Our world is forever changing! Social media and digital communications completely transformed how many of us do business.

While social media may not change how we garden, it certainly changes how we talk about gardening. 

Journalism has changed immensely since the early 1900s. Now, PR professionals and those involved in garden marketing connect and engage with reporters, editors, and journalists on social media.

Wondering just how to best use social media to get your garden business in the media? Well, read on!

Blog

Even the traditional print media are migrating to blogs! As of June 2012, 89% of journalists use blogs to research a story or a story idea. Your blog really does matter. Blogs are your garden business's opportunity to share your exciting news. Also, add to the buzz in the garden industry. If there's an emerging trend, talk about it! Focus on how your garden business is going to be a leader.

The more you talk about exciting business news and news at large on your blog, the more likely a reporter will find it. 

Your garden industry blog is your chance to establish yourself as a leader and innovator of interesting, newsworthy information. 

Maintain Social Media Profiles

Simple: If you don't have a Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile, reporters will not discover you! Create and maintain a profile on each of these platforms. Become a credible source for news by ensuring your garden business's social media profiles includes:

• a fitting, interesting picture

• a well-penned description that speaks to what your garden business does and who you are as a company

• and timely, relevant, newsworthy content 

Focus on Twitter
Be active on all the social media platforms, but focus journalistic efforts on Twitter. Twitter delivers the bare-bones of a story. In 140 characters, you have to be able to broadcast the 5 W's and 1 H of the story (Who, What, Where, Why, When, and How). Of course, you can then add a shortened link to your press release.

Twitter excels in briefity, timeliness, and creating/maintaining relations with journalists.

Follow journalists that you've worked with in the past. Reach out to new contacts. Follow their tweets to see if they're looking for a particular story. Always be ready to deliver the meat of the story in a snack-sized package.

Before long, they'll come to you for news.

Craving more tips on integrating social media into your business? 

Look no further! Download our e-book, and soak up the knowledge!