Memes

If you’ve been blogging for more than a month or two, you’ve probably been tagged with a meme. Now, don’t ask me exactly what “meme” stands for, unless it’s short for memory, because most memes force you to dredge up memories in order to do them.

A meme asks you set questions, which you’re supposed to answer then tag other bloggers to answer. I’ve been tagged quite a few times, although not recently, until this week when I was tagged twice.

One meme wanted me to tell six things about myself that no one knew and the other wanted me to tell six things about me that related to books. There are all kinds of memes.

But if you’re a writer, why would you want to participate in a meme on your blog? After all, you have lots to blog about – your virtual tour, your new book, your bookstore tour, your galleys, writing advice for beginning writers, and on and on. Why do a meme?

Believe it or not there are reasons to do a meme and to pass it on to others. The main reason is because memes are primarily a way to network with others. And networking means getting your name and URL out to the world. It’s not necessarily about the answers you give to the meme questions.

Someone lets you know they’ve tagged you, either through email, Twitter, a comment on your blog – or maybe you find out on your own when it shows up in your Google Alert. This is your first networking hit – your name and URL on someone else’s blog, being read and hopefully clicked by that blog’s readers.

You go to the blog which tagged you, and you leave a comment. Okay, there’s another marketing chance. You’re leaving a comment on the blog and your comment has your profile link or you possibly leave your link in the comment box. PLUS, the one who tagged you gets a stat hit from you.

Now, you write your answers to the meme and post them on your blog. And you let the ones who tagged you know that you’ve posted (another opportunity to get your name and link out to their readers). They leave a comment on your meme post and thus get their name and link out to your readers (and you’ve included a link to them within the post when you tell your readers who tagged you). And the people you tag get their names and links in your blog. Then you go to their blogs and tell them they’ve been tagged (thus getting your name and link on their blogs). And if those people respond and answer your meme tag, then you get a link within their post and can go comment on their answers.

So, while you may think, I don’t want to do a meme, think of it instead as mutual marketing/networking opportunities. Plus, a chance to make new friends.