Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

How to Write a Curated Post For Your Nutrition Blog

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© Milles Studio - Fotolia.com
© Milles Studio – Fotolia.com

Blogging is a very effective marketing tool for wellness services such as nutritional consulting. Prospective clients need to see that you have the knowledge to help them, plus a style and approach they can work with and trust.

Yet it’s not very likely someone will hire you the minute they discover your blog, which is why you need to keep publishing new content on a regular basis. Does that mean you have to slave over a comprehensive full-length article every week? Absolutely not!

This is the third article in a series about four different types of posts you can cycle between on your blog, some of which will be much faster and easier for you to finish.

The first type we covered was the how-to post, where you do go into more depth with concrete information that allows your readers to take action. Next, we talked about how writing a more personal post will help distinguish you from the sea of nutritionists out there.

Today, we’ll look at how to harness the efforts of those other nutritionists or related experts with something called a curated post. A curated blog post is one that is centred around someone else’s content, such as a blog post, video, infographic or slideshow.

How to choose the best content to share

Just like when you’re planning your own topics, be on the lookout for content that fits the focus of your blog and the interests of your readers.

Be very selective here. Anything you share implies your endorsement, not just of this item, but its creator. Take the time to carefully review a few of the author’s other posts, their About page, and their social media profiles.

To find quality content more quickly, build a list of respected colleagues who often publish valuable blog posts, videos, or links to other gems from around the web. Schedule regular times to check their blogs and social media pages to find the newest content they’ve created or shared.

How to share content the right way

To respect copyright laws and the original creator’s hard work, never copy and paste someone else’s text into your own blog (or their images, for that matter). You can use a sentence or two as a quote, but then link to the original.

Always use the “permalink” (permanent link) assigned to that specific page. You can usually find the permalink by clicking on the title on a blog post. The permalink will be something like this: http://ionc.org/2015/12/how-to-start-a-blog-for-your-nutrition-business/ versus a link like this: http://ionc.org/blog/.

An exception is when you embed content into your blog so your visitor can view it right from your site. You do this by pasting in a special code provided by the original creator. Click these links to learn more about how to embed a SlideShare presentation, how to embed a YouTube video, or how to embed an infographic into a WordPress blog.

How to write a curated blog post

You always want to add your own text before and after the link or the embedded content. Ideally, you’ll have at least one paragraph at the beginning of your post, and another at the end. At about 200-250 words, this is way less writing than you might do for a how-to post or a personal post!

As an introduction, write a little about why you chose to share this resource and how you think it will be valuable to your reader. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your own knowledge and expertise, and express your unique personality.

You can offer a short bio of the author, explain how you’re connected with this person or how you discovered them, or provide a brief description of their company and what they do.

At the end of the post, ask what your reader thought of the content, or how they will implement the information. Then ask them to stay connected with you, whether that’s to read a related post, visit you on social media, subscribe to your email updates, or contact you with comments or questions.

A curated post is an excellent way to connect with other experts, and most of all to keep sharing valuable information with your readers and prospective clients.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.

How to Write a Personal Post For Your Nutrition Blog

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© taka – Fotolia.com

In a series of posts over at the International Organization of Nutritional Consultants (IONC), I’ve been writing about how nutritionists can use blogging to attract new clients.

First I showed you how to get started, and now we’re looking at four different types of blog posts you can use to keep writing week after week.

A weekly post? That sounds way too hard! I understand. That’s why I suggest you aim to write just ONE feature-length post every month, where you teach your reader how to do something.

In the other three weeks, experiment with other types of posts that may be quicker and easier for you to put together. Let’s start with the personal post.

There are a lot of other holistic nutritionists out there, but that doesn’t make you competitors. You each have ideal clients who will be drawn to your particular set of life experiences and personality.

Blogging is the perfect place to let your unique style shine through. Personal posts are the ones only you can write, as opposed to the generic topics you might find on dozens of nutrition blogs.

There is nothing wrong with sharing a personal story on a business blog. It’s important to show potential clients your human side, since we all do business with those we know, like and trust. This is especially true for intimate services like nutrition counselling.

Use your own stories of failure and success to form a deeper connection with your audience, and reinforce the principles you teach in your business. I once wrote about a mishap in the kitchen to remind readers to keep a pad of paper handy for new blogging ideas.

A personal post may incorporate elements of a how-to post, like this one where I featured my own beloved greyhound Patch in a post about blogging consistently. Or it could be purely personal, like how Joy McCarthy and her team share their personal resolutions in this New Year’s post.

