3 Unspoken Rules You Shouldn’t Neglect as a Wellness Copywriter

A wellness copywriter wearing a blue sweater smiles at her laptop.

Wellness copywriters aren’t just writers.

You have to be Sherlock, Indiana Jones, and *insert your favorite reporter here* all in one. That’s a lot of hats.

While all copywriters have a duty to research, investigate, and report accurate information, the stakes are especially high in the health niche.

It can literally be a life-or-death situation. Can you tell I’m currently wearing my dramatic hat?

On a more serious note, it might not mean the difference between life and death because hopefully, people aren’t only relying on the internet for answers to their health issues. However, one survey did find that 69% of millennials turned to Google for health advice instead of going to the doctor [1].

And if that isn’t alarming enough, 24% said they trust Google for an accurate diagnosis.

So the information you help push as a wellness copywriter can have a huge impact on someone’s health and well-being.

Do I need to quote Spiderman to get my point across? Yes, yes I do.

Because “with great power comes great responsibility”.

What does exercising responsibility look like for a wellness copywriter?

The First Pillar for a Wellness Copywriter – Digging beyond Top Results

When you’ve been copywriting for a while, you start to notice the same sources being cited, similar ideas being recycled, and the same misinformation being spread.

You should be citing strong studies. There’s nothing wrong with expanding upon an idea that someone else has already had. In fact, there aren’t many ideas that are completely new. So this is normal.

What’s not normal or acceptable is plagiarism. I know, duh. What also may be normal, but shouldn’t be, is looking at the top results on Google and quoting a quote related to a study in those articles.

If the article is from a reputable source, it might be safe. But it’s hardly ever worth the risk of not confirming the facts of the study.

There are a few issues with quoting a quote.

If you don’t read the actual study, you don’t know whether the study is taken out of context.
You also won’t know if the conclusions that have been made are incorrect or if the study has been misinterpreted.
The cited study or article could be total horsesh*t. Don’t use Wikipedia folks.

We wellness copywriters owe it to our clients and their customers to thoroughly investigate topics and communicate facts accurately.

But accuracy isn’t the only thing that’s important to pay attention to as a wellness copywriter.

The Second Pillar – Choosing Your Words Carefully

This one might seem obvious, but I’m not talking about using more powerful verbs or dumbing down your language to be at a 4th-grade reading level.

I’m talking about a few different things here.

1. Don’t use language that’ll get your client in trouble.

It’s more serious than a trip to the principal’s office. If you use certain language, your client’s mom won’t be called. Instead, you can get in trouble with certain agencies, like the FDA.

Wellness copywriters, as well as their clients, should work together to make sure they aren’t making any claims about their products that aren’t approved by the FDA. Even if you have amazing testimonials and results, you have to be careful.

Showcase your product’s benefits, without begging for a visit from the three-letter government agency that shall not be named again.

2. Then there’s the language that won’t get your client in hot water with the government but could severely impact their customer relationships.

As a wellness copywriter, you might work with professionals in the mental health and trauma spaces.

Instead of assuming you know what’s sensitive language and what’s triggering, make sure you do your research in the space.

You can browse the internet, talk to your client’s previous or existing customers (maybe not if it’s a very delicate subject), and discuss it with your client.

Never assume, even if you have experience in that particular field as a wellness copywriter or otherwise. The world of health and wellness is constantly changing and language is a part of that.

Speaking of being sensitive, let’s talk about the third pillar of responsible wellness copywriting.

The Third Pillar – Employ Empathy as a Wellness Copywriter

Employing empathy might seem obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in facts and educating people.

Wellness copywriters and wellness professionals in general know their stuff. But sometimes you forget that people are coming from different places in their health journey.

Health is deeply personal and demands sensitivity and understanding.

You might have impeccable bedside manner, but in this digital age, you aren’t always able to show that right away or at all.

Research from Harvard Business Review supports the idea that connecting with your ideal clients is essential for success. In fact, emotional connection proved twice as valuable as customer satisfaction [2].

So while you should strive to satisfy your customers’ needs, you should also focus more on emotional connection.

Words and tone come across differently in writing than when you’re talking face-to-face. And even though you might talk face-to-face on a consultation call, getting someone to book that call requires an empathetic approach.

Your website, blogs, emails, and all other copy should be supportive and welcoming.

Even if you don’t mean for your language to come off as:

Sarcastic or critical…
Monotone or uninterested…
Harsh or insensitive…

It could be taken that way.

This is where a professional wellness copywriter can provide an outside perspective of your business, what you offer, and how it can help others.

Wellness copywriters bring a valuable mix of industry knowledge, marketing expertise, and kick*ss communication skills. So when you find a wellness copywriter who jives with your style, they can spur a lot of growth in your business.

Whether You’re a Wellness Copywriter or Hiring One…

If you’re reading this article as a wellness copywriter or you’re trying to find a wellness copywriter, here are the TLDR takeaways:

Dig deeper. Try to cite the actual study and not an article that cites the study.
Choose your words carefully to:

Avoid repelling your ideal clients.
Keep yourself out of trouble with the FDA and other health agencies.
3. Be empathetic. Your ideal clients are human and you’re human too. This is one reason to not let AI write your copy.

These might seem simple to implement, yet so many professionals struggle to do so.

If you don’t have the time to make sure you’re doing all of the above in your copy, hire a wellness copywriter.

And if you have the time, but you don’t want to spend it learning copywriting and marketing, you should still hire a wellness copywriter.

Why You Shouldn’t Rely on AI

I go over the limitations of AI a little more in my blog on hiring a health and wellness copywriter in 2023, but there are a couple of key reasons I want to talk about here.

You can’t rely on a robot to understand and imitate the human experience.

Robots haven’t been unsuccessfully searching for answers to their pain and suffering like your ideal clients have.

Don’t expect them to nail empathy and compassion.

2. AI won’t fact-check information, which is dangerous in wellness copywriting.

Your ideal clients deserve accurate and up-to-date health information.

Supplementing a wellness copywriter with AI can be harmful to your potential and current clients, as well as your reputation.

What You Get When You Hire Me as Your Wellness Copywriter

I like to take a “do as I say and do” approach. So when you hire me as your wellness copywriter, I make sure to implement all of the strategies in this blog.

I also:

Infuse your unique voice into your copy.
Use storytelling to capture your ideal clients’ hearts and minds.
Take your input seriously so I can make sure your copy is authentic to you.

So if you’re looking for an ethical, empathetic wellness copywriter, book a free discovery call with me.

The best that could happen: we’re a great fit and I help you increase your clientele, build authority and credibility in your field, and grow your business.

The worst that could happen: we’re not a good fit, but I give you a few helpful recommendations, refer you to someone who might be a good fit, and we both gain some valuable insight.

Let’s find out which one it’ll be together.

Eilis WorkSeptember 11, 2023