So, what exactly is meme marketing? In simple terms, it’s the practice of using memes, those funny, instantly recognisable images and videos with witty text, to promote your brand, product, or message. But it’s not just slapping a caption on a cat photo and calling it a day. It’s a nuanced, strategic approach to humanising your brand and connecting with audiences in a way no generic ad ever will.

Why memes? Why now?

Memes are the new social glue. They travel faster than gossip in a village pub and stick in people’s heads like a dodgy jingle. In 2025, memes are more than a trend; they’re a cultural language. They tap into shared feelings, collective jokes, and viral moments that your audience already loves.

Statistically speaking, memes have been shown to drive up to 60% more engagement than traditional content. They’re shared, reshared, and screenshotted into oblivion. Just think about how many times you’ve seen the “distracted boyfriend” meme twisted into 47 different jokes, that’s precisely the sort of attention brands dream of.

When done correctly, meme marketing can:

• Build massive brand awareness (without burning your entire ad budget).

• Improve audience engagement (people actually comment and share).

• Strengthen brand personality (because no one loves a corporate robot).

• Drive conversions (if integrated cleverly with calls to action).

Brands getting it right

Take Duolingo’s TikTok account, an owl with more sass than a London cab driver. They’ve used memes to make language learning hilarious and wildly shareable. Or Ryanair, whose savage memes about cheap flights and annoying customers have turned them into a social media phenomenon.

They’re not just being funny for the sake of it. They’re building a brand voice that feels authentic, relatable, and memorable, and customers love it.

But it’s not a free-for-all

Here’s where most brands crash harder than I did that time I tried to power-slide a Reliant Robin. Meme marketing isn’t just hopping on trends blindly. Context is everything. If you use the wrong meme, in the wrong way, at the wrong time, you risk looking cringeworthy, out-of-touch, or worse, going viral for all the wrong reasons.

You need to understand:

• Your audience’s sense of humour – A meme that works for Gen Z might completely baffle a Baby Boomer.
• Cultural context and timing – Internet jokes move at warp speed; last week’s meme is this week’s stale sandwich.
• Brand fit – If you’re a serious financial firm, you don’t need to force jokes about “no thoughts, just vibes.” There’s a way to adapt memes tastefully.

The science behind it

Psychologically, memes work because they trigger emotional reactions. They’re short, snappy, and often evoke humour or nostalgia, both powerful tools for memory retention. In marketing terms, they’re brilliant for the top of the funnel (awareness and engagement), but can also be used cleverly in the middle and bottom to drive interest and action.

How to start meme marketing

Start by listening. Watch what your audience shares, the references they make, and the jokes they get. Then create (or adapt) memes that align with your brand’s tone and objectives. Track engagement, iterate, and, most importantly, keep it authentic. Forced memes are about as appealing as a wet sock.

Or, you can leave it to professionals who know how to balance relevance, timing, and taste. (Ahem, that’s us.)

FAQs about Meme Marketing

What is meme marketing?

Meme marketing is the strategic use of humorous, viral images or videos (memes) to promote a brand, engage audiences, and build online awareness.

Is meme marketing suitable for all businesses?

Almost any brand can use meme marketing, as long as it feels authentic to their voice. From airlines to software companies, memes can work wonders if they’re executed thoughtfully.

Does meme marketing actually lead to sales?

Yes, indirectly. Memes build engagement and brand affinity, which increases trust and ultimately conversions, especially when combined with smart calls to action.

How do I avoid backlash from memes?

Stay culturally aware, be sensitive to context, and avoid memes with controversial or offensive origins. Always test internally before going live.

Do I need to create original memes or use existing ones?

Both approaches work. Adapting popular memes is common, but creating original branded memes can make you stand out.

“Yoony.n’s professionalism and patience were hugely important. They gave me the confidence I needed, and it made all the difference“

The results speak volumes: the content we created significantly raised brand awareness for Tone Tribe. Jenna’s reels achieved impressive viewership, substantially increasing her visibility online, and best of all, generating numerous enquiries from potential clients excited to engage with her brand.

Our Content Creation Days at Yoony.n are ideal for businesses that manage their own social media but need a hand creating top-tier content that aligns perfectly with their brand voice. We never arrive without a plan; our process includes detailed pre-shoot consultation and advice, ensuring every piece of content is purposeful and fully on-brand.

