What are the most effective ways to use humor and controversy in your content marketing?

India LOVES humour and a little drama! But as a business, there's a fine line: My experience is that humour works best if it connects with your brand. Silly memes just for likes won't help if they have nothing to do with what you actually sell.

They'll forget what you do or say, but they'll never forget how you made them feel - Maya Angelou This is the key insight that content marketers need to remember. If you want to make memorable and lasting content you need your audience to feel something. Humour & controversy are two time proven ways to do that. The use of appropraite humour will trigger positive emotions in your audience. The dopamine hit creating a positive association with your brand. Equally controversy grabs attention and stimulates emotion. Take for example the 'loss aversion bias'. By framing an idea in a way that implies the reader will miss out on something (controversy) research shows they are two times more likely to engage with that material. A no brainer!

In my case, humour is the product. So whenever I am responding to an enquiry for a corporate comedy show, the response. e-mail may have a subtle joke that indicates my ability to uniquely understand their company and industry. It is important for me to either get this right,or avoid prematurely sharing humour that may not work over e-mail in a pre-show discussion vs how it would have landed in front of a live audience. A wrong perception may cost me the assignment but a right joke sets me apart from all competitors.

The goal of humor and controversy is to break the scroll. So, they're a fantastic way to spice up the hook of your post, the subject line of your email, or the first 30 seconds of your video. In small doses, controversy can help you distinguish your Ideal Customers from those who are not your Ideal Customers. You can achieve this by challenging a certain belief that's related to what you offer. In his book "Primal Branding," Patrick Hanlon talks about "non-believers" and how having them actually acts as a glue that brings the "believers" together around the brand. Unfortunately, many people use controversy simply to get attention and achieve nothing as a result because the topic of controversy isn't connected to their brand.

In content marketing, I use humor by incorporating witty remarks, relatable jokes, or light-hearted stories that align with my brand's voice and resonate with my audience, ensuring it's inclusive and sensitive to diverse backgrounds. When leveraging controversy, I tread carefully, choosing topics that spark healthy debate without alienating my audience. I aim for discussions that are relevant to my industry and encourage engagement through thought-provoking content. Both strategies require a deep understanding of my audience's preferences and boundaries. By balancing humor and controversy, I enhance engagement, foster a connection with my audience, and differentiate my brand, ensuring that content aligns with my brand values and mission.

India is SO diverse – there is no one-size-fits-all humor that works here. Here's my tip: → Start small! Test out light humor or slightly edgy topics based on your niche. Watch the comments – did they like it, hate it, or just ignore it? Adjust before going all in!

→ Understanding your audience's sense of humor and sensitivities is crucial to ensure your content resonates with them. → Research your audience, analyze their demographics, interests, and online behaviors to effectively tailor your humor and controversial content.

Localization is crucial, yet it can be a double-edged sword. What I mean is, if you can create humor that only a specific niche would understand, others may feel excluded. On the other hand, if you aim to create a generic joke that appeals to everyone, it may make you less unique. Therefore, it's essential to choose your playing ground carefully and incorporate localization and glocalization into your ideation process.

Know Your Audience: This is paramount. Humor that one demographic finds hilarious might offend another. Understand your audience's values, sensitivities, and sense of humor to avoid crossing lines.

Using controversy for the sake of it is pointless in India – audiences get hyped fast, but move on even faster. Here's the thing: → Your edgy posts still need a goal! Are you trying to get comments, raise awareness for a cause, or position your brand as cutting-edge? Knowing this helps tailor the approach.

I don't believe humor should always be tied to a quantifiable goal. You should use humor in your marketing efforts because it can help set you apart from competitors, solidify your position in the market, or create the kind of brand awareness or perception you want.

Align with Your Goals: What are you trying to achieve with your content? Humor and controversy can be great for engagement, but may not be suitable for building trust or promoting authority. Consider the Risks: • Offending Your Audience: Misjudging your audience can lead to backlash and damage your brand reputation. • Diluting Your Message: Ensure the humor or controversy doesn't overshadow your core message or brand values. • Negative Publicity: If not handled carefully, your content could attract unwanted attention and criticism.

This answer totally depends on your brand. Take Wendy's or SparkNotes or Fruit Rollops or SlimJims or a myriad of other brands that have succeeded in revamping their brand and establishing themselves as funny social media hackers. Using humor is not about adding value at all times. It's about connecting with your audience.

→ Excessive humor or controversy can backfire and alienate your audience. → Find an appropriate balance and strategically use humor and controversy sparingly in your content.

Para a criação de conteúdo de humor é essencial o monitoramento para melhor compreender até onde pode-se chegar nesse humor, de que forma usá-lo, qual linguagem se utilizar, como será o tom desse humor (ex.: caricato ou sarcástico?) e quais atitudes inclusive são "proibidas" para esse público. Outra razão do monitoramento é compreender como funciona a quebra de expectativa para este público. O humor depende da quebra da expectativa.

Here's a valuable tip: Analyze screen recordings of users who quickly abandon your website using Microsoft Clarity. Pay close attention to their interactions with the content, particularly the humorous elements you've incorporated. If these humorous bits don't resonate with your target audience, adjust the tone and level of humor accordingly. By observing user behavior, you can fine-tune your language to better connect with your audience.

The Indian market changes so quickly, what worked last year might not now! My approach has been: Don't get attached to one type of content! Keep an eye on what's going viral in your area of business. Adapt what works (without copying) and ditch what flops.

A great way to incorporate humor in your content marketing efforts is to implement memes. Go for trends your audience will know about, even if they are incredibly niche. Connect your brand visually to the chosen memes. Try out different formats. Be bold. Trust me, it's worth it!

→ Humor and controversy can be powerful tools in content marketing but must be used with sensitivity and strategy. → Always maintain authenticity and brand consistency when creating humorous or controversial content. → Be prepared to take responsibility and manage any negative reactions that may arise from your controversial content.

I personally love the marketing humor of Tom Fishburne's "Marketoonist" cartoons. If there is someone who has established themselves, seek out and share their humor, as appropriate.