Using Humor and Creative Content to Capture B2B Attention

As Chris Bogue, a strategic advisor at Sendspark, puts it, “I feel like comedy is most important for that awareness stage.” Using humor effectively allows businesses to engage audiences on an emotional level, creating an entry point for more serious and educational content later in the buyer’s journey.

Why Humor Works in B2B Marketing

B2B marketing is generally viewed as dry and data-driven, focusing heavily on product specs, features, and ROI. However, this leaves a gap in humanizing the brand and connecting with the audience on a more personal level. 

Humor breaks through this monotony, grabbing attention in a way that data-driven content alone cannot. 

By making people laugh, businesses can evoke positive emotions and create a memorable experience that keeps the brand top-of-mind.

As Bogue explains, “B2B buyers may not yet fully understand their problems, and humor helps capture attention and keeps them engaged long enough to educate them on the real value.”

How to Use Humor Effectively in B2B Marketing

1. Start with Lighthearted Content

For many B2B buyers, the awareness stage is the first interaction they have with your brand. Instead of diving straight into serious product details, use humor to capture their attention. 

This could be in the form of a funny social media post, a lighthearted video, or a meme that pokes fun at common industry problems.

• Actionable Tip: Use humor to highlight relatable challenges or industry trends that your audience experiences. Light humor opens the door to more serious conversations later.

2. Blend Humor with Educational Content

Once you’ve captured attention, it’s important to follow up with educational content that provides value. Humor should be the hook, but education should be the line that reels the audience in. 

For example, you can start a blog post or video with a funny anecdote, but quickly transition into more practical, informative content that addresses the customer’s pain points.

• Actionable Tip: Create a balance between humor and value. Use humor to introduce key topics or set the tone, but make sure you deliver actionable insights that address the audience’s needs.

3. Use Relatable Scenarios

Humor works best when it is based on relatable experiences. In the B2B space, this could involve making fun of everyday struggles in your target industry. 

When the audience can see themselves in the scenario you’re presenting, the humor becomes even more impactful.

Chris Bogue emphasizes, “What you want to do is figure out what is the pattern that everybody expects and how you can find a creative way to break the pattern.” This is where humor shines—it disrupts the norm and makes people take notice.

• Actionable Tip: Focus on industry-specific inside jokes or common challenges that your audience faces. Relating to their everyday problems in a humorous way shows that you understand them and makes your content more engaging.

4. Leverage Video and Visual Content

Video is a highly effective medium for humor because it combines visual elements with dialogue, timing, and delivery. A funny video can capture attention more effectively than a static post or blog article. 

Short, humorous videos are especially impactful on social media, where attention spans are shorter and the competition for visibility is fierce.

• Actionable Tip: Create short videos that use humor to communicate key messages about your product or industry. Test these on platforms like LinkedIn or YouTube to see what resonates best with your audience.

Case Study: BuzzFeed’s Billion-Dollar Strategy

BuzzFeed, a media company that rose to prominence through creative and often humorous content, offers a valuable case study on the power of humor. 

Their billion-dollar rise to success can largely be attributed to their willingness to take risks, experiment with different content formats, and use humor to connect with their audience.

According to Melissa Rosenthal, former CCO at ClickUp and VP of Creative at BuzzFeed, “BuzzFeed went from a tiny startup to a billion-dollar sensation by taking big risks, being super creative, and nailing a repeatable formula.” They used bold experimentation and humor to stand out in the crowded media space.

• Results: By building content that was both funny and relatable, BuzzFeed was able to connect with a broad audience and create content that people wanted to share. This strategy helped them grow their audience and establish themselves as a media powerhouse.

Humor can be a powerful tool in B2B marketing to capture attention and make your content more memorable. However, it’s important to balance humor with the right level of informational content to ensure your message resonates effectively with your audience.

Learn more about how to strike that balance in our article on balancing entertainment and information in B2B content, where we discuss the ideal mix of entertainment and useful insights in B2B marketing.

Key Takeaways for Startups

• Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks: Startups often stick to conventional B2B marketing approaches, but humor allows you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Use humor to disrupt the norm and grab attention.
• Create Relatable Content: The best humor comes from shared experiences. Focus on the everyday challenges your target audience faces and find ways to humorously address these issues.
• Blend Humor with Education: Use humor as a gateway to deliver educational content. Make your audience laugh, and then show them how your product or service solves their problems.

Conclusion

Humor can be a highly effective tool in B2B marketing, helping businesses capture attention, create a memorable brand, and build connections with their audience. By using humor to introduce serious topics, businesses can engage their audience in a way that feels relatable and fun, making it easier to transition into more educational and product-focused content. As Chris Bogue says, “You have to give them something they don’t expect.” When done right, humor can turn your B2B marketing from mundane to memorable.