Hey

Hot Ones is one of the most successful shows on YouTube - obviously. 

And while everyone talks about the wings, the big names, and Sean Evans’ savant level research... I want to talk about something else. That is - sauce number 8.

Da Bomb.

Apart from Sean himself, it must be the most consistent thing about the show. It’s always there - It’s never nice - and you bet its going to lead to some tears.

It’s not the hottest, and It’s not the final sauce. But it is the one we all watch for.

So where am I going with this?

Look, Da Bomb isn’t just a sauce - it’s a device.
It’s a built-in beat that guarantees a moment.
A ritual.
A reaction.

And that’s the bit more of us should be stealing.

I’m going to call it - your secret sauce. (See what i did there?)

YouTube is full of Secret Sauces. Here’s a few:

Beard Meets Food - Surely not?!
I’ve seen this guy eat close to 10LBs of meat, bread and cheese and STILL ask the waiter for a dessert menu. He almost always gets the sweetest, most calorific thing he can, and proceeds to devour that too. The reactions from the crowd and the restaurant staff are always worth sticking around for. 

Secret Sauce = Those 6 magic words “Have you got a dessert menu?”

 Johnny Harris - A nerd like obsession with cartography
It’s beyond a trope now. Johnny Harris LOVES a map. A lot of his videos start with the simple ‘look at this map’. It’s endearing, and solidifies him as a person of authority (At least in things related to geography).
Even when he doesn’t mention maps, his audience absolutely does.. The people crave a map!
Secret Sauce = Look at this map

Huge If True - Making science look sexy
A world class info graphic. Without a doubt, if its Cleo Abrams video, there will be an info graphic, and you sure as hell know it’s gonna slap. Heck, i’d watch a supercut of JUST the sick graphics.
Secret Sauce = Show me something interesting, in a way I’ve never seen it.

I know it seems a little abstract, but trust me, every successful creator has their own.

So... What’s Your Secret Sauce?

It’s that recurring beat that only you can deliver. 

The bit your audience knows is coming.
The thing they stick around for.
Or the bit they skip ahead to.

That’s what gives a brand, channel, and creator, shape.
It’s the stuff that builds rituals.
That’s what makes formats repeatable, and addictive.

It doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to be deliberate.

If you’ve already got a Secret Sauce - send it to me.

Or if you need help finding one, I'd love to chat and help you figure it out! 

I want to help make your content better, and write about it in a future edition. So if you need a hand, let me know

Because your content might be good...
But building rituals is what keeps your audience coming back.