In the last 4+ years, I’ve collected some valuable tips from multiple teachers. I hope they will be as useful to you as they have been for me.
Always open strong, experiment with other approaches as you gain experience
Call out the moment, don’t ignore anything the audience is aware of
Make local references
Remove jokes that don’t get laughs
Infer insider knowledge instead of stating outright
Personalize your jokes
Lean towards humility and self-deprecating humor
Create contrast with masculine/feminine perspectives
Positive jokes about negative topics can be effective
Err on side of empathy and avoid punching down
Progressively get more ridiculous
Use dialogue vs monologue towards audience
Smooth transitions
Avoid saying things that make you appear weak
Never apologize to the audience
First line is to get people to like you
Get a laugh within first 10 seconds
Don’t laugh at your own jokes, just deliver
Aim for a joke every 20 seconds
Follow the “3 is the golden rule” of comedy
Don’t give away material for free
Smile more, use tone, speed, and volume to speak clearly
Create interesting and well-constructed content
Always finish strong
Leave the audience wanting more
