Memes have conquered the internet with their bizarre and provocative humor – to the point that they’re a second language to millennials and Generation Z.
And whether it’s Reddit, 9Gag, your Insta, or your Facebook page, you won’t make it to the front page unless you edit memes like a pro.
Keep reading to find out how.
Table of Contents
The Four Elements
It’s not an Avatar: The Last Airbender reference. Online memes are what happens when you take the accessibility of the internet and inject a bit of absurdity.
Most are either static images or a GIF.
There are as many “types” of memes as your arm is long. But most fall into four distinct categories.
Wholesome Memes
This warm and fuzzy category refers to the uplifting content that takes you out of your day and shows you the world isn’t such a bad place, after all.
Traditional Memes
Traditional memes are the sort of thing your aunt is likely to share. Sometimes every day.
This category consists of popular imagery. Viral images, scenes from TV and movies. Cats – lots of cats. Many of these memes offer perspectives on current events.
Dank Memes
Dank memes are all about absurdity. They parody, they cajole, and they mock – and often poke fun at dying meme formats.
Edgelord Memes
Dark, shocking, and outright crass forms of humor are “edgy.” Use with care.
Edit Memes the Right Way
Ever wonder why some memes float and others flop? Before you edit a meme and upload it, here’s a core secret:
There’s meme etiquette involved.
- Use a meme generator
- Pick the right font
- Don’t crop your memes
- Use a proper title
- Don’t repost
- Post in the right category
Using a Meme Generator
Using a meme generator is the quickest and easiest way to pump out your very own meme collection.
Meme generators let you select from templates and add text. Some allow you to create or upload GIFs. And for your convenience, there’s a meme maker available online courtesy of Adobe.
Yes, that Adobe. The tech giant of Photoshop and Substance Painter fame.
Pick the Right Font
Part of the fun of memes is that they’re fast-paced. Everything is hit or miss, and everything is appealing to short attention spans.
That’s why the popular fonts are legible and sans serif: Impact, Arial, and Helvetica.
Don’t use comic sans. It’s the pariah of fonts.
Don’t Crop Your Memes
It happens a lot: Cropped text that’s still readable annoys our lizard brains something fierce.
When you create a meme, don’t crop out anything important. And if you’re using a template, don’t crop anything.
Use a Creative Title
Like a book cover, a blog post, or a movie, a creative title grabs attention and makes people stop scrolling through their feed for a moment.
Take the time to think of a catchy or clever title that will help your meme stand out from the crowd.
Don’t Repost
Even meme-ers take plagiarism seriously.
Reposting means taking an existing meme and re-uploading it. Sometimes on the same website.
This not only clogs up feeds with repetitive content, but it’ll also earn you the ire of the community.
Select the Right Category (If Applicable)
Dedicated meme websites use categories – and the audience doesn’t like it when posters get the category wrong. So here’s a fair warning: Post only in the appropriate categories or subpages.
Else, you’ll find your dank memes downvoted into oblivion.
Hit the Front Page
Ready to edit memes and become the next sensation? With a little experimentation, you’ll land on the hot page in no time with a bucketful of internet karma.
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