Former New York governor, Alfred E. Smith is quoted as saying "If you can make people laugh, you can make them think, and make them like and believe you."

The BBC says a regular Web user has the attention span of a goldfish. Nine seconds. Are you still reading? Congratulations. You're a biped. But now what?

Growing evidence shows that... I don't need to cite scientific studies. We all know that people like to laugh. But did you know that humor in your company's Web content can actually strengthen your brand identity, improve customer relations and even help make the sale? Being funny has clear benefits, among them the Four R's:

• Reason
• Relaxation
• Rapport
• Retention

Reason

There's enough writing on the Web that if you read 24 hours a day for the rest of your life, you won't even scratch the surface. People with limited time--like your customers--are very selective in what they'll take the time to read. Mostly, they just scan a page. Therefore, you must give them a compelling reason to slow down and savor every word.

Relaxation

Do you like to shop while the salesman breathes down your neck? People have enough stress without you adding to it with a high-pressure sales speech. While you want a sense of urgency, you're more likely to win a person over with a more laid-back approach. And one way to make them relax is to give them a smile.

Rapport

Humor builds rapport with your customers. The Web is a one-to-one communication. When a customer has an "Aha" moment, that second when she "gets it," a connection is made. Humor open lines of communication on a personal, genuine level.

Retention

People remember what makes them laugh, because it's a good memory.

Many executives shy away from humor for fear of offending someone, or demeaning their brand. But look at that most famous measure of advertising effectiveness, the Super Bowl ad. Most of them are built to make us laugh. Humor is a great marketing tactic. It plays an important part in daily life. Why not use it to grow your business?