If we told you that memes are the most powerful, most underrated, and most misunderstood item in a startup founder’s (or growth marketer’s) toolkit, you’d probably laugh at the idea.
Yet there’s an argument to be made.
Why are memes good?
They’re great at showcasing four things that a startup needs:
- Positioning
- Progress
- Community
- Credibility
Let’s dive deeper into this idea.
1) Positioning
A great way to position your startup is through contrast. Think about the early days of Apple.
Nowadays it’s taken for granted, but they’ve positioned themselves against a whole industry. Apple vs normal computers.
Tesla did the same thing when they first launched – us vs. internal combustion engine cars.
Contrast yourself against the wider market.
2) Progress
Showing your growth gives people a sneak peek into your story and invites them behind the scenes.
A meme can help you achieve this, and a great example is this “How it started vs How it’s going” meme trend.
3) Community
Often memes become a shared symbol of a community. A language that demonstrates belonging.
One way to do this is by tying your brand to an object, so that object becomes a meme.
4) Credibility
In the early days of a company, credibility is essential in getting customers, media coverage, and investors to care about what you’re building.
You can **** credibility with memes. Nikita’s app turned the very process of gaining traction into a meme itself.
