MEDIA
A Social Media Workout
for Building Strong Online
Connections
by Edie Melson
W
e all know the importance of fitness. Beyond
having a healthy workout plan for our bodies,
we also need to keep our online lives in shape.
To make valuable connections through social media we have
to be able to work at top performance.
Exercises for building an online platform that can go the
distance takes training and discipline.
Sit Ups: This exercise will help us improve our ability to sit
up and take notice of what is going on around your digital
neighborhood.
Reps: 5 (take five minutes and scan through your social
media feed for current updates)
Sets: 3 (do this three times a day)
Strength Training: Where do you have the most followers
and friends? That is where you need to invest the majority of
your time. For me, that is twitter. I have over 20,000 Twitter
followers, so I make sure my interactions on that platform
stay fresh and current. I also spend time on Facebook, but
not as much because I do not have as strong a presence there.
Reps: 20 (Out of your 30 minute daily workout, spend
twenty minutes on the network where you get the most bang
for your buck)
Sets: 1
Reps: Daily
Push Ups: Make it a practice to push up your numbers.
Spend a short time each day adding new friends and followers
on social media. The best way to do this (actually the only
way I recommend)? Be a friend to have a friend.
Reps: 5 (take five minutes and follow or friend several new
people)
Sets: 3 (do this three times a day)
Hurdles: Look at the obstacles ahead of you. If you are
struggling with something, take a run at it. Learn a new skill
to keep your social media on track and moving forward.
Reps: 5 (take three minutes and begin to learn or practice a
new skill)
Sets: 3 times a week
Sprints: Keep watch on the amount of time you spend on
social media. Do not go over that 30-minute a day threshold.
Do not forget the law of diminishing returns. After 30
minutes, your productivity and value goes way down.
Reps: 30 (watch the clock every minute you are online)
Sets: Daily
Jump Rope: Every day take time to jump someone else
ahead of you. I always try to promote others ahead of myself.
Reps: 5 (out of every six social media updates share five
promoting someone else)
Sets: Daily
Endurance Training: Remember this thing called social
media takes time—it is a marathon. Take small consistent
steps and you will find success every time.
Reps: 1 time a day
Sets: 3 times a week
Cardio: Make sure you follow your heart and your passion.
Share things that mean something to you, and you will be
valuable to those who follow you.
Reps: 3
Reps: 3 to 4 times a week
Like any workout, taking time for regular online exercise will
make us stronger. The goal of this routine is to ultimately
grow stronger connections with our readers. Our muscles will
work more efficiently and our efforts will garner more results.
If we stop exercising, we run the risk of growing flabby and
weak. Instead, we need to stay the course with a regular social
media workout routine. n
Edie Melson is the author of the bestseller
Connections: Social Media and Networking
Techniques for Writers. She’s the co-director of the
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference,
Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy, and the
Senior Editor for Novel Rocket. Visit Edie on her
blog, Twitter, and Facebook.
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