Big or small, young or old, highly successful or just starting in life – we all love to laugh.
Plus, there are plenty of benefits for the brain and the body. A good laughing session increases the intake of oxygen-rich air, leading to better circulation, stress release, and increased endorphins.
Moreover, good vibes are contagious and can be spread around via a wide range of channels (including the internet). This is why most viral social media bits and ads have a humorous base. But humor is one of the most complex human processes, and it doesn’t help that it’s based on an individual’s preferences.
Therefore, you have to be a truly talented content creator to design ads and sketches that appeal to a wide audience through humor. You also need to worry about preserving the message of your campaign and ensuring it stays in focus.
The good news is that you can learn how and where to add a dash of humor to improve your content. And to help spark your inspiration, we put together a few tips.
Keep It Natural
You can’t force humor.
That being said, there are ways to get a chuckle out of your audience if you find natural ways to introduce anecdotes and funny stories into your content or presentations. Plus, when you get your inspiration from reality (it doesn’t have to be your reality), it’s easier for people to relate to your story.
As we already said, the right type of humor can help you create engaging content your audience will want to interact with. Funny stories based on reality may not get your audience laughing out loud, but they can help humanize your brand and create a deeper connection.
Avoid Offensive Humor
Controversial jokes are a special tool that can have unpredictable results on your audience. While this type of humor does get a reaction out of your audience and may create some short-lived engagement, it’s best to stay away from it.
As times change, people tend to avoid brands that have a bad reputation, and offensive humor is a great way to damage yours. Plus, when the entire internet debates your special sense of humor, the brand messaging is entirely lost.
Inspire Positivity
Laughter can bring a bit of sunshine into your life even when things don’t go as planned. The sheer act of smiling triggers the release of dopamine and endorphins, making you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
But we sometimes need to be reminded to smile. As a brand, you can do this through funny and inspiring messages, cute products, or personalized corporate gifts (for employees and business partners).
The main idea is to focus on spreading positivity through harmless humor that brings a smile to people’s faces. In the long run, this strategy can bring you more attention both online and offline.
Small Dosage
Unless you know how to use humor on a large scale (something usually reserved for stand-up comedians), it’s best to use it responsibly. Cute jokes or lame puns that work on your specific audience can help you increase social connections and improve your brand’s online presence.
Humor is a social phenomenon, and we like to stay in touch with people with the same preferences. For instance, if your main audience is family men over 40, you may spice things up with a few dad puns sprinkled here and there on your campaigns or social media accounts. Followers who like these jokes will most likely want to share them with family and friends, which leads to better engagement and brand visibility.
Key Takeaways
Brands can use humor to inspire engagement and connect with audiences, but it has to be used right. As a rule of thumb, when introduced naturally, in small doses, and used to inspire positivity, humor is a great marketing tool.