Hi 3 Ways to Use Humor to Keep Your Audience Coming Back!.

Hi 3 Ways to Use Humor to Keep Your Audience Coming Back!.

Is humor part of your brand’s personality?

Do you wonder if it should be?

When humor fits with your brand’s online identity, it can be a powerful social media tool.

In this article includes examples of three ways you can use humor to grab attention.

Define Your Online Tone;

Humor is an excellent addition to your social media toolbox. 

It makes your brand memorable, invites conversation and improves shares, likes or retweets.

If you want to use humor as a social media marketing tactic, you’ll find good examples later in this article, but first let’s talk about the importance of defining your online voice (or tone). 

Humor relies on having the right tone.

I first heard about the tone of voice triangle from Bruce Daisley. 

He explained that each point of the triangle represents an aspect of your brand’s tone: 

Fun, Help and Give Info.

To define your social media personality, choose the two elements that best reflect your brand’s tone. 

You don’t have to eliminate the third element, but the two strongest ones should direct your online personality.

As an example of how tone affects humor, let’s look at Bunsen Burger, a gourmet burger restaurant in Dublin. 

They're known for their sparse menu and the care and attention they put into creating their delicious burgers. 

- "It’s a popular spot for hipsters and most nights there’s a long line to get in"...,

If we apply the tone of voice triangle to their business, Fun and Give Info are their strong points. 

Those two elements (especially Fun) are reflected in their Facebook updates.

The picture below is an example of how their Facebook page is bursting with humor. 

It’s a perfect fit for their audience.

Before you start injecting jokes into your own social media marketing, take the time to make sure everything fits together.

Ask yourself how your offline and online identities work together. 

Does humor fit with both? 

How do your customers, fans and followers view you? 

Do they think of you as cheeky, friendly or edgy—or reserved and conventional?

Some businesses may be more suited to humor than others. 

- "Depending on your strongest triangle elements and your answers to the questions above, you may find that humor doesn’t fit your goals or audience".

That’s the case for Mark & Spencer, a department store renowned in Britain and Ireland as a quality brand. 

If they were to use the tone of voice triangle, their best matches would be Help and Give Info.

Their established voice is very conventional and is so strongly ingrained in its audience that humor doesn’t fit (although they can get away with the occasional bad pun).

If you've decided that humor is a good fit for your brand, keep reading. 

Below you’ll find three ways you can attract attention with amusing updates:

#1: Have Fun With Your Fans;

A sense of humor can go a long way when you’re talking to customers online. 

Of course you have to take customer queries and complaints seriously, but there are times when you can add a bit of levity.

In a recent Twitter campaign, mobile phone carrier Three UK asked people to tweet them a word. 

If the tweeter’s word was chosen, the Three UK choir would sing it to them.

People tweeted all kinds of words and Three UK responded to all of them with fun and a smile. 

Their followers loved the interaction—and the final video.

Three UK had a funny take on even the most bizarre suggestions.

Mick’s Garage in Dublin is another example of a company that includes humor in their customer responses.

Every Monday, they invite their Facebook audience to ask their mechanics questions.

The casual tone of the updates brings in a mixture of both jokes and serious responses.

#2: Tell a Great Story;

A funny story grabs attention and stays in the minds of your audience, even when the humor is understated.

Back in 2010, one of my favorite Facebook pages, Hairy Baby, shared a great story about Seamus, a bird that got stuck in their factory. 

Seamus was only there a few days, but the company posted a series of updates that have stuck in my mind ever since.

In this picture you can see that Hairy Baby took this adventure very seriously.

All of the posts on Hairy Baby’s page are family-friendly and fun. 

They'll make you laugh out loud from time to time too.

Zwartbles Ireland also tells a really good tale. 

They raise a rare breed of sheep and sell the wool and blankets made from that wool.

The company has given each sheep—and the Cat Shepherd who corrals them—a personality. 

The animals’ day-to-day antics are a central part of the company’s online marketing.

 Fans follow them on Facebook for regular updates.

The sheep’s cohort, the Cat Shepherd, has become so popular he got his own spin-off page!

These day-to-day updates aren't laugh-out-loud funny, but like Hairy Baby’s updates, they're cute, family-friendly and endearing.

Use humor in your storytelling and you'll ensure not only that people remember your brand, but also that they'll smile when they do so.

