Punchline Conversion Copywriting

You like’a da funny? Then you’ll like’a Lianna.

Lianna Patch is New Orleans based conversion copywriter & improv comic. She’s the loudest mouth on the internet shouting about humor in your copy—and her tweets are a goldmine of examples, powered by boxed wine. You can find her full comedic glory at Punchline Copy, and see her more serious side at Snap Copy.

Lianna does all the things a younger, funnier, single me wishes he did before he went corporate.

She recently posted a hallmark example of how to use comedy in writing: 10 Easy-As-Pie Punchups for Warmer, Funnier, More Personable Copy.

When I reached out to and asked her about creating alternate headlines for it, she said no.

…But she kindly pointed me to this video on her site.

Aside from 1 Buzzfeed-y cat clip, I haven’t done much with video. So I said yes. But I knew writing 100 lines for a 6-minute piece would be a challenge. And I put it off until I was ready. I’m glad I did. Because now it’s time.

Here are 100 alternate headlines for Lianna Patch’s 5 Ways to be Funnier in Your Copy:

(Bold lines chosen by Lianna)

1How good writing can tickle your funny bone
2Everything I know about writing I learned on the comedy stage (and lots of writing classes)
3Laugh at my pain: How to write funny stories
4Your writing called. It wants its funny back
55 seriously not serious ways to drop a little funny in your writing
6Copywriting tips from the funny girl
7Are you adding all these 5 funny techniques in your copy?
8The improv comic’s guide to funnier copy
9You are writing all the comedy!
10How to get readers to like you more
11Steal these funny writing tricks to be more like me
12People love you when you write funny copy. Here’s how.
13Just because copywriting isn’t entertainment, doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining
14How to write funny copy copywriting tutorial
15What not to put in copy to keep it boring
16Unblah your blogs
17Assuming you’re funny, here’s how to put that into your writing
18At last! The self-proclaimed funniest writer in New Orleans comes out of her coma to tell you all about putting humor in your copy!
195 copywriting tips learned from being an improv comic
205 ways to prove your comedy chops in copy
21These 5 tips will make your writing funny. Trust me. I’m a vegetarian.
22How to know when a joke will land in your copy
235 ways to make your writing funny, lose 12 pounds, and validate your love of top hats
24How to write copy that will make people laugh
25How to drink think outside the box
265 ways to use comedy to liven your copy (even if you’re not funny)
27How to slip a joke in your reader’s eyeballs
28How not to write super boring copy
29You only need to be kind of funny to make your reader laugh. Here are 5 tips
305 tips from the comedy stage you can put into your copy
31Laughable ideas for that make your readerslove you like a wrecking ball
325 comedy gold nuggets you can use to improve your writing
335 ways writing can tickle your fancy (and other body parts)
34Just because you’re not funny doesn’t mean you can’t write funny
35Get your first LOL comment on your blog
365 comedy mitzvahs you can write in your copy to make your reader love you
375 super silly sounding secrets sto swriting sfunny
385 ways my copy wants you to be happy (and love me)
395 rules for funny copy (and a story about lichen teeth)
40Your readers want funny writing (and 4 other things you probably know but aren’t doing)
41Why so serious, copy?
425 copywriting secrets from the improv stage
435 funny ways to hide your need for validation in your copy
44No more boring copy, mmmkay?
45How to use comedy to break the ice with your readers
46How to write all the ha ha’s
47How bombing at comedy makes you a better writer
485 funny writing tips walk into a bar…
49Why you don’t have to be funny to write funny
505 Commandments for funny copy
51How to out-funny your serious reader
52Writing funny copy and having my teeth turn to dust – a tutorial
53Are you serious right now? 5 reasons why your copy shouldn’t be—and how to lighten it up with a joke.
54How to make your copy as funny as your face (sorry. I’m mean when I give away secrets)
555 writing tips from an improv comic-slash-conversion expert (slash ninja)
565 ways to make your writing more fun
575 Steps to not writing like a snoozy old bat
58Open mic comedy techniques for copywriters
59Nobody likes to read boring
60What do lichen teeth, ravens & fancy wine have to do with funny copy? Everything, kinda…
615 little ways to bring on the funny
62Funny is as funny writes
63There’s more to funny writing than boxes of wine
645 funny ways to punch up your copy
65All the funnies
665 LOL’s for funnier writing
675 golden comedy nuggets to drop in your copy
685 Golden grahams rules for funny writing
69The existential guide to funnier copy—now on video
705 seriously funny writing tips. Seriously.
715 funny writing tips for when the wine wears off
72If it’s fun to write, it’s fun to read
735 tips for helping you write as funny as you smell
74Stop playing with your words. Comedy is serious (JK! It’s not!)
75How to win readers and influence comics
76How to funny up your shit
77The secret art to writing funny that you can only find by googling
78Your readers want you to write funny. Here’s how
79What comedians think about your copy
805 copywriting tips that are funnier than that video of a monkey sniffing its poo finger
81What I learned about writing through day drinking
82How to slip a little funny onto your page
835 sneaky ways to sneakily sneak bits o’ funny into your writing
84Yo momma’s so funny she taught me these tips
85Do you write as funny as you look?
86I just put 5 tips on writing funny in a video. Let’s see how this turns out…
87I drank wine and spilled my secrets for writing funny. For you. All for you.
88You don’t need to be funny to write funny.
895 things improv comedy has taught me about writing (and drinking)
90There is no angry way to write funny
915 key ingredients for writing a comedy burrito
92Funny writing saves alpacas. You can help.
935 OMG, LOL, ROFL copywriting secrets for people who would never use those acronyms
94The “whose line is it anyway” method of copywriting
95Why did your copy cross the road? (5 tips for funny writing)
96Funny copy makes people love you like skittles
97How to heighten a joke in your copy (and 4 more improv comedy writing techniques)
98Writing with humor is hard—and 4 other lies
99How I use my endless need for self-validation to write funny copy: A tutorial
100This video is not about writing funny (<—also, I’m lying. It totally is)

Overall: Let’s put this in the win column. 21 good lines is right on track with most of the other posts. I’ll take that. Especially when they’re picked by someone else.

  • Lessons: This was tough fo’ sho. I spent well over 2 hours on the list and watched the video 6 or 7 times. I had a running list of themes I as I watched it, and worked off that between viewings.
  • The lines about specific points in the video (Lichen teeth) probably wouldn’t work well, but I had fun writing them.
  • Use of each line would depend on where the video lives. On YouTube, for instance, you’d need to consider the SEO value and keep it simple. Whereas on her site or in an email, you can get redonkulously playful.
  • It was fun trying to get into her head. I got a little self-mocking but only because that’s her persona—and it fit the style. (Luckily, it’s also mine.)
  • For the most part, she chose my favorites. I had a few more I liked, but now you’ll never know which.
  • If you like funny, follow Lianna

Time: 2:30’ish over 2 sessions