Make someone laugh, and you’re probably going to get them to share. Laughter is one of the most easily and powerfully accessible emotions on the internet. You’ll rarely be able to get someone to burst out in anger or cry in sadness; but you can easily get someone to laugh suddenly and unexpectedly.
It’s hard to design humor. Instead of trying to make it happen, have an attitude of trying to capture humor when it happens. When a co-worker says something funny for example, write it down and create an image out of it. Or if you think something funny, have a journal nearby that you can use to jot down ideas.
Here are a few examples of funny pictures that got a lot of traction in Pinterest’s “Humor” section.
When Life Gives You Lemons …
This photo is hilarious, because it completes a sentence everyone has heard in an unexpected way. Comedians know this as a twist. Taking a common idea and giving it an unexpected twist is a good way to come up with funny ideas.
This pin got over 2,000 people to like it! Out of just 8,000 repins, that’s quite an achievement.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/257690409898121390/
Smile!
This is one of the most repinned photos of all time in the humor section, with over 25,000 repins. Its attraction is simple: It makes the baby look like it’s grinning hugely.
This is a great example of a moment you can’t really plan. When you see it, you know it – So just take out your camera and capture the moment.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/272467846175644883/
The Cutest Dog on Pinterest
This photo is very plain and simple. It’s a picture of a dog – An outrageously cute dog. People love photos of dogs, cats and babies online. There are sites with millions of visitors that do nothing but gather cute cat and dog images.
This photo got over 15,500 likes. Again, with photos like these, it’s more about capturing the moment than creating the moment.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/56506170294168687/
Sleep Ninja
This image really paints an image. When you read it, you can literally see her jumping out of her bed. You might also flash back to times in your life when you did the same. The key word here is “like a ninja,” which really makes this line come alive.
If you’re using a text-based humorous image, see if you can throw in words that create mental imagery. This image got almost 13,400 likes.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/161918549072313024/
Dude … You’re Not Adopted (And Controversy)
Market research firms have proven it again and again: People are drawn to faces. Women are especially drawn to baby faces. Faces with strong expressions are especially hard to look away from.
This image combines all these principles in an image that’s nearly impossible to ignore. The words match the image perfectly. It’s a joke, illustrated with baby actors that couldn’t have been more realistic.
If you find a good image on the internet, see if you can find a line, thought or joke that goes well with it. Alternatively, if you find a joke you like, see if you can find a picture to go with it.
This image also caused a bit of controversy because some people are offended by the perceived message that being adopted is a bad thing. This controversy possibly contributed to this image’s popularity as well. Of course, many can look at this picture and relate to it as the joke is a frequent childhood occurrence. It’s not intended to say, being adopted is bad, but a statement from one sibling to another that ‘I couldn’t possibly be related to you’.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/217439488228703636/
I’m So Glad You’re Home!
Here’s another great example of superimposing text on the perfect image. The joke is quite old – But add it to the right image and you really dimentionalize it.
If you’re trying to get an image to go viral in your niche, try finding a joke in your niche to start with and add an image to it. For example, if you’re in the cooking industry, you might Google “cooking jokes.” Find one or two you like, then find an appropriate image and you’re set!
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/68719857009/
Toilet Paper Origami
Do you have a devious side?
Don’t be afraid to let it come out a little. Deviousness or prankster-ness is an oft underestimated force online.
Here’s a great example. This image got over 10,000 repins. Someone suggested that you could fold other people’s toilet paper into origami.
You can bet that gave someone pause…and perhaps sparked a few ideas.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/142356038191141805/
Life Was Easier …
This image was posted some time ago, when Apple and Blackberry were still battling it out in the marketplace. This took something that was really hot in the news and turned it into a funny image. If you’re using humor to get more repins, try to tie in current events somehow. That way you tap into an already existing vein of interest.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/29273466297411774/
When I Yawn
When you take an experience and greatly exaggerate it, it’s often very funny. This photo does that by poking fun at how people think they look when they yawn. It’s also a good example of using an internet meme, which is kind of like a running joke with the internet community. This photo got more than 10,000 repins.
Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/112730796892735654/
As a rule of thumb, if your humor photo can make someone burst out laughing unexpectedly, it’ll probably do well. Publish it to your own audience first to give it an initial push. Then get as many repins as you possibly can.