The style we champion is authentic, documentary-driven, and personality-focused. This means your real self will always shine through, resonating powerfully with your audience.

Ready to elevate your brand with authentic, professionally crafted content? Get in touch with Yoony.n today.

Hit us up at work@yoonyn.com

Writing for the Web Has Changed
Not that long ago, writing a blog post was simply about sharing an interesting idea or telling a compelling story. While creativity and clarity still matter, the way content is written and presented has evolved significantly. It is no longer just about what you say, it is about how you say it, who you are saying it to and how search engines interpret it.

Today, effective content writing requires a blend of linguistic skills and technical expertise. It involves identifying the right keywords, understanding search intent, and seamlessly integrating those keywords into your content without compromising readability. This is not guesswork; it is strategic and based on data that demands professional tools and insight.

Keyword Analysis Is Critical
One of the most essential parts of writing for the web is keyword analysis. This means researching what your audience is searching for and aligning your content to match. Without this step, even the most well-written article could be virtually invisible online.

Professional content writers use advanced tools to conduct keyword research, analyse competitors, and track performance. At Yoony.n, we use this data to shape content strategies tailored to your industry and audience. We aim to ensure that every article not only reads well but also ranks well.

Poorly Written Content Can Harm More Than Help
Publishing regular content on your website is essential for improving SEO, increasing visibility and building authority in your field. However, if that content is not properly optimised or fails to match what your audience is looking for, it could do more harm than good.

Wasted effort, poor rankings and low engagement are just some of the risks of underestimating the value of professional content. Simply put, if you are not doing it right, you are probably not seeing the full SEO benefits, and your competitors could be moving ahead.

Why Choose Yoony.n?
At Yoony.n, we specialise in creating content that does not just fill space, it performs. With experience across a wide range of sectors, our team understands how to write with your audience and search engines in mind. We combine creativity with technical know-how, using advanced tools to conduct detailed keyword analysis and competitor research.

Whether you are a new business looking to gain traction or an established company aiming to strengthen your online presence, we can provide high-quality, search-friendly content tailored to your goals.

Ready to Boost Your Website’s Performance?
Do not let ineffective content hold you back. Get in touch with Yoony.n today, find out how our content writing services can help you grow your online presence and deliver real results.

Your online competitors may be different from your “real life” competitors
If you run a physical business — like a local shop, service-based company, or anything that involves face-to-face interaction — it’s essential to keep an eye on competitors operating nearby. Local competitor research should be part of your approach. But don’t stop there.

You also need to look at who’s competing with you online. That includes businesses without a physical presence that still rank for your target keywords. Researching local and digital players in your industry or niche gives you a fuller view of your competition — and might reveal rivals you hadn’t even considered.

Making assumptions about your competitors can steer your strategy in the wrong direction
It’s costing you valuable time and resources. Instead of guessing, take a data-backed approach to identify who you’re up against online. Misjudging your competition can lead to content that misses the mark and gaps in your SEO efforts. To get it right, make sure you’re analysing the correct search results and keeping tabs on the businesses that compete for your audience’s attention.

Keep it Real
When evaluating your competitors, it’s essential to be realistic about who you’re able to compete with. If you’re a smaller business and find major players like Amazon or Apple ranking for your keywords, you’ll unlikely outrank them anytime soon. Rather than focusing on those giants, look for high-ranking pages from businesses closer to your size and authority. These are your real competition and a more practical benchmark for your SEO goals.

Identifying Your Real Competitors
Using features in available software such as Moz helps you uncover the right competitors based on your domain, subdomain, or even specific subfolders. This allows you to refine your competitor list depending on your niche, offerings, market verticals, or business type.

Uncovering Competitor Keywords
After identifying your key competitors, the next step is to explore which keywords they rank for. This can help you uncover content gaps, highlight areas where they outperform you, and guide improvements to your content strategy.

Many tools allow you to compare your domain against your competitors to find overlapping and unique keywords. Enter your website and those of your competitors to see where they stand in search and where you can gain ground. This insight is essential for refining your SEO approach and prioritising efforts that can deliver better results.

Analyse Your Competitors’ Content
Once you’ve gathered a solid list of keywords, the next step is to dig deeper by examining what types of content are performing best for your competitors. This helps you understand what your target audience is responding to and where you might be missing opportunities.

