How can I politely tell you that your branded memes and images suck?
I can’t. I promised when I started my blog I wouldn’t beat around the bush.
I’m telling it how it is. Branding your memes with your business name is a catastrophic waste of time.
IF your memes are 100% original content, thats awesome…
While your on it, monetise that shit! Get those memes on coffee cups, tea shirts… DO ALL THE THINGS!
If your memes are just….memes…
You know the ones, taken from google images or Pinterest…
Branding memes will never create referral traffic to your store. If the link isn’t clickable, no-one is clicking it.
The only way for your images to make it through the social media world is if someone shares them.
Images are FAR more likely to be shared by your followers when they are UNBRANDED.
Branding the shit out of a great meme makes it…wait for it… UNFUNNY.
#1 Oh No! Your meme might get stolen.
Memes belong to no man.
The most common reason I read when it comes to image branding is “someone will steal my work”.
Memes…. these are never “your work”.
Unless you are putting a great big watermark on your images, you cannot protect them.
Oh wait, what? you made a completely, original, unique and funny quote?
Thats not a meme, thats a coffee cup slogan and you better own that shit, trademark it and monetise it pronto.
I should clarify, in case you are not detecting my brand of sarcasm.
I am not talking about your personal quotes.
Memes are NOT digital downloads you are selling a high res version of in your Etsy store.
Memes are not pictures of your product that YOU took with text on them.
MEMES ARE MEMES OKAY!
#2 Brand Names On Memes Scream DESPERATION.
When you schedule a banger of a spicy meme you are trying to connect with your audience on a humorous level right?
With your business name printed on it, the purpose gets a bit lost.
What do you want to give to your audience?
Make them laugh?
Give them something to think about?
Publish content that keeps them coming back?
Are you trying to sell the name of your business to them in one big fat branded meme?
Point 1: Nobody gives a fuck about your product while laughing their ass off at a meme.
Point 2: Nobody gives a fuck about your memes when they are in the middle of buying your product.
You see what Im saying here?
#3 Unbranded images promote sharing. Sharing promotes EVERYTHING.
Even when your “competitor” in business shares your unbranded memes, I truly believe you will be rewarded.
Most online communities are tight within each niche. If one particular business/blogger/brand is well known for their content, it’s because people share it.
If it’s valuable, funny, relatable and has a consistent tone that is fairly unique to you – that is your “branding”, not your actual “brand name”
Branding, in marketing isn’t what you do to a cow.
It is the way you consistently represent your brand so it is valued, enjoyed and remembered.
If it was as easy as popping your business name on a few memes, I would be a billionaire!
#4 Unbranded Memes are a waste of your time.
I’m afraid people are led to believe that placing a brand name on an image adds to the value of the content. I believe it detracts.
Shock horror! Some social media strategy courses are teaching people to pull memes off google and rebrand them.
Fuck. That. For a joke.
I have tested this out of curiosity, it’s an utter waste of time. To put it bluntly, again, nobody gives a shit about your branded memes.
If you are just looking to give your audience laugh, don’t brand it. Just offer the gift of laughter with no strings attached.
Nobody fucking owns Ryan Gosling, so just stop it. Right now.
