People love to laugh and be happy! There are over 1 Billion websites now on the Internet (Check today’s updated number) and many, if not most of them, are boring. They look and feel like an encyclopedia of data with no feeling or appeal. Making web users smile or laugh can help make them remember who you are as a company. Saying this, everybody’s sense of humor is different so using humor on the web can be tricky but can also be very beneficial.

Facts to consider:

1. Not all industry types are appropriate to use humor.
2. Not all target audiences want humor on a website they visit.
3. Not all subject matters, services or products should use humor.
4. Cheesy humor may make a person laugh at the detriment of the company.
5. Humor can confuse the visitor.
6. Humor can make a visitor forget or miss what the actual message was.
7. Humor can offend.

So why use humor?

1. When someone smiles out of happiness (not sarcasm or meanness), they feel good at that moment and are more receptive to your message or call-to-action.
2. Humor can be great at making a website go viral which can provide free advertising for your company.
3. Humor can have an impact on the visitors and they have better chances to remember your company, its products and services.
4. Humor can help explain unusual or intricate concepts.
5. Humor can create an emotional bond even though you and your visitors are not physically in the same room.
6. Humor can help promote your brand and support your company’s culture.
7. Humor can be trendy and make your website current and up-to-date.

What you should do:

1. Consider your message and company’s image.
2. Consider your audience.
3. Consider your goal for your website.
4. Hire a professional with experience in “funny”.
5. Have a focused approach to humor. It should aim for a specific goal may it be being remembered or to have the visitor buy a product on your site.
6. Test first, analyze, adjust and decide if humor is right for your website.

What you should not do:

1. Be funny on your website only. The way you promote your brand online and offline should be the same or at least similar.
2. Be too funny or use joke in every single element of your website.
3. Be too subtle that most people will miss the point and be left confused or annoyed.
4. Not testing is really taking a huge chance so test first.

Still unsure about using humor on your website? Give us a call for a quick chat at (707) 794-9999 (Pacific Standard Time).