Title: Using Social Media to Spread the Word About Nutrition
Author:
Rebecca Subbiah, RD, LDN, SRD
Social Media Coach, http://chowandchatter.com
Section/SPIG: Food and Nutrition
Issue Date:
Dietitians and public health nutrition professionals need to get into social media for a number of reasons; one, it's fun, and secondly, it's the new place to hang out, like your neighbors chatting over the garden fence except your neighbors can now be anywhere all over the world. More and more folks are getting online, chatting on Facebook, reading blogs, and tweeting, often looking for health information. Nutrition professionals can be the shining light for evidence based information and be real and genuine people the public can connect with, which in turn increases respect for the profession in this arena and creates work for us. Getting into social media is also a wonderful way to network with your peers and other health professions, creating your online resume. In fact, a journalism professor recently stated you will be measured by your last tweet.
It's also fun to consider joining chats on Twitter (e.g., #RDchat on the first Wednesday of every month). Consider having a website or a blog, a Facebook page for the blog or your business, and tweeting. The key is to have fun with it, make real connections, and only do what time allows. It doesn't matter if you only blog infrequently; it is the quality of the posts and meaningful relationships built in the community, on Facebook, or on Twitter that matters. I personally love blogging and social media. I started my blog about three years ago, and I now have a strong Twitter following (@chowandchatter -http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chowandchatter) and a recipe app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. All I have learned about social media and the support from the amazing food blogging community has allowed me to speak to dietitians on social media and even coach a few on it. The possibilities are endless. I personally don't see any cons to using social media if you are passionate about the information you want to share. It will gradually flow naturally.