Everything you need to make your own memes

It is the job of every dedicated Internet (over)user to organically know what a meme is – in the simplest terms, it is a popular and usually funny idea or concept that has been passed on from person to person via the Web, usually with a highly visual element and focus. It comes in various forms, most commonly through photos emblazoned with witty text.
So what if you want to not only consume but contribute to the Internet’s collection? There are websites you can use to easily create memes generated from already existing ones. All you need to do is to choose a meme template, type in your desired text and voilà – you’ve got a meme you can post and share. However, if you would like to take on the challenge to create your own meme from scratch, it’s actually fairly easy.

Step 1: Do your research
Know your memes. It’s good practice to take a gander at pre-existing memes that have achieved viral status. That way, you can either find one to use as inspiration or you can rule out the topics you don’t want to replicate.

The above image, for example, has been reappropriated into meme-dom many times.
Keep a watchful eye on trends. Regularly check your Twitter or Facebook feeds for relevant news – entertainment topics are usually a win. Take note of what makes you laugh the most and what gets the most hilarious responses.

Choose a subject you can relate to. If you’re not a sports fan, you might have a hard time selling a sports-themed meme (say that five times fast). Cute animals are always a great go-to when you are tapped out of ideas, but if you really want to push the envelope, choose a public figure you can easily imitate. If you’d like to use a personal experience as the center of your meme, choose one that’s easily relatable.

Decide on a medium. Of course the easiest medium to use is photo, but if you’ve got a knack for improve and being funny on camera, you might want to venture into video.

Step 2: Compose your content
Collect your materials. Before going any further, this is the point where you decide if you’re going to come up with your own stuff or recycle things you’ve found online. If you’re doing a photo meme and you want to use existing content, do the appropriate screen grabbing from videos you want to use; you can also surf the Web for images you’d like to use as pegs, or hit up Imgur’s meme-maker.
Keep it short and simple. Bear in mind that the attention span of the average Internet user is pretty short, so you want to make an impression right off the bat. Come up with a catchphrase that uses simple and memorable language.
Find the right expression to convey. Make sure your visuals match the sentiment you’re trying to portray.

Step 3: Have the necessary tools of the trade
If you’re doing a photo meme, it might be wise to have Photoshop installed (or use Pixlr Editor, a free online image editor that has similar controls and functions) . You can also look up meme generator sites like Imgur that let you upload your own photo background. Lastly, you can install photo apps on your phone that allow you to add text to your images, like Aviary (we’ll talk about both of these shortly).
If you’re doing a video meme, the easiest apps and sites to use are Instagram, Vine, and YouTube.