With the World Series underway, it only seems fitting that I reference the classic Abbot and Costello skit to discuss how brands can use a bit of humor in their blog titles and subheadings.
Abbott: Well, let’s see, we have on the bags, Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know is on third…
Costello: That’s what I want to find out.
Abbott: I say Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know’s on third.
Costello: Are you the manager?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: You gonna be the coach too?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And you don’t know the fellows’ names?
Abbott: Well I should.
Costello: Well then who’s on first?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: I mean the fellow’s name.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy on first.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The first baseman.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy playing…
Abbott: Who is on first!
While the skit goes on to increasing levels of ironic hilarity, you see the point. Humor can and always will be one of the things that connects us. Whether you are the brand trying to connect with a customer, or the customer trying to build a relationship with a certain brand, the road to understanding can easily be paved with bits of humor.
Who’s On The First Heading
Have you struggled to find your brand’s humorous voice? If so, don’t worry. Not only are their great resources out there for “finding your funny,” but you can also start with the smallest, and yet often the most influential portion of a post … the headers. The heading offers a unique chance for you to drop a good one-liner. Whether you use a question or a statement, there are three defining characteristics of a header:
- Short, sweet, and to the point. A good percentage of your readers will only look at the headers. Make sure that they are concise, yet humorous if you want your readers to chuckle, bookmark the post, and eventually read all of your carefully crafted words.
- Help! I’m in a nutshell. Every time I read, hear, or write that phrase, I automatically think of the iconic Austin Powers scene. But when it comes to describing headers, the phrase takes on a more colloquial meaning, i.e. your headers should succinctly summarize (in a nutshell) the information that is provided in the following paragraphs.
- Positively memorable. The third key trait of headers is that they should be memorable within the blog post. Take, for example, the headers within this post. They continue the initial trend set forth in the title, help you (the reader) keep track of the provided information, and if nothing else will make you giggle as you create a positive association between the headers and the beloved Abbott and Costello skit.
What’s Switching Hitting For The Title
Titles can make or break a blog post. In fact, that’s one of the reasons that so many blog posts, email campaigns, newsletters, and websites undergo A/B split tests. In short, it is the title that first convinces a potential reader to click to learn more. With this in mind, adding a bit of humor to your title is a great way to get a laugh, elicit extra shares on social media platforms, and pave the road for a beautiful relationship with the reader. After all, who doesn’t love a good laugh?
Now, the key to adding humor to your titles is to think before you write, and of course follow these tips.
- A punny title is funny in its own right.
- Think of titles as the punchline to a good joke. Let the blog post become the story behind the joke.
- Witty titles often gain traction with wider audiences.
- It’s okay to use a two-part title. For example, start by asking a short question, then use a bit of humor to answer the question in the second part of the title.
- An obvious play on words holds a different power than the subtle reference that the reader only gets when they read the meta-description.
I Don’t Know Is Batting The Closing Paragraph
The moral of this story should be simple, in the words of Costello, “I throw the ball to who. Whoever it is drops the ball and the guy runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don’t Know. I Don’t Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Triple play. Another guy gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don’t know! He’s on third and I don’t give a darn!”
In other words, by adding a bit of humor to the title and headers within your blog post, you can break up the content, elicit a few laughs, and create a digital marketing piece that is truly memorable.