#3: Take a Calculated Risk;

Pushing the boundaries of humor can be an amazing boost for your profile or it can be wildly unsuccessful and do more harm than good.

Do you remember the JC Penney tweets from the Super Bowl? 

Until they revealed the punch line—that they were tweeting while wearing mittens—more than a few people assumed they were drinking and tweeting.

Some companies are more comfortable stepping over the boundaries of good taste than others. 

- "It’s a calculated risk, but if your audience is game, you could win big".

Over to You;

Using humor will help you be memorable, make it easier to connect with your community and help you define your personality.

Each social channel has a different tone. 

As with all marketing campaigns, the key to success is to know your audience and what’s appropriate for your brand and the networks you’re using.

The examples are mostly from Facebook and Twitter, as these are places where users expect entertainment, but go ahead and try out other social channels as well.

Instagram is a good choice for sharing funny in-the-moment pictures, but tread carefully if you’re sharing on a more professional website like LinkedIn.

What do you think? 

Have you used humor as a social media tactic? 

How did your audience respond?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments & suggestions.

Hi 5 Tips for Using Humor in Your Social Media Activities!.

Can you remember something funny? 

Humor can go a long way with social media.

Are you considering using humor with your social media activities? 

- "If so, this article reveals some tips to get you on the right track".

Why humor?

It’s no surprise that using humor in advertising is an effective way to connect with your audience and humanize your brand or company, but what about using it for social media?

Adding humor to your social media strategy can be a great way to get people’s attention.

If you appeal to your audience emotionally, you’ll have a much better chance that they will further engage with your brand or product. 

Doing so will help your customers remember you, share your content and have a better understanding of what you stand for.

Finally, an emotional appeal differentiates you from the millions of other companies out there bombarding their social channels with nothing but self-promotion.

If you're not “humanizing” your brand, product or business, then you might be missing out on a ton of unseen potential.

Here are 5 tips to help you get started:

#1: Ask yourself WWJD?;

(What Would Jerry Do?);

Jerry Seinfeld has a simple formula for comedy. 

He takes everyday situations and asks himself, “What’s funny about this?” Apply this type of thinking to your brand, product or company.

A perfect example of this is Otterbox, a manufacturer of protective gear for handheld devices. 

Check out how they take a seemingly boring product and make it funny as hell.

#2: Keep it clean;

Steer clear of controversial topics and jokes in bad taste. 

A good example is earlier this year, fashion designer Kenneth Cole tried to be funny but instead won the award for most insensitive tweet of the year.

#3: Wittiness is terribly underrated;

Twitter and Facebook updates can go a long way with the right quip. 

Use your wittiness to compete against big budgets. 

Here are three perfect examples of how the wit is mightier than the ad dollar.

Here’s a tweet from “Rebel Red,” part of the www.MiddleSisterWines.com.

- "A witty take on a popular quote for a Facebook update from Cups and Cakes Bakery".

- "And a brilliantly funny Facebook update from Boccalone: Tasty Salted Pig Parts".

#4: Just because your company is serious doesn't mean all marketing has to be;

Don't take yourself too seriously. 

Poke fun at yourself by doing a parody of your company or your industry. HubSpot wears their marketing mullet loud and proud—mixing the business up front with the party in the back. 

Check out how they spoofed social media with Foursquare Cops.

- "And in this video parody, IBM had some fun with Art of the Sale".

#5: The best humor comes naturally;

Experiment by recording video interviews with quirky customers and employees. 

Again I reference Otterbox as they apply this principle very well. 

Check out:

Being Funny Is a Risk:

Some people might not appreciate your company’s brand of humor. 

Business owners need to observe their target audience to make sure humor fits.

Being funny may not work for healthcare, financial services or any highly regulated industry.

The target market must always be considered. 

Running tests and focus groups to gather feedback is always a great idea. 

Try using an online survey to test your attempt at humor against an internal audience before you send it out. 

Comedy is subjective so don't expect to please everyone.

Using humor in social media levels the playing field between big-budget creative ad agencies and a clever marketer. 

Try having fun with your social messaging. You'll know it’s working when your customers enthusiastically reply, “That’s gold, Jerry!”

What do you think? If you’re using humor with your social media, let us know how it’s working for you. Leave your comments & suggestions in the box below.