors to a website or offer humorous insights to an existing clientele. Meme marketing is the practice of using well-known memes that still have the original meme’s humorous qualities but having the text statement changed to be more relevant to the company.
Meme marketing is an influential tool that aids companies in achieving marketing objectives, such as raising awareness or promoting a company, brand, or product. Most people associate memes with amusing pictures, captions, or animated GIFs, but they may also be used to share information and create a following around businesses. Therefore, businesses are increasingly turning to meme marketing as a tactic.
It is true that there is such a thing as a meme marketing plan. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that including memes in your material is advantageous. Here are a few reasons why.
Making a strong first impression and luring new customers are both easy with humour. And what better way to establish a good first impression than to have people identify your company with “coolness” and positiveness, which is exactly what memes can accomplish. A good meme is one way to get likes and shares on social media, where users go to unwind, watch videos of amusing animals, and look at memes. The best engagement after all is one that can resonate well with others.
According to a survey, 38% of young adults follow meme accounts on social media, and 55% of customers between the ages of 13 and 35 send memes on a weekly basis. If you are looking to hook a younger audience, this might just be it.
Memes tend to be more popular than intricate works like infographics. Of course, it depends on the individual, but this is the case, especially when it comes to younger generations. Memes are more fun, digestible, and interesting. They can inform their audience in a way that sticks with them as a result. Additionally, as memes are a part of pop culture, they have their own meanings, allowing you to convey more with less. To make a meme relevant to your material, all you need to do is create your own version of it. There are a ton of free and simple-to-use meme generators such as Imgflip. Overall, you spend little money while having a substantial influence.
These days, most brands focus more on their customers when talking with them because they want to establish a connection and a relationship. And one of the main benefits of memes is how simple it is to relate to them. You can use them to build rapport with your audience, demonstrate your shared beliefs and interests, or just demonstrate your wit and humour. Furthermore, memes demonstrate that businesses are run by real people, not just automated sales programs, or soulless corporate entities. Your customers will perceive you as approachable and feel like they know the genuine you.
Meme marketing may not be the best method for all B2B businesses but it does have its place when used in the right setting. The basic goal of memes is to establish a connection with people through amusing insights. Unlike memes, which have a more casual tone, B2B marketing usually comes across as more formal though that might change in the future.
So, is using memes as a marketing tactic the best choice for your company? This question must be made by you with consideration to your business goals. Retailers are one example of a sector that can effectively employ meme marketing by producing humorous and relatable memes. If you have good observational skills and the ability to generate innovative ideas, you can develop a successful meme marketing campaign.
At Convergence Concepts, we invest our efforts into creating campaigns that are focused on the customer. We produce collaterals that appropriate to your marketing campaigns and strategies, including infographics, memes, brochures, and more. If you need a specialized team in strategic marketing, feel free to reach out to us at marketing@convergenceconcepts.com.sg to inquire more!