Health Activist Blogger Mentor Program

I am busy reviewing a number of health activist profiles who are shortlisted to join my mentor programme. Only four will be selected initially and I will work with them over the coming months to tell their story and to match with appropriate organisations and brands as brand ambassadors in the health and wellbeing sector. They will attend conferences on blogger passes, speak at events (stay tuned for an exciting announcement) and become involved in leading public health promotions campaigns.

Health Activists share a number of commonalities:
They want to be listened to. 
They want actions taken based on what they say. 
They want respect. 
They want emotional and financial support. (I discuss this more fully below and the need for disclosures and appropriate brand distance).
They want recognition for what they are already doing in their communities and want help. 

In so reviewing, I've become concerned by the number of bloggers who have really powerful stories to personally tell yet have simply given themselves away to brands. Sadly, some even appear to act just as a mouthpiece or be on the payroll for the organisation who supports them. 

My views are not necessarily directed at bloggers but rather at brands. Simply put, they should know better than to build brand associations with bloggers without the appropriate respect and guidelines necessary to protect the authenticity of the bloggers voice. Posts written just as  flowery endorsements of a brand achieve nothing except to turn readers off.

So how do brands in the health space work with bloggers to create behavioural change? Brands must recognise that bloggers and their unique stories can only help them when they are being true to their own voice and sometimes this will require simply stating that they are supported by the brand. Lavishing logos on each post about the brand is counter productive to what each is trying to achieve.

It starts with education about your organisation, agreed disclosures and transparency in the way you work with a blogger.

Why? Each Health Activist has a unique story, most start his or her journey with self-education, empowerment, and understanding about a specific health condition. Being seen to have an appropriate distance between brand and blogger is an important part of the authenticity of health activism.

Health Activists talk about health and health related issues every day and find genuine pleasure in offering support and advice to others online. They answer questions, offer resources, and help bring the sense of empowerment they have found in their own lives outward to others. Health Activists work in different spaces, both online and offline. 

Through personal experience and by eagerly pursuing knowledge of certain conditions, health activists stand out from the pack of online health users. By collecting that information and sharing that knowledge, they truly become leaders and that has a powerful value proposition.

Some Health Activists are content creators, bloggers, or lead forums, while others hold Twitter chats, or record video tutorials. Some Health Activists have started non-profits, support groups, or awareness campaigns. 

All Health Activists are: a voice for their condition, devoted to their health communities, and quality leaders. All Health Activists are also doing life, sharing the things that we all enjoy!

Footnote: If you would like to join my story coaching programme the link is here.