Chief Cheezburger Ben Huh Dishes on Social Media Building a media colossus isn't easy, but using social media can help. Here's how Ben Huh of I Can Has Cheezburger? is continually perfecting his company's strategy.

By Shira Lazar

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Chief Cheezburger Ben Huh Dishes on Social MediaCheezburger Network CEO Ben Huh is known to be a master of all things meme-worthy. Since acquiring his first blog I Can Has Cheezburger? in 2007, he has helped grow the company to now include 56 sites, which generate an average of 375 million page views and 110 million video views a month. With $30 million dollars raised in 2011, this is surely just the beginning of Huh's Internet culture empire.

So what's the secret sauce to building community and predicting viral content? Here is Huh's advice for making your brand more social:

What's your strategy for using social media to build traffic?
We're a company that spends no money on advertising, so it's really about how we enable people to talk amongst their friends. We know for a fact that a vast majority of people that come to our sites like Memebase.com come because of their friends -- whether it's instant messaging, email or social media. The thing is, we can't forget email and IM. Those are powerful platforms. They don't show up on logs. Word of mouth doesn't show up as analytics data, but it's still very powerful and important.

We're also now concentrating on timing. It's like knowing what time of day to send out emails to your customers. For us lunchtime is a huge deal, but it depends on your business. Social media needs to be similarly thoughtful. Whatever you may be doing with email marketing -- telling a story or giving an opinion -- it applies to tweeting and Facebook. Further, we know that more participation causes our updates to show up on more news feeds, which generates more traffic. So, invite people to participate.

How can entrepreneurs use social media to make their brands stickier?
Having a perspective and opinion is really important, even if it means disagreeing with a lot of people. The worst thing you can do is say the same thing everyone else is saying, because it doesn't make you different. A lot of good writers put themselves out there and those are the types of stories that gain traction. But keep in mind that it's not about the raw number of people who follow you. It's really about matchmaking -- you being matched with various groups of people who want to hear what you have to say. A lot of companies think of social media as a way to broadcast their message, but that's not true. You need to stand for something.

Then, you must listen. You're not using social media to send a message to your users; you're doing it because you want to listen to them. Those 500 people aren't going to make a meaningful difference to your business, unless you allow them to by listening to them and making changes to your business accordingly. It's also a way to reward your best customers. Do something special for them and build more loyalty. If you can grow the level of engagement and get them to love you, then they'll tell all their friends.

Shira Lazar is the host and executive producer of What's Trending live Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Pacific and Partners Project, interviewing your favorite YouTube stars weekly.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Devices

The Last Pen You'll Ever Have to Buy — Never Run Out of Ink Again With the ForeverPen

The world's smallest inkless pen is durable, portable, and built to last.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Devices

Save 45% on an iPad Air With This Holiday Sale

You got gifts for everyone else—now it's time to treat yourself.

Business Ideas

Is Your Business Healthy? Why Every Entrepreneur Needs To Do These 3 Checkups Every Year

You can't plan for the new year until you complete these checkups.

Leadership

The End of Bureaucracy — How Leadership Must Evolve in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

What if bureaucracy, the very system designed to maintain order, is now the greatest obstacle to progress?

Business News

A New Hampshire City Was Named the Hottest Housing Market in the U.S. This Year. Here's the Top 10 for 2024.

Zillow released its annual lists featuring the top housing markets, small towns, coastal cities, and geographic regions. Here's a look at the top real estate markets and towns in 2024.