Social media for nutritionists and dietitians

People looking for nutrition help are often confused by conflicting advice online. A calm, evidence-led feed stands out, and it shows people what working with you will feel like.

Instagram suits carousels, recipes and short videos. LinkedIn reaches GPs, physios, employers and other professionals who refer clients or book workplace talks. YouTube and TikTok work for longer explainers and myth-busting if you enjoy filming. Pinterest suits recipes and meal ideas people save. If you see clients at a clinic, keep Google Business Profile current.

Three or four posts a week is enough. Pick one theme a month, such as fibre, protein or label reading, and build posts around it.

• Monday: a myth and what the evidence says, with the source named in the caption.
• Tuesday: a simple recipe or meal idea.
• Thursday: a practical skill, such as reading a food label or building a balanced plate.
• Friday: who you help and how to book, or a LinkedIn post for referrers.
• Monthly: a longer video or article on your monthly theme.

In the UK, the British Dietetic Association says "dietitian" is the only food and nutrition title protected by law, and only people on the HCPC register can call themselves dietitians. The title "nutritionist" is not protected, and the BDA advises people to check that a professional is on the HCPC register or the UK voluntary register for nutritionists.

Put your registration in your bio, and do not use a title you do not hold. In the US, rules on who can give nutrition advice and use titles vary by state, so check with your state licensing board.

Source: British Dietetic Association: Check HCPC registration, checked 15 October 2026

UK: the CAP Code, which the ASA applies to non-broadcast ads, sets strict rules for food. Only health claims listed as authorised on the applicable register (GB, EU or both) may be used for food (15.1.1). Claims that a food prevents, treats or cures human disease are not acceptable (15.6.2), and nor are health claims for a food that refer to an individual health professional's recommendation (15.6.3) or to a rate or amount of weight loss (15.6.6). Supplement marketing must not imply a balanced diet cannot supply the nutrients people need (15.8).

Weight management: the CAP Code says marketing must not claim people can lose precise amounts of weight in a stated period (13.9), that losing more than 2 lb a week is unlikely to fit good practice for people who are normally overweight (13.10), and that diet plans must be nutritionally well balanced apart from the energy deficit (13.5). Weight-loss marketing must not be directed at under-18s (13.3).

US: the FTC's Health Products Compliance Guidance covers foods and dietary supplements, applies to social media and influencer marketing, and says health claims generally need competent and reliable scientific evidence, typically randomised, controlled human clinical testing. Testimonials do not replace that evidence, and if a testimonial shows results most people will not get, you need to say clearly what typical results are.

This is general information, not legal advice. Treat captions on your own accounts with the same care as a paid ad, and check your professional body's code of conduct too.

• Explain what research shows, rather than promising what a food will do for the reader.
• Never say a diet or supplement cures, reverses or treats a disease.
• Avoid "lose a stone in a month" style hooks, even as a myth to bust.
• Name your sources in captions so followers can check them.
• Keep advice general in posts and save personal advice for consultations.

Sources: ASA: CAP Code (non-broadcast), Section 15: Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims, checked 15 October 2026; ASA: CAP Code (non-broadcast), Section 13: Weight control and slimming, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: Health Products Compliance Guidance, checked 15 October 2026

Brand deals: if a food or supplement brand pays you or sends free products, the post is likely to be an ad. The ASA expects a clear "Ad" label at the start of the post, and the FTC says your connection to a company should be disclosed everywhere you endorse its product.

Privacy: the HCPC's social media guidance says you must treat information about service users as confidential, and that removing a name does not make a post safe if the person could still be identified. In the UK, the ICO lists data concerning health as special category data. Ask for written permission before sharing any client story, and change details that could identify them.

Comments: people will ask for personal advice in comments ("what should I eat for my IBS?"). Reply kindly with general information and invite them to book or speak to their GP. On Instagram, Hidden Words lets you hide comments containing words you list, with an automatic filter for common offensive words on by default.

1. Label paid and gifted posts "Ad" at the start.
2. Get written consent for every client story and remove identifying details.
3. Never give individual medical or diet advice in public comments.
4. Correct misinformation politely, with a source, and do not argue at length.
5. Do not offer a discount for a review. Google's policy bans incentives for reviews.

Sources: ASA Advice Online: Recognising ads, social media, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: Endorsement Guides, what people are asking, checked 15 October 2026; HCPC: Guidance on use of social media, checked 15 October 2026; ICO: What is special category data?, checked 15 October 2026; Instagram Help Centre: Hide comments or message requests you don't want to see, checked 15 October 2026; Google Maps user-generated content policy: fake engagement, checked 15 October 2026

A monthly theme keeps your content focused and makes it easier to plan.

Disclosure: this guide is published by Zolyp, an AI social media manager. Zolyp plans a calendar around your content pillars, writes and designs each post, and schedules it to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads. You start in review-everything mode, so nothing goes live without your approval. Brand Brain can hold banned topics and words you never want used, such as "cure" or named conditions. Zolyp does not check posts against ASA, CAP or FTC rules, so read every post before you approve it. Everything in this guide works just as well done by hand.

• Week 1: choose the theme and collect two or three sources you trust.
• Week 2: write a myth-busting carousel and film one short explainer.
• Week 3: post a recipe and a LinkedIn post for referrers.
• Week 4: check which posts brought enquiries and plan next month's theme.