Sick of Stock Photos? Use Memes to Liven Up Your Content.
It’s no secret that the social Web has gone visual in a big way.
According to recent research by HubSpot, images on Facebook receive 53% more Likes and 104% more comments than the average post.
LinkedIn just launched new capabilities for adding visuals to your profile. And one of the most talked-about Super Bowl promos of 2013 was a simple image that Oreo put out on Twitter.
So even if you don’t “do” Pinterest or Instagram, your content needs to have some kind of visual element if it’s going to rack up likes and shares.
This is, of course, great news if you’re naturally creative with visuals … but if you’re like me, it means you’re likely to be stuck with stock photography. As Seinfeld would say, “not that there’s anything wrong with that,” but when you pull up “happy-woman-at-computer.jpg” for the umpteetnth time, you start looking around for something with a little more pizazz.
Enter the meme.
If you’ve never heard of memes (pronounced meemz), I guarantee you’ve seen at least one. They’re those funny images you see all over Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere on the inter-tubes with different messaging embedded.
One of my favorites is the Boromir “One Does Not Simply …” image from Lord of the Rings that I’ve included above. Look familiar?
The good news is that you don’t need Photoshop to create and share your very own memes—just an Internet connection.
There are several (free) meme creation websites out there; I’m partial tomemegenerator.net, which is super-easy to use:
- Choose your meme.
- Type in your text for above and below the image.
- Select your language.
- Click Create.
- Right-click the image to save it, then use it wherever you want.
And blog posts are just the beginning. If your audience is into memes, you can invite them to create their own on a topic that’s related to your business … like the Frisco (TX) Public Library did with their library-themed meme contest on Pinterest.
Are you using memes to breathe life into your content? Share your secret in the Comments—we’d love to hear from you!
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About the Author
A self-described geek who can recite entire episodes of South Park by heart, Rachel Parker has had a passion for content ever since she was old enough to hold a crayon (purple, please).
As Founder and CEO of Resonance, Rachel helps businesses publish content that connects with their audience … and converts those followers into customers. She’s also the host of the Content Marketing Podcast and a sought-after speaker, having presented to many major business and marketing organizations. Contact Rachel about speaking to your group or business.
See you again next week!
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