Memes are the universal language of the internet. A good meme communicates an idea, emotion, or joke in seconds through a combination of a recognizable image template and short, punchy text. Making one is surprisingly simple — but making one that actually lands requires understanding the format.
This guide covers everything from choosing the right template to formatting text correctly, using BestPNG's meme generator, and sharing your creation for maximum impact.
What Makes a Good Meme?
Before the technical how-to, it helps to understand what separates a good meme from a forgettable one.
Relatability
The best memes tap into shared experiences. "When you finish a task and realize you have 10 more" works because everyone has felt that. The more universally relatable the situation, the wider the audience.
Simplicity
A meme should be understood in under 3 seconds. If the viewer needs to read more than two short lines of text or think about what the image means, it's too complicated. The setup and punchline should be immediately obvious.
Template Awareness
Each meme template has an established meaning. Using the template correctly (matching the image's implied context to your text) makes the meme feel natural. Using it incorrectly feels forced.
Timing
Memes about current events, trending topics, or seasonal moments have a short window of relevance. Post them while the topic is hot. Evergreen memes (about universal experiences) don't have this constraint.
Popular Meme Templates and How to Use Them
Drake Hotline Bling
Format: Two panels. Top panel shows Drake rejecting something (hand up, looking away). Bottom panel shows Drake approving something (pointing, smiling).
Use for: Comparing two options where one is clearly preferred over the other.
Example:
- Top (reject): "Reading the documentation"
- Bottom (approve): "Asking ChatGPT"
Distracted Boyfriend
Format: A man looking at another woman while his girlfriend looks at him disapprovingly.
Use for: Being tempted by something new while ignoring what you already have.
Labels: The boyfriend = you, the other woman = the temptation, the girlfriend = what you should be doing.
Two Buttons / Sweating Guy
Format: A person sweating while trying to choose between two buttons.
Use for: Impossible choices, dilemmas, or contradictory preferences.
Expanding Brain
Format: A series of panels (usually 4) showing increasingly "galaxy brain" imagery from a normal brain to a cosmic brain.
Use for: Escalating levels of absurdity, sophistication, or overthinking. The last panel should be the most ridiculous.
This Is Fine (Dog in Fire)
Format: A cartoon dog sitting in a burning room saying "This is fine."
Use for: Ignoring obvious problems, pretending everything is okay when it clearly isn't.
Change My Mind
Format: Steven Crowder sitting at a table with a sign that says "[statement]. Change My Mind."
Use for: Stating an opinion (usually somewhat controversial or humorous) and inviting debate.
Is This a Pigeon?
Format: An anime character pointing at a butterfly and asking "Is this a pigeon?" — but the butterfly and the character are relabeled.
Use for: Completely misidentifying or misunderstanding something.
How to Make a Meme with BestPNG
BestPNG's meme generator provides popular templates and full text customization in your browser.
Step-by-step:
- Go to bestpng.com/tools/meme-generator
- Choose a template from the library or upload your own image
- Add top text and bottom text (the classic meme format)
- Customize font, size, color, and outline
- Preview the meme and adjust positioning
- Download the finished meme as PNG or JPG
You can also upload any image and use it as a custom template. This is how most original memes are born — someone takes a screenshot, photo, or illustration and turns it into a new format.
Meme Text Formatting Rules
Meme text has evolved its own visual conventions. Following them makes your meme feel authentic; breaking them makes it feel like it was made by someone who doesn't understand memes.
The Classic Format
- Font: Impact (or a similar bold sans-serif)
- Case: ALL CAPS
- Color: White text with thick black outline (2-3px stroke)
- Position: Top line at the very top, bottom line (punchline) at the very bottom
- Alignment: Centered
This format was established in the early 2010s and is still the default for template-based memes. It works on any background because the black outline ensures readability regardless of the image colors beneath it.
Modern Meme Text
Many modern memes use different text styles:
- White text on dark semi-transparent bar — common in Twitter/X screenshots and reaction memes
- Small, regular-case text — used for subtle, understated humor ("me explaining to my boss why I'm late for the third time this week")
- No text on the image — the text is in the tweet/post caption, and the image is purely the reaction
The style you choose should match the tone. Impact + ALL CAPS = bold, loud humor. Lowercase sans-serif = dry, self-aware humor.
