Social Media for the Holistic Healer Part 2: How to Create Value-Based Content
Welcome to Part Two of our three-part series on intentional and authentic social media use for holistic healing artists.
In Part One, we talked about posting from the heart. We learned how to avoid common social media pitfalls such as …
- The bottomless beast of the ego
- Depression and burnout
- Aimlessly following trends
Today we focus on using value-based content for an authentic social media presence that builds your holistic health business into a sustainable source of joy and income.
This is how you can reach the people who need your services and offerings. Value-based content provides a road map for you to get your knowledge, voice, and offerings out there in a way that is authentic, grounded, and true to you.
Value-Based Content Guides Your Intentional Social Media Presence
Value-based content is super important for the holistic healer. Whether you are a massage therapist, reiki master, nutrition coach, or yoga instructor- you need to provide high value to your audience up-front and at no cost to them.
This content should be authentic, beneficial, true, and aesthetically pleasing. It helps build trust with your audience and position you as an authority in your niche. You can think of it as falling under three broad categories: educational, inspirational, and promotional.
Educational Content for the Holistic Healer
Educational content is exactly what it sounds like- content that teaches your audience about topics relevant to your business and your target audience.
Instead of parroting what’s already out there and adding to the echo chamber- look for gaps in educational content within your niche and seek to fill them.
- Do your homework
- Know what your audience needs
- Find holes in the available information
- Combine all of that knowledge with your unique voice
Boom! You have authentic educational content that is aligned with your values and beneficial to your audience (and therefore beneficial to your business).
Keep in mind that educational content asks for nothing in return. It provides value to your dream clients by teaching them something for free. It can also be helpful to avoid directly plugging your services into your educational content (that comes later). This way, you are building trust with your audience.
Trust does so much more for your business than a constant barrage of promotional posts.
Inspirational Content for the Holistic Healer
Inspirational content inspires action in your audience. Although it can have some crossover with educational content, this idea of action is what differentiates it. The action should be beneficial to your audience and relevant to the services you offer.
This content shows your audience that you truly walk the walk. You live out what you preach in your educational content. You believe in the mission and vision of your brand.
For example, a somatic practitioner might post educational content about the benefits of connecting with nature. The equivalent inspirational content could be a photo of flowers or mountains, or a reel of them taking a walk around their neighborhood. The caption simply details their experience of finding peace when they are outside and connecting to the present moment.
A huge word of caution here: inspirational content is also where the ego can really try to take over.
It can be tempting to post reel after reel of your perfect morning routine and your perfect food prep and your perfect yoga practice. Remember, as holistic healers who use social media authentically- we want to push back on that “perfect” narrative.
That means keeping the ego in check. Always ask yourself why you are posting this inspirational content. Is it going to inspire your audience? Or is it going to make them feel jealous or not good enough (even unintentionally)?
Consider switching up your inspirational content for vulnerable content once in a while. Post about a depressive episode or a fight with a loved one. It reminds them that the healing journey isn’t linear. It inspires them to keep doing the work, even when they aren’t perfect.
It reminds your audience that you are only human- and so are they.
Promotional Content for the Holistic Healer
Finally, promotional content details your offerings and tells your audience exactly how they can work with you. While your educational and inspirational content builds trust and desire, your promotional content provides solutions.
There are a few key parts to any piece of promotional content:
- Offer a solution to an identified problem of your audience
- Use a gently confident tone
- Create a sense of urgency, only if it is authentic
- Provide a clear and easy call to action
Many holistic healers feel shy to post promotional content. Keep in mind that your audience wants to work with you! Your promotional posts provide them with the opportunity to finally book that session or purchase that course that all of your educational and inspirational content got them excited about.
