Why it's important to be funny on TikTok (and how to get good at it)

If there's one thing that TikTok users love, it's a good joke. Together, videos posted to the hashtags #funny and #comedy have six trillion views. At first, that number seems unusually high; but in reality, it isn't all that surprising. TikTok is a source of joy and entertainment for viewers, and what's more entertaining and joyful than some laughs?

Plus, the platform's humor is shaped by the storytelling formats and styles that creators have shaped over time. So the jokes on TikTok can only be found on TikTok. (Well, it can also be found re-posted elsewhere. But you can always tell.) That means that TikTok's humor is one of its key differentiators—something that keeps viewers coming back day after day.

Comedy can work for just about any brand; massive, multinational corporations can leverage it just as well as small mom-and-pop shops. That's because there's a strong correlation between comedy and purchase intent for viewers, no matter which advertiser is using it.

• 30% of TikTok users said humor in creator content was a top motivation for purchase intent.¹

• "Funny" is the top video category that viewers want to see from creators.²

• 7 in 10 viewers say "making people laugh" is considered the most enjoyable aspect of watching TikTok ads.³

Strategies for enhancing your brand’s comedy voice

Every advertiser's approach to TikTok humor will be different, but there are some macro-level strategies brands can take to refine their humor strategy. To figure out what those strategies are, we looked at:

• Creator POVs: We asked creators, including @oneilthomas97, for their personal advice on creating successful brand campaigns. Creators, after all, know TikTok comedy better than anyone.

• TikTok research: We cross-referenced that with first-party data about our viewers’ thoughts on topics (including comedy).

• Observed behavior: We watched successful, funny brand campaigns to better understand how they leveraged humor.

Combining those all together, we came up with some top-line advice for how brands can be funny on TikTok.

How to be funny on TikTok

The best piece of advice is to work with creators. Humor moves fast on the platform, since memes and trends can be niche or hard to follow. But creators know how to keep up. They're making the jokes, so they have an uncanny ability to craft branded video ideas that reflect TikTok's sense of humor while sharing a client's message.

In addition to working with creators, here are some strategies advertisers can take to shape up their comedic voice on TikTok:

1. Mine the For You page for inspo. The feed is overflowing with trends, filters, formats, references, and other ideas that brands can use in their content. 82% of those who create on TikTok say other users inspire them to create.⁴

2. Know your memes. They're a jumping-off point for creative ideas, and they can help brands signal to viewers that they're in on the fun.

3. Remixing a trend leads to a 14% uplift in view time for ads.³

4. Let creators say it their way. Delivery is essential in comedy. When working with creators on branded comedy videos, it's essential that they deliver the punchline in a way they think makes sense; otherwise, the idea may fall flat.

5. Play with style. Creative risks are respected and rewarded on TikTok. Qualities that may seem avant-garde (like surrealism and informal content) are essential to TikTok humor. TikTok is the place to swing big and see what works. 79% of users agree that brands should experiment with different topics and interests on TikTok.⁴

6. Trust a creator's vision. Users check other apps, but they watch TikTok. Creators' artistic sensibilities and attunement to the platform are more valuable than anything else, since they drive up the entertainment value of a video.

The best tools For You

Not sure how to find the best comedy creator to bring your humor campaign to life? We've got it covered. Our creator solutions are a suite of products that help advertisers connect with the perfect creators for a campaign; through these tools, brands can do everything from find creators, send contracts, track campaign management, and pay talent.

There are two key ways that advertisers can engage creators through these tools:

• Search for (and hire) the perfect creator: Search our database of over two million qualified creators, filter for things like region and content type, and find the perfect creative mind to bring your humor campaign to life

• Invite creators to proactively post or apply: We have features that enable creators to make content based on briefs. There are tools that let them pitch ideas before they're made, and ones that let them proactively make content that can either be featured as typical videos or as ad creative.

Ready to jump into your humor campaign, now that you have the intel you need to nail it? Connect with the best creators to get things rolling!

Sources

1. TikTok Marketing Science Global Creators Like Me Study 2021 conducted by Hotspex

2. TikTok Marketing Science Global Creators Drive Commerce Study 2022 conducted by Material

3. TikTok Marketing Science US SMB Creative Research, conducted by Lumen, 2022

4. TikTok Marketing Science Global Community and Self-Expression Study 2021 conducted by Flamingo