Text Length Guidelines
| Lines | Quality |
|---|---|
| 1-2 short phrases | Ideal — punchy and immediate |
| 3-4 short phrases | Acceptable for multi-panel memes |
| Full sentences | Risky — might be too much to read |
| Paragraph | Too long — it's no longer a meme |
Rule of thumb: If you can't fit the text in two lines at a readable font size, the idea needs to be simplified.
Creating Original Memes
Finding Source Images
The best original memes come from:
- Movie and TV screenshots — freeze frames with exaggerated expressions
- Stock photos — the more awkwardly staged, the better ("distracted boyfriend" was a stock photo)
- News photos — unexpected moments captured by photojournalists
- Personal photos — reactions, pets, awkward situations
- AI-generated images — creating specific scenarios that don't exist in real photos
Making Templates
To turn an image into a meme template:
- Find an image with a clear emotional or situational context
- Identify what can be relabeled (characters, objects, actions)
- Create a first example that demonstrates the template's logic
- If people understand and remix it, you've created a template
Using BestPNG's Tools Together
For more polished memes, combine tools:
- Start with a photo and remove the background to isolate a reaction face
- Place it on a new background or composite image
- Add text with meme-style formatting
- Resize for social media to the correct platform dimensions
- Share
Where to Share Memes
Reddit has dedicated meme communities (subreddits) for every niche. Major ones include r/memes, r/dankmemes, and r/me_irl. Each has posting rules — read them before posting. Reddit rewards originality; reposts get called out quickly.
Twitter/X
Memes on Twitter/X are usually image attachments on tweets. The tweet text often adds context or the setup, with the image as the punchline. Twitter memes tend to be more topical and time-sensitive.
Instagram memes live on dedicated meme pages and in Stories. Square format (1080x1080) is standard for feed memes. Tag relevant meme pages for reposts and credit.
Discord and Messaging Apps
Private memes shared in friend group chats and Discord servers. These can be more niche and inside-jokey since the audience is small and known. File size limits vary by platform.
TikTok
While TikTok is primarily video, image-based meme carousels (TikTok Photo Mode) are increasingly popular. Vertical format (1080x1920) is required.
Meme Etiquette
Credit the Creator
If you're sharing someone else's meme, don't crop out their watermark or username. If you're modifying a template, credit the original template creator if known.
Know Your Audience
A meme that's hilarious in a friend group chat might be inappropriate in a work Slack channel. Match the tone and content to the platform and audience.
Don't Force It
If a meme idea isn't working, don't try to force it by adding more text or explanations. A meme should be immediately obvious. If it needs explaining, it's not ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best image size for memes?
For general sharing: 1080x1080 (square) or 1200x900 (landscape). For Instagram feed: 1080x1080. For Twitter/X: 1200x675 (16:9). Use BestPNG's social resize to format for specific platforms.
Can I use copyrighted images in memes?
Memes generally fall under fair use in most jurisdictions because they're transformative, non-commercial, and use a small portion of the original work. However, this isn't absolute legal protection. Commercial use of memes with copyrighted images carries more legal risk.
What font do memes use?
The classic meme font is Impact, a bold condensed sans-serif included with Windows since 1998. Alternatives include Bebas Neue, Oswald, and Anton. For modern memes, any clean sans-serif (Helvetica, Arial, Inter) works.
How do I make a meme without a watermark?
BestPNG's meme generator produces memes with no watermark. Many free meme generators add watermarks that require payment to remove — BestPNG doesn't.
Can I make animated memes (GIFs)?
BestPNG's meme generator currently focuses on static image memes. For animated memes, you'd need a GIF editor or video editing tool. Static memes are more widely shareable since they work everywhere, while GIFs may not play on all platforms.
Conclusion
Making a meme is easy. Making a good meme requires understanding the template, keeping the text short, and using the right visual format. Choose a template that matches your idea, write punchy top/bottom text, and use BestPNG's meme generator to put it together in seconds.
The best memes feel effortless — which, ironically, sometimes takes a few tries to achieve.