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Making money online is more accessible than ever, but it also means the competition is a lot bigger. Whatever your chosen field, it takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn.
It’s also important to remember that success rarely happens overnight. Expect long periods of time at first before seeing any real benefit from your efforts. If you consider yourself a meme expert and looking to monetize that talent, here are some of the top things to consider as you begin your journey.
Also see: Great things take time to build: Four tips for entrepreneurs starting their business
Stay in contact
This may seem obvious, but its importance cannot be ignored. If you want to be successful in building a meme following, keeping up with the latest social platforms is paramount. That means delving into popular platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter. It also means watching the tech space to learn more about emerging social media options like Mastodon and Cohost.
Develop a unique name for your meme brand and secure early access on every platform. While many social platforms fizzle out quickly, it only takes an achievement or two to get your account out there on the internet.
Also see: What is “decentralized social network” Mastodon and why is Elon Musk already raging about it
Follow trends
Maintaining a presence on multiple social channels is just the first step. Next you need to make sure you follow trends. That means trending memes, of course, but it also means staying up to date with current events across different industries like tech, politics, and pop culture. By leveraging these aspects, you can reach a much larger audience as a more diverse group will (hopefully) share your content.
See what types of templates (meme formats) people are sharing in your real life circles. Once they reach that point, they will likely do well in other groups and on social media platforms.
Also see: 5 Social Media Trends for Franchises in 2022 You Need to Know
Pick a niche
Memes about what you know. While it may be tempting to create a meme page that creates content for everyone, it often results in less-than-stellar shares and retweets.
Find your own style instead. The best humor comes from the things you know and the groups you interact with. If you’re a parent and constantly think of funny things about your kids throughout the day, consider a parent-centric site. If you are a gamer, making memes about video games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft becomes much easier.
Use free meme tools
The memes won’t make themselves! The best way to gain a following and go viral is by creating memes.
Luckily, becoming a meme maker doesn’t require expensive programs like Photoshop. There are many online tools that you can use to create memes for free. Some of the best are Imgflip, Make a Meme, and Yepp.
With these tools, you can use popular presets to create memes, or you can upload your own photos. Uploading your own can be risky as people are less likely to cling to it. However, starting a successful trend can be huge for your meme site.
Finally, you might want to upgrade to an up-to-date photo editing software. However, there is no rush to do so.
Start monetizing
Eventually, once you’ve built an audience, you’ll want to figure out how to monetize your efforts. This way you can spend more time building your brand. And honestly, when money comes in, it’s a great motivation to keep going.
For that you need to do a handful of things. First, find out what each platform allows in terms of monetization. Some are different than others.
TikTok, for example, has a long list of advertiser requirements. While this doesn’t often apply to creators, some apply to branded content and advertising partners. If you violate these Terms of Use (ToS), your account may be suspended.
Once you’re comfortable with the rules, the next step is to reach out to advertisers, affiliate programs, and brands. If your site is popular enough, they will come to you. Make sure you have an easily accessible business email address so others can reach you.
Also see: 10 Secrets to Going Viral on Social Media
Ultimately, it is possible to build a successful brand around memes. But it will take hard work and a deep understanding of what makes things go viral.
Study your competitors, keep up with trends and use the free tools at your disposal. It’s also important to follow each platform’s advertising rules to ensure your account doesn’t get banned.
