Written by: Emily Perry
Memes are the new viral trend that community managers use to engage with their fans. If you are just now plugging in, memes are witty, sarcastic photos that often poke fun of businesses, occupations, and many other elements of our culture that we often deal with daily. Though it may be tempting to jump on the meme bandwagon, there are pros and cons to posting these quirky photos onto your business’s social media sites. Go through this checklist before posting these quirky photos to your page:
- Will the Meme offend anyone who follows your page? There are many different kinds of memes out there. Some are of cute animals with funny sayings on them, but then there are the ones that are only funny because they are the bitter truth. Remember, one person’s humor is the next person’s insult. It never hurts to ask around the office and get a few other opinions before posting the meme. Always err on the side of caution, because the image can just as easily drive consumers away as it can draw them to your social media page.
- Will it take away from your business’s professionalism? For many businesses, consumers often look at their social media pages more often than the company’s professional website. There is a thin line between what is seen as professional and what can be coined as immature. If your business is known for its quirkiness, memes can be a supplemental asset to your company’s social media page. If your business uses social media solely as a tool to convey your company’s voice to the public, you may want to hold off from posting the meme until you establish a lighter, friendlier kind of relationship with the consumer.
- Is the meme poking fun of your own business? Not everyone can pick up on sarcasm. When posting a meme about your employees’ profession or about your business industry in general, prepare to get mixed emotions from viewers. Social media is a great tool to highlight your company’s accomplishments and portray your business in the best light possible. With memes that portrays employees as anything but diligent workers, it risks the chance of consumers not taking your company or profession seriously.
Memes can be a clever and eye-catching way to draw more viewers to your social media pages, but like with every form of humor there is always the chance of misinterpretation. With versatile views of amuse and offensive, memes can be a risky, yet conversation-starting move. Before posting the comical images, think twice about how the public will perceive them and how it may affect your business.
