Connecting with your audience is so important when creating videos and as John Cleese once said:
“Laughter connects you with people.”
Using humor in your presentations can also help people to learn and retain information more easily.
So surely including a few jokes in your video is a good idea?
Well, no, not always…
Three things to consider before you use humor in your videos
1. Everyone has a different sense of humor
Whilst we all love to laugh, our sense of humor is a personal thing; influenced by our language, culture, age, background and more. What one person finds hilarious, another person could find offensive.
2. Not everyone is a comedian
Ever been to a comedy club and sat through a truly dreadful performance? Making people laugh, or even smile, is harder than it looks.
Successful comedy is about much more than words – it’s about tone, body language, timing and other visual or audio clues too. And any comedian will tell you there’s nothing worse than a joke falling flat.
If you’re not a natural-born comic, it’s probably best to leave the humor out. Instead, focus on making your content interesting and valuable.
3. Is it relevant?
The most fantastic joke or funny story is only appropriate if it relates to your key message. Even the best joke in the world will not be well-received if it’s not relevant to the topic.
Use humor carefully
So be 100% sure the jokes will work and if you’re not sure, then leave them out:
A simple rule to follow
To decide whether to use humor in your videos, ask yourself whether it supports your message.
Is it necessary?
If yes, and you’re confident it’ll land well with your audience, then go for it.
For more top tips on video script writing, check out our other articles on this topic.
What makes you laugh?
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