Use a content analysis tool to explore the top-performing pages from competing websites. These tools typically let you input your site alongside others, then show you which pages rank higher and for which keywords. The data is usually grouped by page, giving insight into the structure, topics, and formats working well in your space. This can help guide your content planning, from optimising existing pages to creating new ones that fill apparent gaps or provide better value.

In Summary
You now have a refined list of keywords used by your competitors, along with a few valuable pointers to help you delve deeper into their content and uncover potential opportunities. If you’re interested in exploring this topic further, consider seeking more detailed resources to conduct a thorough competitor analysis. The next step is to implement your insights and start making strategic improvements. Best of luck – and until next time!

You need a modern content marketing strategy
To succeed today, you must go beyond search. Winning attention now means understanding and engaging with your audience where they already spend time online.

A modern content marketing approach is built around your audience. It begins with discovering where they are, how they spend their time, and how your brand can naturally fit into the conversations they follow. Yes, it can seem overwhelming, but this approach combines the strength of traditional search with an audience-first mindset to deliver real and lasting results.

Step one: Find out what influences your audience
Some audiences still rely heavily on Google. Others are active in niche online spaces, dedicated social media communities, or specific content formats like podcasts and video. Some read industry newsletters or follow influential blogs. Every audience is different, so you need to uncover what your audience pays attention to before you can market to them effectively.

Luckily, this does not have to be complicated. You have three main tools at your disposal:

✔ Surveys
✔ Direct interviews
✔ Scalable data tools

Many marketers know keyword research tools like Google Trends, Semrush, and Moz. These are useful but limited. They will not tell you:

✔ What social platforms your audience uses
✔ Which websites they visit
✔ Which podcasts do they listen to
✔ What subreddits do they follow
✔ Which YouTube channels do they subscribe to
✔ Which influencers or creators they trust
✔ What newsletters do they read regularly

To find this kind of insight, you need broader research. Surveys and interviews are a good starting point. But tools like Brandwatch and Audiense give you larger-scale visibility into your audience’s habits. Whether you use software or manual research, the goal is the same: find out what already captures their attention.

Once you know this, you will have a real competitive edge. That understanding sets the stage for every content decision you make moving forward.

Step 2: Find resonant topics that are likely to earn amplification.
The combined insights from keyword research, audience research, and social media listening will help you find the best topics. Try a keyword research tool to help you find some high-volume (or at least, medium volume) keyword opportunities. Then, do some audience research and social media listening to get a sense of how to prioritise your topics and what types of information to include in the meat of your content.

After that, use a couple of social listening tools to see what your audience is talking about online, if they’re talking about you, and to understand how you can join the conversation.

Having an overall understanding of the marketing opportunity of a given keyword alongside what people are searching for and talking about online will help you generate meaningful, relevant, and maybe even timely ideas.

Step 3: Keep an eye on the competition.
You’re a savvy marketer, so of course, you keep a pulse on your competitors. The trouble is, it’s not often as easy to figure out who your content competition is. This is someone who ranks for a keyword you wish to rank for but might not necessarily be a direct competitor.

Gaining instant access to the top-ranking URLs for your audience can speed up your ideation process. At the very least, it gives you a clear view of which brands successfully engage with your audience. This insight can open up collaboration opportunities, whether pitching to write guest posts or exploring co-marketing partnerships with those brands. It provides a fresh perspective on potential allies in your content strategy.

Step 4: Distribute like a pro.
Create Once, Distribute Forever. You now have some excellent content pieces – some blog posts, YouTube videos, templates, and more. You can’t just rely on search engines to send traffic your way.

Next comes your distribution strategy, which never really ends. There are social channels for you to add zero-click value, not to mention repurpose your insights time and again. There are websites, publications, podcasts, and other social accounts that can amplify your content. You might already have a few friendlies in your network who you could contact for a quick amplification favour or to partner with on a webinar. But chances are, there are additional brands to uncover.

Rinse, Repeat, Repurpose, and Recycle
You can go back to step one to conceptualise new content ideas. You can go back to step three to see if there are new content formats that you can repurpose your existing content into. And you should go back to step five to revisit distribution channels every chance you get.

Your mileage may vary, but you should now have an easily repeatable process for creating and distributing content. Good luck out there!