Humor is both personal and generational. What I may find amusing, my kids may find boring or irrelevant. While jokes can add levity to the workday and bring some fun to the family dinner table, what might be funny to your family or coworkers, might get “Huh?” from others. For example, someone commented on social media about taking their first flight ever by way of the European airline Ryanair.  The airline responded with a post asking the person if they wanted a medal. Is their response funny or obnoxious? It depends on who you ask.

Trying too hard to be funny can make your posts seem contrived at best and insincere at worst, not to mention leave many scratching their head.  If you are going to post on social media, whether it is X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or another social media platform, the best thing you can do is share information, be it about your industry, or, judiciously, about your company and its offerings.

It has been said that one can be a source or a drain. Since people always are looking for information on all sorts of subjects, your social media posts should a place where people can get useful content. Be a source, and make sure your social media posts read like a human actually wrote them.

Here are some tips for the best way to strike a balance between being conversational and being professional:

Know your Audience

Be a source for them. Unless you are a stand-up comedian, your posts don’t need to elicit laughs. Be very mindful of who your audience is and what they may or may not find amusing or of interest. Make it all about them, not about you. What do they want to see or read?

Start a Conversation

Engage your audience by asking a question, giving complements, tagging others or commenting on other posts.  Doing these things will encourage interaction, gain followers and, hopefully,  turn them into loyal customers.

Show Emotion

Insert some humanity into your posts by using GIFs, emojis and hashtags. In addition, positive language can make your posts feel more human and less like it came from “headquarters.”  Don’t forget to acknowledge followers by tagging them and giving credit to publications you reference.   

Use Cheerful Images

The old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words is true.  Brighten your posts with photos or illustrations. You can purchase stock images to accompany social media posts or even take photos with your smartphone to add a personal touch. 

There is a way to strike a balance between being conversational and professional in your social media posts.  You can show your company’s human side by sparking conversation, using emojis and sharing colorful and cheerful images. Ultimately, you want your social media presence to connect with your audience and give them something that makes them react and maybe even smile.