What does everybody love? The answer is laughter. If you can make someone laugh or smile, you will definitely get their attention – that is what marketing should be actually about. Nowadays, we see that humor on social media platforms is getting incredibly popular. Whether it be through memes, funny animal videos, or act-outs on TikTok, everybody craves a worthwhile distraction. After all, people are on social media to see things that lift their spirits from the mundane.

 

Everyone with a social media account knows that humor is making big rounds on the platforms, but consuming it is much simpler than producing quality content. While humor can be an excellent tool for marketing purposes, there needs to be a delicate skillfulness behind it. Cheap laughs can make people cringe, whereas great jokes elicit uncontrollable positive reactions. Great humor is undeniable and gets people at a core level. Not many things can achieve such gut-reactions – even though beauty, love, and fun gaming experiences like free play book of ra come to mind. When quality humor is coupled with good marketing, it makes for a hefty combination. Heaps of money have been generated based on jokes. Take, for example, meme characters and meme-related jokes. They are often cultural parodies that feature witty insights. Simply by being funny, memes can become cultural symbols that successfully sell t-shirts, cups, and so on.

 

When strategically used, humor can quickly build up follower numbers, create a customer-to-brand connection, and ultimately, sell products. Social media content is the perfect avenue to realize these ideas. Amongst other things, because posts can go viral very quickly. If you hit the right vein, you may see your follower numbers blow through the roof in as little as hours. In this article, we aim to explain why humor in social media marketing is incredibly potent, as well as how you can take your social media campaigns to the next level.

 

The Benefits of Humor on Social Media Networks 

Relatability

Being relatable is hugely important nowadays, especially when it comes to connecting with the younger generation, commonly called Gen Z and Millenials. Their values differ from those of the older generation, and thus marketing has to be approached in that context. It used to be that providing value meant you are competent at what you do, you are interesting, and your work is of high quality. Whether you are a single entity or run a business of your own, being just good isn’t quite enough these days. There is so much competition out there, and many brands are great at what they do. The key to standing out is to become relatable. When people can identify with a core message of a company, they feel at home. Once people start identifying with a brand, it translates to customer loyalty.

 

Relatability can be achieved in many ways, but not much is as effective as when comedy is used well. When marketing is coupled with good jokes, there is inherent value in it because people get a good laugh. If that is done consistently on social media, people will look forward to more posts from a given account. Wit and clever tongue-in-cheek remarks about something that customers can relate to generates a feeling of connectedness, as well as a joy of being in-on-the-joke. When one gets a joke, it instantly gives the notion that the originator shares a similar point of view, thereby leading to a feeling of identification.

 

Memorability

When you think of the most memorable posts or ad, campaigns that make you laugh are likely to stand out. Great humor tends to stick in one’s mind, whether you want it or not. Just think of the many funny movie quotes that become classic lines. People tend to recite cult-lines for decades. On the other hand, remembering cold facts can be cumbersome. What makes you laugh links you to it by eliciting a positive emotion. That is what you want to stay in people’s memory and make them yearn for more. Even after weeks of seeing a funny meme, or post, punchlines can still make one smile. It is of great value when it comes to customer engagement, getting people to love what you do, and follow your social media content.

Shareable Content

Humor indeed works across the board when it comes to marketing purposes. However, it is especially well suited for social media advertising because every repost, like, and share aid your purposes – getting new followers and spreading your influence. In case you are successful in crafting a funny post, the theoretical reach of it is almost unlimited. We have seen that with viral posts, again and again. People are naturally inclined to share something that put a smile on their face. Whether that be on forums or in friend circles, the results are still the same. According to reports, humorous content is excellent at eliciting engagement from users. Funny posts that are coupled with elements of inspiration achieve even higher marks of appreciation. Those ideas can lead to sweeping up more fans and raising your online social status. For business owners, such insights, cleverly applied, can translate to more sales and a higher ROI.

How Humor Acts on The Brain

The power of humor seems so natural that there is no doubt about its value. But why is it so great? Extensive research studies shed more light on the answers by showing us what exactly happens in our brains when we find something funny. Jokes get registered as electrical signals by our frontal lobes, then travel to the cerebral cortex where the compulsion to laugh results. Laughter triggers the reward center of the brain. That results in the release of a concoction of feel-good compounds known as neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. These miraculous things are responsible for all the blissful feelings that we experience in our bodies. In turn, it can be said that qualitative and funny social media marketing plays the biological system like an instrument. Funny ideas result in a symphony of positive feelings on the receiving end. Anything that produces large amounts of the feel-good neurotransmitters becomes craved after a while. That explains the strong impact and will for engagement when people enjoy a funny post.

Emotional Impact

The mentioned neurotransmitters are also responsible for the regulation and increase of emotional connection. When we see an online source, be it a person or brand, that continuously manages to make us laugh, we become emotionally involved. Whether that is perceived or subconscious, the neurotransmitters are doing their work. That works to boost a willingness for continuous engagement and also to establish loyalty. Surely, loyalty that is based on a natural compulsion is what you want from your followers and clients.

Conclusion

All in all, we all know that humor is something to cherish. Great jokes give us a small escape from all kinds of worries and provide lightheartedness amid the scramble of everyday life. That can be used excellently to boost one’s follower numbers as it fills a desire shared by everyone – happiness. Remember, posts are especially successful when funny insights are coupled with inspirational ideas. Take this to heart, and we are sure that your accounts will see a boost in followers. If you have any tips and tricks regarding social media management, advertising, or just thoughts on what makes you laugh most, please share them with us! We would love to hear your opinions.

 

Author: Thomas Glare

Thomas Glare is an experienced copywriter and digital marketer with a master’s degree in media studies. He helps his clients (such as Sizzling Hot) identify their brand identity and core message, attract customers, and sell services. Thomas also loves blogging about marketing. It helps him to stay on top of all the emerging trends in the fast-changing world of advertising.