How to create clarity in the lifestyle and wellness space when everyone else is confused (including you)
Felicity Haythorn and Manfreda Cavazza, co-founders of editorial writing service Salt & Sage
And why we’re not afraid of the big AI wolf
We’re drowning in wellness bullshit online. Everywhere you look, there’s misinformation, half-truths and shiny, empty promises dressed up as “content”. Health hacks, business “blueprints”, coaching brands built on vibes and vibes alone – it’s no wonder trust is at an all-time low.
And just to be clear: we’re not anti-personal brand. We’re anti-generic, ungrounded, copy-paste personal brands. There’s a big difference. Because your story does matter – but only if it’s your story. Rooted in truth. Built from experience. Not a repackaged version of someone else’s highlight reel.
If you want to stand out, shouting louder won’t save you. So what will?
Clear, credible, meaningful storytelling rooted in truth.
Because real connection doesn’t happen through hype. It happens through honesty. If you’re ready to build a health, beauty or wellness brand that cuts through the chaos – not adds to it – you’re in the right place. Let’s talk about how to grow a content ecosystem that’s rooted, real and built to last.
Cut the crap: why content creation feels so confusing
Have you listened to What’s Up Docs? yet? The new podcast from twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken takes a sledgehammer to health misinformation – exposing the dodgy claims, jargon-packed nonsense and influencers pushing snake oil.
We’re glad someone is shining a light on this. We’ve lost count of the times we’ve panicked about exercising at the wrong time (apparently, early in the morning or late at night can raise your cortisol levels, but when are you supposed to do it if you work office hours and have a family?).
We’re still not sure whether taking collagen in our morning cuppa really does plump up our tired skin (hasn’t so far) – and don’t even get us started on intermittent fasting: we both bought Mindy Pelz’s book Fast Like A Girl, but although her complicated and restrictive regimes worked for her, they didn’t for us. In fact, much of her “research” is based on her own very biased personal experience, work and community.
Turns out, confusion is a business model
Case in point: we refer you to Belle Gibson, the infamous Australian “wellness” influencer and subject of Netflix show Apple Cider Vinegar. She leapt to fame in the 2010s after claiming to have cured her non-existent brain cancer via alternative therapies and a healthy diet, making her Insta-famous, with a book deal and her own app to boot.
This happens in other industries, too – maybe not as dramatically, but it’s just as frustrating.
Think about all those business coaches or marketing gurus selling programmes that supposedly worked miracles for them. They’ll tell you how they now work just a few hours a week and bask in passive income – all while they sip flat whites from their gym cafe or frolic on a yacht.
But when you try it? Not so much.
It’s easy to get swept up in personal success stories – but they’re personal for a reason. That magic formula worked for them because of their unique blend of experience, mindset and circumstances. What works for one person won’t always translate to your business, no matter how convincing the sales pitch. Their formula is just personal, not universal.
It’s all just so confusing. You’re probably thinking: “What DO I actually do? Who is my audience? How should I speak to them? Why am I different? What feels right for ME? Maybe I should be more like them.”
When you’re confused, you end up being part of the problem. Muddled messaging doesn’t just flummox your audience – it sends them straight to your competitors. Your business could be the answer they’re searching for, but if your message is cloudy, they won’t stick around to find out. It makes them scroll right past you.
And now … enter AI, stage left
As if the wellness grifters, dodgy business bros and overconfident LinkedIn coaches weren’t enough, here comes another curveball: AI.
The headlines are loud. AI is coming for your job. Writers, artists, therapists, coaches — beware! But let’s be clear: we’re not worried. At least not right now.
Because while AI can spit out (semi) decent copy or even pull together an entire website for you, it’s still missing something huge – human experience.
AI can’t draw on decades of lived stories. It can’t sit across from a client, listen deeply and gently challenge them to squeeze the pips out of their business truth. It doesn’t know how to sell with empathy. It doesn’t understand nuance, context, tone shifts or what makes your voice unmistakably you. It might land a brilliant turn of phrase, but it can’t tweak it to feel personal unless a real human is behind the wheel.
So yes, AI is adding to the noise. It’s making it even easier to publish generic, unverified, soulless content at scale.
