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Are you looking to grow your social media presence? It can be easier than you might think, especially with the right approach. Try these tips to improve your social media strategy, then feel free to update your feeds with our most popular nutrition articles and recipes.

Tip #1: Be Present

Establishing an online presence is vital. No one will know how excellent your nutrition tips and updates are if you only post them once a month. Choose from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the most impact. Post to your social channels often, at least once daily, even with a little story. People will be more likely to follow you if they know they can depend on you for regular updates.

Being present also means participating in social discussions about health and nutrition. If someone is talking about MyPlate, chime in if you have something to add. You can also start a conversation once you’ve built up your list of followers. Have people weigh in on the latest health topics, or ask them what they’d like to see from your profiles.

Tip #2: Remember Your User

Although it’s tempting to talk about yourself (it is social media, after all), tweets, stories, posts, and updates that gain more traction often look at health from their followers’ perspectives, making things overtly relevant to them. For example, instead of, “We found this fascinating study about antioxidants and heart disease,” try “Have you heard the latest about the link between antioxidants and heart health?” or “Add another resource to your heart disease prevention plan.”This also means that you need to respond to any user feedback immediately. Thank people for their comments and for responding to every single question. Do this as soon as you can. This is social media -- people expect things to be quick and simple. They will not be happy if you take a week to write back to their nutrient question.

Tip #3: Mix it Up!

Make sure you keep things varied. Vitamin D deficiency is a huge deal, but if all your updates focus on it, people will get bored -- especially if you’re updating multiple times daily. Use different tools to get your message across, approach a problem or issue from multiple angles, and ensure that each update doesn’t look exactly like all the others. Theme weeks or days may allow you to delve more deeply into the issues that matter most to you, but variety is essential. Consider approaching a topic from a series of expanding or narrowing perspectives.

Tip #4: Use Other ResourcesThere are tons of resources to help keep your nutrition-based social media campaigns simple, fun, and relevant. Try using a social media manager. We’re especially fond of Campaign Cloud and Zapier, though there are many to choose from. Don’t just set it and forget it, though. Breaking news can cast new light on something you wrote a week ago, so check to ensure that your messages are still saying what you hoped they would say.

Another great resource is tracking software, which helps you see which updates and tweets get the most traction. Many social sites offer basic tools.

Of course, you'll need great nutrition content too. Check out our free articles and recipes or become a Professional Member so you can share our content.

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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