To Niche or Not to Niche in the nutrition world?
Using social media can be a great tool to get yourself known and to grow your business. One of the ways to grow your account is to niche down into one specialist subject. Some of the successful dietitians on social media have specialised in particular fields which has grown their Instagram following. For example, Megan Rossi (@theguthealthdoctor) specialises in gut health, Kirsten Jackson (@the.ibsdietitian) in IBS, Paula Hallam (@tinytotsnutrition) in cows milk protein allergy, and Sarah Almond Bushell (@thechildrensnutritionist) in weaning and fussy eating.
To learn more about this I had a chat with Sarah Almond Bushell, experienced paediatric dietitian and business mentor and coach. Sarah has created such a successful online business that she has now set up a dietitians mastermind to help other dietitians and nutritional professionals grow their online businesses. I asked Sarah what niching was and if we should all be doing it?
WHat is Niching down?
Niching is being a specialist in one subject and setting yourself up as a leader in that field.
If you want to grow your account and then go on to make money then it is important. You want to be seen as the expert, for example if a parent is looking for help with fussy eating, then they are more likely to seek the help of the specialist dietitian in fussy eating than a general paediatric dietitian.
Why is niching important?
If you have more of a general nutrition or dietetic account then you are will attract other nutrition professionals, and that’s fine if that’s your intention. If you are running a business however, you need to get to know your ideal customer and write as if you are speaking directly to them. If you don’t do this, then you are not resonating with anyone and only like-minded people will look at your content (i.e. other nutrition professionals)!
How do you find what speaks to the ideal customer in your niche?
Do your research first. For example, you could join some facebook groups on the topic you want to specialise in and see what people are chatting about, are the same questions coming up? You could also look at book reviews in your specialism online, check the 3 star or below reviews and see what people think is missing.
Is Niching too restrictive?
Don’t be frightened of choosing a niche. People worry they will be deskilled, but often this is the opposite. Once you become known as the go-to expert, they often come to you with other questions. Make sure you choose something you love as you will be talking about it all the time!
Is niching important for NHS dietitians as well?
Yes, as it promotes you as a specialist and a leader in your field. You may find opportunities arise from this. If it is your specialist field then you should have the knowledge and papers at your fingertips!
For more useful tips, go and check Sarah out on Instagram @dietitiansinbusiness.
This post was first published in the NHD Magazine Issue 162, April 2021.