If you missed the first post in this series, visit IONC to read How to Write a How-To Post For Your Nutrition Blog. Stay tuned to learn about two other types of posts, including one that lets you lean on other people to feed your own blog.

When you put them all together, you’ll have everything you need for an interesting variety of blog posts all month long.

P.S. If you want to receive my newest blogging tips by email, including the next two posts in this series about nutrition blogging, sign up here for the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox!

Help, My Boss Started a Blog!

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© photo pixel - Fotolia.com
© photo pixel – Fotolia.com

Team blogging is a great way for wellness clinics to attract new clients, but what if you’re not the one in charge of the business? Even when blogging wasn’t your idea, you can still be a team player – AND a team blogger!

I was chatting with someone recently who works out of a wellness clinic with several other practitioners. The clinic owner had just asked each of them to start blogging on the clinic’s website, so that something new could go up every week.

“Ack!” She thought, “What am I going to write?”

If you’ve been asked to blog according to someone else’s timeline, here are my five tips for staying on schedule and being part of a blogging team:

1. Wrangle some writing time

In my world, what gets scheduled, gets done! If I leave something for when I get around to it, a task can languish for weeks or even months. This creates mental clutter and distraction, because the unfinished task nags at me from the corners of my mind.

I use a two-pronged time management system. First, tasks and their due dates go into one of several lists in my Wunderlist account. I work backwards from when I need to submit or publish the post, blocking out time for things like research, finding photos, and proofreading.

(For more tips and to see exactly how I use Wunderlist to schedule my blog writing time, see my guest post at SteamFeed.)

2. Evict the editor

When you’re already feeling stressed about getting something done, it is counter-productive to manufacture more pressure about doing it perfectly. Instead, focus on completing a first draft that you can edit later.

To quickly banish any self-critical thoughts, imagine your ideal client sitting across the desk from you. They need this information to improve their life, and they feel a connection with you and your unique way of explaining things. Don’t keep them waiting.

3. Brainstorm with a buddy

There is no reason to blog alone. If you’re stuck for ideas, poll your colleagues, clients, friends or family about their questions or ones they’ve heard from others.

Be open to all ideas (you’ve evicted the editor, remember?) as you bounce things back and forth. It’s amazing the creative places a thought can end up from where it started, especially when you bring together people with different perspectives and experiences.

4. Start with a structure

Before you start writing, decide on a numbered list (e.g., The Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Sleep) or a framework such as one main point and three supporting points.

Then simply fill in the blanks, add an introduction and conclusion, and you’re done!

5. Begin at the beginning

It’s easy to assume that everyone knows as much about your area of expertise as you do. Of course that’s not true. Start noticing all the opportunities you have in a day to educate someone about something that is second nature to you. These are all potential blog posts!

Writing an email that answers a frequently asked question you’ll say, “Hey, that could be a blog post!” Overhearing a conversation in line at the grocery store you’ll think, “I wish more people understood that common myth. I could write a blog post about that!”

There are potential blogging topics all around you. Use these five tips to turn those ideas into meaningful contributions to your wellness clinic’s marketing efforts. You’re not just a team player, you’re a team blogger!

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.

Want to Write a Quicker, Easier Blog Post This Week? Try a Combo Post

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© Sergey Nivens - Fotolia.com
© Sergey Nivens – Fotolia.com

Earlier this year I created a new presentation called How to Write Your First Four Blog Posts. The basic premise is that you don’t need to write a new full-length article every time you post to your blog.

In fact, I suggest new business bloggers aim to write only ONE new article every month, and fill in the other three weeks with different types of posts that are easier and quicker to write – but that still provide value to your readers.

As I searched for examples of the four types of posts, I came across a delightfully simple post from the American Lighting Association that actually embodied elements of all four.

  1. Like a how to post, the information is broken down into a list. That means the reader knows what to expect, the writer could break her ideas into sections, and it’s spaced nicely on the page.
  2. Like a personal post, it highlights the author’s knowledge and insights. By honing in on one focused idea from each of the featured articles, she revealed more about her own personal style and approach to design.
  3. Like a curated post, the author didn’t create the content herself. Instead, she referenced and linked to existing articles already published online.
  4. Like a spotlight post, it featured a group of experts in a particular field. An association could easily use this opportunity to showcase its members, while any business can profile staff, vendors, customers, neighbours, or other influential members of your industry.

How to write your own combo post

Step One – Choose your links

You can build this type of post either from the bottom up or the top down. To build it from the bottom up, browse your favourite blogs, or the updates from your connections on social media. Look for interesting, high-quality articles your audience will find useful.

