Hot Hashtags: 5 Tips for Starting a Meme

Starting a meme! It’s every teenager and and every marketer’s dream. In the world of hashtags, the meme is a bit of a gold standard. But what is a meme and how do they work?

A meme is defined as

1. An element of a culture or behavior that may be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, esp. imitation.
2. An image, video, etc. that is passed electronically from one Internet user to another.

Hashtags that become memes are far more likely to go viral. People latch onto these hot hashtags and use them like crazy. They are catchy, memorable and humorous, like a great tag line or slogan. Years later, you still remember a meme, like a punchline to a great joke that you’ve forgotten. Even if they seem to wander a bit off topic the very fact that they spread like quickfire is enough to make brands and individuals take note. Memes strike a chord.

How do they do it? What elements do Hashtag memes have in common?

• Universality - Memes are generally relatable to a large and diverse group of people. They include subjects like #MothersSay and #MyLastBoyfriend, or shared experiences like #BackinHighSchool.
• Timeliness - Memes often relate to headlines and breaking political, social, weather, and pop culture stories such as #FutureMittJokes. When there are no big stories to latch onto, the day of the week will do.
• Personalization - The best memes invite storytelling and personalization.
• Humor - Nothing succeeds on Twitter like humor. It’s the spark that ignites. #FirstWorldProblems is an example of a hashtag ripe with possibility for ironic humor.
• Celebrity - Want to give your Meme a turbo boost? Get a celebrity to kick it off. Celebrities, with their large and devoted followings, are perfect conduits for fueling and spreading the popularity of a meme.

Think it looks easy? You might want to think again. Creating a Meme (hashtag or no) is hard work!