How can humor, emotion, or controversy improve your SEO rankings?

Humor, emotion, and controversy can potentially improve your SEO rankings indirectly by engaging and attracting more users to your content, leading to increased traffic, longer dwell times, and more social shares.

I always vote for injecting humor. It's a great way to differentiate your content, grab the reader's attention, create a memorable experience, and encourage social sharing. All of these things play a role in enhancing a website's visibility and increasing the likelihood of higher search engine rankings. Plus, a touch of humor can humanize the content (which is much needed in our AI-obsessed world) and help establish a stronger connection with the audience, ideally leading to improved user experience and higher conversion rates. We all fall into the trap of writing for a certain channel or with SEO for Google. At the end of the day, we're writing for people, so humor, controversy, and emotion are important aspects to leverage.

By infusing emotion into your copywriting, you enhance people's identification with your content, prompting them to take action. Here are a couple of examples: 'Safeguard your family with our state-of-the-art security system. Don't wait until it's too late.' 'During challenging times, we stand by your side. You're never alone; we're in this together.'

Engaging people on an emotional level can significantly boost their interest and focus. Search engines, like Google, track this through a metric called "time on page." When users spend more time on your website or content, it sends a signal to search engine algorithms that your page is valuable and engaging. Consequently, this can lead to a higher ranking on search results pages, making it more likely for your content to be discovered and viewed by a larger audience. So, triggering emotional responses in people can play a crucial role in improving your online visibility and presence.

When it comes to adding humor to your writing, it's all about understanding your audience. After all, humor is like a secret handshake – it works best when everyone's in on the joke. The magic of humor often lies in relatability or cleverly subverting expectations in a way that tickles the funny bone. If you're writing with a dry, sophisticated wit in mind, keep it formal and structured. But if you're aiming for that casual, observational humor, let your writing be as relaxed and informal as a Sunday afternoon in sweatpants. Remember, humor isn't one-size-fits-all. So, tailor your approach to your audience, keep it fresh, and have a laugh along the way!

"Use phrases that have nothing to do with sexual problems. Create content that flips the usual meaning to surprise people. For instance, talk about a toothpaste that won't sting your eyes or add some humor to diet-related topics. Here are some examples:: "Our low-calorie snack is so light, even your scale won't notice it! No more feeling guilty about your midnight munchies." "Tired of toothpaste that feels like a sneak attack on your senses? Try our eye-friendly toothpaste – because your eyes deserve to stay out of the battlefield!"

Use of controversy in copywriting is a double-edged sword. It can generate discussion as well as heated debates that may sometimes seem offensive to your audience. You should possess a profound understanding of your target market. For example, if you are selling petroleum-related products, it's advisable not to include 'eco-friendly' topics unless you have a genuine product that can satisfy this need. here are couple of examples: "Make the Earth great again – ditch those gas-guzzling cars and join the electric vehicle revolution. It's time to leave fossil fuels in the dust" "Do you want to be that person eating kale salads every day? We didn't think so. Indulge in our sinfully delicious treats – life's too short for flavorless health food."

Some of the most intriguing instances of stirring controversy through writing, in my view, can be observed on platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter). For instance, posting statements like "X > Y" without providing an explanation can ignite a lively debate among your audience in the comments.