Social Social Media

For most businesses, a content marketing strategy is essential. It’s worth it to hire firms with a proven track record of increasing brand awareness through excellent site content and social media presence.

But content marketing and social media approaches are not one-size-fits-all. It’s a good idea for most companies to advertise, to have a Twitter and Facebook, and to promote themselves to consumers.

However, there are unique businesses that have followings despite being content recluses.

Sriracha Sauce, the favorite hot sauce staple, is one such brand. Despite the fact the brand doesn’t advertise in the United States and does not have a company Facebook page or Twitter account, almost every college student in the U.S. consumes his or her body weight in Sriracha on a weekly basis (or was that just my college friends?). One of the most popular Facebook pages associated with it is not maintained by the company, but rather by the author of the Sriracha Cookbook, a recipe book that is filled with dishes featuring the sauce as a main ingredient. So how did a hot sauce with no advertising strategy, originally aimed at Asian immigrants, become a lucrative cult favorite in America?

The fans made it so. Matthew Inman, a popular online cartoonist, featured Sriracha in one of his comics. His followers asked him to make the image into a poster, and from there numerous products were spawned (I myself have purchased the Sriracha lip balm. It burns). Although not associated with the company, Inman’s Twitter and online store do function as organic advertising. The Internet is filled with fans ready to declare their undying devotion to the condiment, and Sriracha evangelists are always ready to share their hot sauce gospel with the uninitiated. It truly is simple social media in its purest, word-of-mouth form.

Of course, Sriracha’s strategy is not one that makes sense for many businesses. Yet Sriracha’s story can be applied to every business in two key ways:

• Start with a good product that offers something different.
• Gain momentum with your fans.

The way for most businesses to gain that essential momentum with fans is through content marketing and social media —but not just any content marketing or social media. It must be quality, unique and tailored to the brand. What works for one brand will not always work for another, and a talented content marketing firm will know that. So don’t have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or outsource your site content simply to have it. Make sure that it’s always resonating with your customers, and they’ll do some of your most important work for you.

Sarah Hamilton  – SEO Writer / Editor