Even better, gather these links constantly through the month by saving them as soon as you read them. Email them to yourself, save them in a document or list, or try a tool like Pocket.

Step Two – Find your theme

Once you’ve settled on your list of links (I suggest 3 or 5 items), look for a connection between them. This becomes the theme of your post, and what you will use for your blog post title.

Or to build your post from the top down, find your theme first. Choose one of your blog categories and then go off in search of the best information that’s been shared in the past few weeks about that topic.

Look specifically for content from your customers, vendors or other partners, in order to spotlight their work and deepen your connection.

Or if there are specific people you want to build relationships with, share their work and then let them know you’ve done that. From this, new relationships and partnerships can grow.

Step Three – Add your voice

For each list item, create a heading that sums up the key point you took away from the content. Aim for each heading to be approximately the same length (for bonus points, be sure you’ve used parallelism).

Then write two or three sentences to describe the article and how it relates to the central theme of your post. Be sure to include your own personal view – what you most liked or appreciated about the ideas, and why you decided to include this particular link.

Step Four – Open and close

Once you’ve done the work to choose and summarize your links, add an introduction to summarize the overall theme of the post. Reiterate why the topic is relevant for your readers and what benefits they can expect after reading your post.

At the end of your post, suggest a follow-up action that will provide more value, such as: subscribe to your newsletter for more useful tips, read something else you’ve written about the topic, stay connected with you on social media to see other resources you share, or check out a related product or service you offer.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.

How One Professional Coach Keeps Writing, Week After Week

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Maripat-AbbottToday I’d like to introduce you to one of my weekly blog post editing clients. You’ll hear about how the accountability keeps her on track, along with three other keys to her consistent writing success.

Maripat Abbott is a relocation coach who helps families transition successfully through the emotional ups and downs of a corporate relocation. A certified yoga instructor, she finds that the principles of yoga are key to maintaining balance during transition, whether that is a change in geography or life.

Maripat and I have worked together since 2010 when she joined my Content Mastery Action Club, but had never met in person until last week.

Maripat and Linda

I stopped part way on my drive home from Content Marketing World in Cleveland, and Maripat drove two hours from her home in Pittsburgh so we could meet up in Erie, PA for lunch. It was such a wonderful visit!

Over the years Maripat has produced an impressive array of content that I’ve had the pleasure to edit, including articles for her newsletter and blog (one on her own site and an external blog she set up), guest posts for other sites and online magazines, LinkedIn, marketing materials, speeches, and her book, We’re Moving Where??? Five Steps to Relocation Ease.

Since I’ve seen so many of my clients and colleagues struggle to keep writing, I’ve always admired how consistent Maripat has been in sending me something to edit almost every week.

Be accountable

Recently I emailed Maripat to ask her how she does it. “That’s easy,” she said, “YOU!”

After reflecting on it, she wrote, “Investing in myself by hiring a talented, experienced and caring editor is the main thing that has helped me stay the course. If I pay someone for editing, I don’t miss a week of writing. I guess because I’m cheap!” she joked.

“Seriously,” she continued, “When I commit to paying, I produce. If I had only myself to be accountable to, writing wouldn’t happen at the same volume or at all.

As an entrepreneur, I don’t NEED to publish blog posts or anything for that matter. I don’t report to a boss. I don’t have deadlines. So without a deadline set by Linda, I wouldn’t write.”

Maripat also finds inspiration from other writers who got over their self-doubt, stuck with their writing schedule, and eventually built a following. “That gives me hope.”

Beware of comparing

Of course the downside of following other writers is the tendency to compare and feel like we don’t measure up. “My own inner critic is my largest challenge,” Maripat notes. “When I look at great writers who get thousands of ‘likes’ or ‘views’ on their posts or articles, my inner critic can stop me from writing, if I allow that.”

Take it easy

How does Maripat win out over the inner critic when it gets loud? “I write on topics that come easily to me, and postpone the hard topics. Sometimes I will even write poorly, and throw it over to Linda for editing. I’ll wait until the next week or so to resurrect it and make it better. Often all I need is a break and a new perspective.”

Keep the end goal in mind

“I also try to remember that my job as a coach is to educate on topics that I feel are valuable, and become a recognized expert in my niche, and one way to do that is to write and publish consistently until it pays off.”

Brilliant perspective, Maripat! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. It’s been a pleasure working with you all of these years, and I look forward to many more years to come!

P.S. Want to get started on your own weekly editing package? Check out the 30-Day Blog Starter options.