Why Dietitians should Learn Content Creation Skills

One of the most commonly asked questions I get is “How does content creation help my career as a registered dietitian?” The truth is content creation has helped me grow and benefit personally and professionally in so many ways; from being able to work from home and being able to spend more time with my family, to making new online connections and friends, to doubling my normal dietitian salary in only 1.5 years…  the list goes on!

Below I have compiled my top reasons to hopefully motivate you to invest in these skills and yourself!

You may also want to read my other blog (55 reasons to join snapstudio55). 

1. Social Media Presence and Engagement.

As much as we hate to admit it, we are living in an increasingly online and digital world. Most people have resorted to using Instagram to find clothing, hairdressers, food reviews, and yes, even dietitians! With more and more professionals leveraging the benefits of social media, it is crucial that you stand out. This is where well-learned content creation skills come in handy! With content that is engaging, helpful, entertaining and unique, you could expand your clientele and create  a high paying career. Not to mention, content creation can also allow future clients to really get to see who you are and get to know you. Having that connection/relationship built earlier on can lead to you securing more genuine clients who can really trust you! 

2. Attract Paid Brand Partnerships.

Many dietitians are seeing the benefit of partnering with brands to serve our clients and community with specific ideas and inspiration. However, many of you may be eager to get started, you end up agreeing to participate in brand partnerships for free or for an honorarium. In the long run, this is the worst plan: the industry gets even more saturated, you have to lower your rates even further, all to get fewer and fewer opportunities, and we get burnt out.  The truth is visual content, especially on social media, is key to a brand’s success. Brands want to pay you and work with you, they need visual content to grow their social media presence and ultimately to help them connect with their audience. So, with well-developed content creation skills, you’d be giving them exactly what they need and both parties benefit from a paid partnership: the brand gets reliable, engaging content and you get paid for your work and expertise! 

3. You can start your own business.

Years ago, I was wondering how to make my career into something I truly loved and enjoyed. So, I put my faith in my content creation skills and took a giant leap: I opened up my own creative content agency! Not only am I doing what I truly love, but I became my own boss. I get to do something different everyday and have worked with a very diverse list of clientele. So, if you’re a creative mind like me and really want to be your own boss, content creation skills would be a great starting point!

4. Expand your career.

If I told you about all the different career doors content creation skills open for you, you may not believe me! I’ve worked on everything from partnering with ad and pr agencies, recipe development for brand websites and agri partners, working for top Universities in Toronto, the government, and even cookbooks! 

5. Beat the competition.

Did you know that in 2020 alone, 86% of dietitians used social media content to build brand awareness, 79% used it to educate, and 75% used it to gain client trust? The nutrition world is becoming competitive, especially with the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Have you ever heard the term “if you can’t beat them, join them”? That is exactly how you stand out from the rest! By gaining content creation skills and combining them with your unique creative talents, you can definitely stand out among a sea of many! 

6. Have a creative outlet. 

Dietitians have a super important role in our community, that's not questionable. However, sometimes we get so caught up in our job that we forget to have fun. By learning content creation, not only do you get to gain a new skill, but you get to have fun. You get to think outside the box and really get those creative juices brewing again. This creativity can also translate to your brand, practice, and services; possibly attracting more clients!

7. Networking and Connections.

One of the most underrated tools for dietitians is the power of networking and forming connections. Through meeting new people in the field, you get the chance to really diversify and advance your career. Take it from me, one of my first big career moves was forming a creative partnership with another dietitian. From there, many other doors opened up for me and I maintained the relationships/networks I had made through that partnership. 

8. Diversify your sources of income.

Let’s be real, having one source of income is good, but not ideal. With so many new technologies and trends, people are diversifying their sources of income. By having content creation skills, you allow yourself to have a diverse array of income sources. From recipe development for an agricultural partner or sponsored brand partnership, the options are endless. Investing in these skills costs almost nothing when compared to the income you can make with them. In the end, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from having content creation skills!