What is a Blog Meme and Why Should I Join One?

I’m a huge fan of blog outreach and meeting other bloggers in my industry topic – which is why I participate in Blog Memes. But many people don’t even know what a blog meme is, or how to join or start one of their own.

What is a Meme?
A meme (in this sense) is defined as an idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve. On a blog it usually exists as a question, or list of questions, that you answer on your blog – linking back to the original Meme post and adding to the list. The memes that I do on my personal blog (which is book and writing oriented) are weekly. We have Monday “In Your Mailbox”, Tuesday Teaser, Waiting on Wednesday, etc. Memes can be daily, weekly, monthly, or even the occasional one-off quiz – depending on the topic.

Why Join a Blog Meme?
Memes can provide you with an immediate editorial calendar and topic to write about! If you’re ever in a creative slump, just search out a meme to join. Just keep it relative to your blog content.

And memes also give you link-backs. The creator gets several link backs, but if you participate you also fall into the chain – allowing others to link back to you and also from the original meme itself.

Where Do I Find a Meme?
You can find a variety of blog memes at The Daily Meme – or Google your industry with the word “meme” to see what topic specific memes appear.

Why Start a Meme?
If you have an idea for a meme theme that doesn’t exist, go ahead and start it yourself! The worst that can happen is nobody participates. The best that can happen is you get links from a variety of places and start a creative topic.

To start a meme – first post your question(s) and any rules. Some memes ask you to answer the questions and then select five other bloggers to continue moving it forward. You can implement rules, add a badge, or think of other ways to make your meme unique. After you’ve begun the post on your blog, reach out to other bloggers who might be interested in the topic! Sit back, and watch it go viral.

Image Source: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA-MSFC)