What is a meme & how does it work?

While an outright definition of a meme is hard to nail down, the term is most often associated with an image or video that portrays a particular concept or idea that is then usually spread through online social platforms. That idea goes on to proliferate through social media, forums, instant messaging apps, and even news sites.

Where can I find memes on Facebook?

If your Facebook friends prefer a wild bingo night over sharing funny memes, you can always visit Know Your Meme. This website documents internet memes and serves as a knowledge hub about their origins. You can browse the most popular memes and check out common uses of each one.

Why are memes so popular?

There are few more reasons why memes are one of the go-to moves of the average social media user, as well as your more seasoned social media influencer: They are eye-catching. They enable you to express complex ideas through a simple concept by relying on the meme context, origin and common use. They have a viral potential.

When was meme first used?

In fact, author Richard Dawkins first used the word in his 1976 work The Selfish Gene. The book looked at evolution and used meme to describe an idea or behavior that spreads across people in a culture. When someone says meme nowadays, they're probably referring to an internet meme.