"I created the page back in 2016. I never really had a reason other than I liked sharing gaming-related content constantly. I was sharing gaming memes a lot on my personal account, and at the time, I didn't really have friends that were into gaming like me. So not a lot of the friends I did have resonated with gaming like I did.," the founder of 'Nerdy Memes 4 U' shared a bit about the history of the social media project with Bored Panda.
"One day I figured, 'Well... Why not make a page? That way I can post all I want without getting on people's nerves.' So I created 'Gaming Memes 4 U.' I eventually renamed my page because I was definitely into more than just games. So I renamed my page to 'Nerdy Memes 4 U.' It helped me be more flexible with my posts."
The founder of the page was very humble and told Bored Panda that they honestly don't really know why so many people resonate with the content they share.
"I'm extremely grateful and I'm shocked each time I open my eyes to see how much this page has grown. I think it's because I try to keep everything neutral. It's the internet and there's gonna be a few bad apples, but I try to post stuff I figure everyone can relate to in one way or another, and I love to keep a variety going. Which is why I kinda find it hard to pinpoint what games/movies my audience may like. It must be the same stuff I like to a degree."
Bored Panda also wanted to hear the founder's thoughts about why nerd culture has spread so widely in recent years. "I might get some odd looks for this, but I honestly think The Big Bang Theory was a huge help," they said (and we agree).
"I know it's a sitcom that's easy to take jabs at times, but you can't deny the impact it had at the time, and the interest people started to have with nerd/geek culture."
At the time of writing, the ‘Nerdy Memes 4 U’ Facebook page had 119k followers. The page itself was created in June, 2016. Over the years, the type of content shared by the founder of the project shifted away from just focusing on games to broadening the types of memes shared.
In a pinned post, the creator shared a bit more about their background. They said that they created the page “on a whim.” Eventually deciding that they didn’t like the content being restricted just to gaming, they renamed the page to better reflect their interests. They also wanted to have more freedom to post “random things about any fandom.” Their goal is to spread joy and laughter throughout the internet, and to brighten people’s day. At least a little bit.
“If you'd like to know more about the person behind this page, just know I'm an extremely shy guy who has a better time communicating with people through text. I came from a rough upbringing, which I won't go into too much detail about because of privacy reasons, but I still push beyond the chaos that I've witnessed and have been subjected to, and try to greet each day with a smile on my face with the intention to bring joy to others, even if it's simply by $%&# posting memes, lol,” the founder of the page writes.
“We, unfortunately, all know dark times in one way or another, but we don't need to let the darkness we hold inside define who we are. I post to this page mainly because if I can make a few people smile and laugh at the same dumb things I laugh at, or to help people escape from their pain for even a few seconds, it's worth it. Be someone's light in the darkness. You're making more of a difference than you realize.”
Going viral on the internet isn’t something that you can (usually) plan for. There’s a great deal of luck and circumstances outside of your control as a content creator involved here. However, there are certain topics and genres of content that can help you gain more popularity and build a following.
When you genuinely care about a topic and what you share, that tends to shine through. Similarly, internet users can often instinctively tell when someone’s posting memes just for views, likes, and comments.
Recently, Bored Panda spoke to content creator and comedian Trev Lewis, from LA, about memes going viral and the importance of sharing relatable content.
"The two most common types of content that go viral are animals and food. This is what the data shows. No matter how many times algorithms get tweaked or which platform we're discussing, people remain fixated on nourishment and other creatures. We are quite animalistic in that way," he shared some of his insights with us.
"Relatability is a more crucial component because this is the factor that often inspires people to share the content with others. Sharing is the highest form of engagement and the one true path to viral content. All the other forms of engagement will follow it," Trev said.