But that just makes real, rooted, meaningful storytelling more valuable than ever.
Because your audience can feel the difference.
Why clear messaging matters more than ever
Here’s the thing: we’re not saying personal stories don’t matter – they do. But your brand needs to be personal to you. Borrow ideas? Yes. Take inspiration? Absolutely. But don’t build your business on someone else’s vibe. What works for them won’t automatically work for you – because it’s not yours.
To truly connect, your messaging has to be rooted in your values and your way of showing up in the world.
With AI adding to the tidal wave of templated content and brand blah, clarity isn’t just nice to have – it’s your sharpest competitive edge, along with your personal experience, empathy and instinct. Basically, all the more “feminine” qualities; the intangibles that AI (or tech bros for that matter) can’t compute.
It’s about clear, honest communication that builds trust from the start. Not by copying what the “gurus” say, but by being authentic. That’s how your brand becomes magnetic – when your voice resonates because it’s real. It lands harder because you’ve already made the case that authenticity doesn’t come from imitation – it comes from interpretation and personal expression.
And the best way to make that connection? Through storytelling in your unique way, so you’re never left scratching your head and always know how to share things that genuinely represent you.
And if we learned one thing during our time as journos? Do your homework. Get the facts straight, know your stuff and stay curious. Especially if you’re a health and wellness brand. Become the expert. Lead the thinking. But for the love of clarity – back that shit up.
Real insights come from real results. Share the scientific evidence. Pull from your own data, wins and lessons learned with clients, but also align it with research from reputable sources. When you ground your storytelling in truth, your message hits harder, and people listen.
Finally, you need a strategy to hang all that goodness on, which brings us neatly on to:
How to create high-quality content (without losing your mind)
As experienced UK storytellers, this is how WE do journalism-led content – and we’re not prescribing our way or the highway. It just strikes us as common sense. We love a good analogy here at S&S, so let’s think of your brand as a tree. We’re going with a palm tree because we have a pretty picture of one from our time in the Maldives and they represent resilience, flexibility and hope.
Palm trees represent resilience, flexibility and hope.
At S&S, we like using a tree analogy to think about brand strategy.
Roots = your foundational messaging
Trunk = your website, from which all your marketing grows
Branches = your blogs, expanding your reach
Leaves = your emails and socials and the last part of your marketing strategy
Here’s our four-step process to keeping things real at Salt & Sage:
1 Roots: your brand messaging – strong, nourishing and deep
This is where everything starts. Get your foundational messaging right, and it feeds everything else – your website, emails, blogs and socials.
Before you blog, post or pitch, get clear on:
What you do
How you do it
Why you do it
Who you’re speaking to
Why you’re different
Strong roots = thriving brand.
2 Trunk: your website – sturdy, central and visible
It’s the hub that holds your brand story together. Every leaf and branch (aka your content) grows from it. And when it’s nourished with clear storytelling and sharp strategy, it stands tall.
3 Branches: your blogs – stretching out, growing visibility and pulling people in
Good blogs are credible, engaging and fuel SEO. They’re not random rambles. When you write with integrity and cite credible sources, your audience and Google are happy.
Check your blogs are:
Fact-checked and credible, in line with Google’s E-E-A-T principles – that’s Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. It’s how Google decides if your content is high quality, especially for sensitive topics like health, money or anything that could affect someone’s wellbeing.
Engaging your audience with storytelling.
Using keywords and phrases to organically boost your SEO.
Positioning you or your brand as a trusted voice, not just creating more noise.
4 Leaves: emails and social posts – these are what catch the light
They’re attention-grabbing, vibrant and constantly changing. Emails spark conversations and social posts amplify your voice – but without strong roots and a solid trunk, they wither pretty quickly. We always say your socials and emails are the last part of your content marketing strategy. Important, but not where you should be focusing all of your energy.
Why this matters (and why you should care)
The lesson? Don’t get swept up in someone else’s forest. Nurture your own. Start with solid messaging, build a website that works for you and grow from there. No miracle methods. No generic formulas. Just smart, intentional growth.
Ready to plant some roots?
If you’re tired of the noise and ready to build a brand that’s strong, steady and unmistakably you – we’re here. Let’s grow something real together. Drop us a line or call us: we’re always up for a natter.