If you got 10 upvotes within a day you probably will be around page 4, 5, which isn't shabby. When I make a meme, if I get around 8 upvotes I'm happy, it means it has potential and stood out from all the Latest memes that usually get maybe 1, 2 upvotes if any. If you hit a nerve/sweet spot and get 8-10 upvotes quickly, you will have a favorable placement on the Hot pages where your meme will be seen and potentially get more upvotes and climb up higher. Other than trying to master the art of a front page meme (I like to often say that front page comes when you least expect it), it helps to contribute good and funny comments to other memes on both the Hot pages and Latest pages. Some people may not see the benefit of contributing to the Latest pages, but it is a key part of the overall scheme. Seeing your own comment as the top comment to a front pager is cool, and will (usually) only happen if you made a good comment when it featured. Also those users will generally recognize and respect your contribution and may upvote your memes.
