Why standup comedians need their own technology platforms

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There are many things standup comedians and their audiences have in common. Both spend nights talking in front of a room full of strangers, both know the importance of a well-placed rimshot and both probably have favorite routines they can recite word for word. Standup comedy also shares one more similarity: Both are desperate for new ways to connect with their audience and build loyalty among existing followers. In an age when a million voices fight to be heard on social media and streaming services, comedians need platforms that not only let them introduce their characters, but bring out the best of their material again and again. Standup comedy is still very much in its infancy as far as technology goes. If you’re looking for standup comedy apps or similar services to help you analyze your next routine or help keep track of your set lists, you might be out of luck for now. Here’s why standup comedians need their own technology platforms…

Why Standup Comedians Need Their Own Technology Platforms

Standup comedy has always been a flexible art form that lets each performer put their own spin on their material, but it’s also historically been an art form you can’t easily record. If you’ve ever tried to record a live standup show, you’ll know it’s a tricky proposition. If you record it in a theatre or big venue, there’s too much ambient sound for the recording to be usable. If you shut down the house lights, you risk annoying (or, worse, alienating) your audience. Plus, you’ll need an audio engineer to patch everything together. In the past, the only way to preserve your live sets and share them with audiences was by recording a routine in a studio, usually with a single audience member. But standup is a constantly evolving art form, and many comedians are often encouraged to keep reworking their material, to keep it as fresh and relevant as possible. That means comedians need platforms they can continually update and change, and later share with their fans online. HapPhi has built the first white label software specifically for standups.

Comics Know Humor Is A Serious Business

Standup comedians may talk about banana splits, bad airline food and the perils of online dating, but they take their profession seriously. After all, they’re the ones out there trying to make a living by making people laugh. That’s why comedians need platforms that not only record and preserve their work, but that also help them and their teams track every aspect of their shows, from what jokes are working best to how much time they’re spending on each segment. Many platforms that specialize in standup comedy also have features designed to help comedians build more loyal fan bases and engage directly with their audiences.

Stand-Up Is A Collaboration By Its Nature

When you’re performing standup, you’re not just standing alone onstage, delivering jokes. You’re also responding to the energy of the crowd, taking their cues and working with other comedians sharing the stage with you. And that constant collaboration goes far beyond the studio or theatre. It extends to your team, your management and your audiences, too. For example, comedians can use their standup-focused platforms to create and track polls that ask their audiences what they thought of a set, or try out new jokes before committing them to paper. Fans can even help comedians write their material by suggesting topics that deserve a fresh take. By engaging with your audiences this way, you can help build stronger, more loyal fan bases who, in turn, help build your career by telling their friends about the best shows you’ve performed.

It’ll Help Audiences Find Your Best Stuff

When a comedian tries to discuss a set that they’ve performed at a club or theatre, they often bring up things like the length of their performance and the number of their jokes that got a laugh. But those are very vague measurements that don’t tell the whole story. For example, were those laughs genuine or polite? Were they the type that come when a joke flops, or the reactions you want your audience to have? Using a standup-focused platform as you prepare for a set will help you not just record your performance in detail, but also track the reactions of your audiences, whether they’re in a theatre or watching your performance on a streaming service like Hulu or Amazon Prime.

Building An Audience Means Finding Your Brand

Standup comedians are very much in the business of creating characters. Think about it: There’s the persona that each individual performer puts on in their shows. Then there are the characters that each comedian plays as part of a team that might also include a host, a sidekick or a musician who plays in the background. And there’s also the characters that each comedian’s fans identify with. What are their biggest personality traits? What are their preferred topics or jokes? What are their preferred streaming services? By using a standup-focused platform to track your performances and audience reactions, you can not only build a more loyal fan base, but also help define your personal brand as a comedian and find the best ways to promote your work.

Comedians Need Their Own Tech Platforms To Stay Fresh

In the past, comedians were expected to work off a single set. But, as audiences become savvier, they expect more variety and constantly crave a new experience. That’s why comedians need a way to keep track of their ever-evolving sets and preserve their best material for fans. Using a standup-focused platform as you prepare for a show can help you record and track your sets, identify your best material, and even share it with your fans. And as you continue to add new material to your shows and performances, you can use those platforms to save your best jokes and segments for future use. It’s easier for comedians to stay current and relevant this way, which means happier audiences and more opportunities for creative work.

Bottom line

Standup comedy is evolving as an art form, and comedians need their own technology platforms to help them stay current and relevant. Using such a platform can help you track your shows, preserve your best material and build a more loyal fan base by finding and promoting your best jokes and segments. If you’re a standup comedian, you’re in good company. These are the people who inspire laughter every night, after all. With a little help from technology, you can stay current, relevant and funny for years to come.

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