How to Make a Meme (Free Template)

It’s unlikely that anyone with internet access has avoided seeing a meme. They’re everywhere! You can find them on social media, in blog posts, and on dedicated images sites like GIPHY.

Guess what — they aren’t just for funny tweets. You can use them in your workplace communications, too! But how did internet memes come to exist? What exactly are they? And how in the world do you even make or use one at work?

Don’t worry —  we’ve got your back! Read on to learn all about memes and how to make them yourself.

What is a meme?

Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, first coined the term meme in his 1976 book ‘The Selfish Gene.’ He noted that they are a way for people to pass along social memories and cultural ideas to one another. Fittingly, meme is short for the Greek word mimeme, meaning “imitated thing.”

The majority of image memes are captioned photos that are intended to be funny, often as a way to publicly ridicule human behavior. Memes spread virally through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, where people notice and share them with others.

Public relations, advertising, and marketing professionals have embraced memes as a form of viral marketing. They’re hilarious, easy to create, and packaged perfectly for earning shares on social media channels. In an era where 350 million images are posted on Facebook every day, compelling and humorous images or videos could be your best shot at standing out and earning engagement.

Whether you’re creating one for work or for fun, we’re here to help. With Snagit, it only takes a few steps to make a meme. Let’s dive in!

How to generate a meme

Step 1. Come up with your idea

Usually, when you go to make a meme, you’ll have an idea in mind. But if not, think of something funny.

Step 2. Choose your image or images 

Are you going to put your own caption on an existing image, or do you want to caption your own? Save or grab the image or meme template you want to use ready to go. You can always upload multiple images if needed for the format you want.

Step 3. Open your image in Snagit

Open Snagit and click create, then choose Image from Template. Select the Meme option, and drag your image into the placeholder.

Step 4. Edit and add text

Add text to your image. Memes typically use white, bold capital letters with a strong black outline. Snagit’s Quick Styles are perfect for this, and you can easily create and move text boxes anywhere on the canvas. Play around with text size and placement to get the image exactly how you want.

Step 5. Save and upload

Save and upload your final image directly to your email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. to share with coworkers or friends.

Now, it’s your turn to make a meme! If you don’t already have Snagit, download the free trial. Then, create your own to share with friends, send to coworkers, or market your product.

Frequently asked questions