Viral humor on today’s social media might be a close equivalent to yesterday’s funnies. We not only share these witty posts and clever burns with our friends and family, we also intentionally follow profiles that consistently use humor. Humor is a legitimate tool for earning a social media following, and the benefits of funny posts go well beyond simply getting one-time social media shares. Brands such as Wendy’s maintain a loyal following online, entirely derived from the tone of their social media presence.
For example, in June 2018, IHOP (the International House of Pancakes) temporarily changed its Twitter handle to IHOb to publicize its new burger menu offerings. When a fan tweeted this news to Wendy’s, its hilarious burn — “Not really afraid of the burgers from a place that decided pancakes were too hard” — was widely praised on and off social media.
Not really afraid of the burgers from a place that decided pancakes were too hard. — Wendy's (@Wendys) June 11, 2018
A quick look at the Lawrence, Kan., Police Department’s Twitter profile reveals why it’s known for its use of humor. Hats off to LKPD Officers Drew Fennelly and Derrick Smith for continually raising the bar for government humor. Not many agencies can say they’ve earned over half a million interactions on one tweet alone. In real life, their department is recognized, and even defended to outsiders, by citizens as a direct result of its Twitter style. Here's one of my favorites:
WE DID THE CLOWN THING LAST YEAR WE AREN'T DOING THIS AGAIN https://t.co/XZVLHFXIi2 — Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) September 6, 2017
https://t.co/rVbTTIAFBR pic.twitter.com/At6GOD6MP5 — CityLosAngeles-Jobs (@Citylajobs) January 18, 2018
If you’re anything like me, you continue to follow these profiles to see what these agencies will think of next. And maybe I’ll see you in the funny pages ...