“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may update your Facebook status.”
It’s no joke that social media runs our lives. From Facebook to Instagram to Snapchat, we are constantly updating our followers with every detail of our lives. But, if you want to keep your audience engaged (and you definitely want to keep your audience engaged), think about bringing humor into your posts. That’s right, make your audience laugh and they’ll be begging for more!
Entertaining content is one of the top five reasons people follow a brand or individual. While taking on the persona of class clown may not be right for everyone, when done correctly, a few laughs here and there can benefit your social media presence and your brand!
“Facebook has passed 500 million members. If Facebook was a country, it would be the third-largest country on earth … and by far the least productive.” -Jimmy Kimmel
It grabs your audience’s attention. When building a brand, or maintaining one, you want to hold your audience’s attention. It’s a no-brainer, right? With so much going on in a digital world, it can be hard to stand out and, often times, your content gets lost in the shuffle. Content that is funny or unexpected grabs our attention. For better or worse (but hopefully better) it stands out among the sea of same ol’ same ol’ and gives your brand a better chance of being noticed.
“Facebook: What’s on your mind? … Twitter: What’s happening? … Myspace: Where did everybody go?” – Will Ferrell
It makes you memorable. A bit of wit doesn’t just captivate your audience, it makes your brand more memorable. Sometimes an ad is so good, you don’t remember what the ad was for. (It’s okay, we’ve all been there!) It doesn’t always matter as long as the message gets across and the content is being talked about.
Think about the TV ads you can recall. Which Super Bowl ads were you still talking about the next day? Most likely your office was abuzz with chatter about Tide, Eli and Odell. Heck, I’m still talking about them!
When something makes you laugh, you’re not only more likely to remember it, you’re more likely to talk about and share it. Research shows that only 42% of positive experiences are forgotten compared to 62% of negative experiences. That’s all the more reason to up your comedy game!
“Hey, yesterday, did you hear this? Computer hackers managed to shut down Twitter and my favorite, Facebook, for several hours. In a related story, yesterday American productivity jumped by 159%.” -Conan O’Brien
It evokes emotion. A good laugh releases endorphins which are responsible for making us feel happy and help manage stress levels. Don’t you want to make people happy and help manage stress levels?! Yep, you do because when a brand makes us happy, we feel connected to them in the same way we do when we are having a positive experience with a friend. (Thanks, endorphins!). How’s that for building relationships?
“Google is now developing a Facebook rival, a product similar to Facebook. They say their goal: so you never have to see your friends in real life ever again.” -Jay Leno
It provides audience insights. Figuring out the sweet spot between the everyday and the offensive is where comedy lies. It can also tell you a lot about the values and desires of your audience. This is a great way to determine (without offending anyone) who your audience is, what they like and dislike, and how to connect with them in a relatable way. Test the waters, dip your toes in and see what happens!
“A new study found that more than 11 million people have quit Facebook in the last three years. And unfortunately, none of them were your parents.” -Jimmy Fallon
It shows you’re human. But not so human that you tell jokes that are in bad taste- c’mon, man! Humor on social media allows you to showcase your brand’s more relatable side; show your followers who you are and what makes you laugh. When you are able to connect with your followers on a personal, human level, guess what, relationships begin to build and your brand (and brand awareness) begins to grow. Better still, your brand will grow organically with the type of audience that you want to attract; people like you who are interested in the same type of things you are interested in. People who have similar values as your brand.
Be aware though, all comedy is not for all people. As with all marketing (but especially this kind of marketing) comedy is subjective so don’t expect to please everyone and do steer clear of controversial topics! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
So, what do you think? Will you try out humor in your social media strategy? Have you tried it in the past with success or did you bomb? I’d love to hear your success stories- or lack thereof (we can’t all be Mrs. Maisel)!
There are so many social media marketing tactics but it’s important to have fun with your marketing. Comedy is just one of the many ways to let your personality shine! Remember to be you and you’ll attract an audience! Confidence and quality are key!