Social media has become a huge part of how companies interact and engage with their customers.

Even in the gardening industry, countless businesses have found social media works when they are looking for new customers, nurturing current customers, and when they need to drive traffic and sales on their garden website.

Twitter and Instagram are both popular social platforms. Both are great ways to promote a company, product or brand, when used correctly of course.

Below are 4 best practice tips to ensure your garden business's accounts are valuable to both your shoppers and your bottom line!

1. Post Interesting Content

This may seem too obvious, but it truly is one of the most important aspects to working social media!

When choosing what to post on Twitter or Instagram, you need to keep your audience in mind.

Post pictures and content that will catch the eye of consumers. This may include a witty comment or an interesting picture. Anything to catch their attention and get them to hit ‘like’.

Keep in mind that pictures with people get more likes. So, go ahead and post pictures with your employees or consumers using your products. 

When posting pictures on either of these social media sites, get creative! Post a variety of pictures, and avoid posting similar pictures in a row. This can get boring and cause consumers to ‘unfollow’ or ignore future posts.

On Instagram, the filters are a great way to jazz up an otherwise dull photo. Don’t be afraid to download other apps to help you make collages or edit pictures.

2. #UseHashtags

photo credit: quinn.anya via photopin cc

After you’ve created interesting content, the next step is to think of hashtags to complement it.

Unlike content, hashtags should not be creative or unique--unless you have a brand or product specific hashtag.

To find what hashtags are already being used for your industry, search common terms such as #newgardenproducts or #gardenchat. It helps to search before posting to see what hashtags are trending and what others are searching.  This pops up on the sidebar of Twitter or on the Discover page. 

3. Timing is Everything

photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc

Social media is all about timing. A post uploaded at the right time could get hundreds of more views than if it was posted too early or too late.

So, when is the right time to post? Mid-day is the best time to post content on social media. This is when most people are on lunch break or looking for a brainless activity and likely to scroll through their social media accounts.

A good rule to follow is to avoid posting any content after 6 PM. Many people are busy making dinner, watching television or catching up on things they were not able to get finished during the day, making them less likely to check-in to see the content you posted.

However, these are simply guidelines. Watch and analyze the specific analytics on your garden business's page for your posts to pack the most punch!

4. Be Active

photo credit: San Diego Shooter via photopin cc

Your job is not finished once you’ve posted on Twitter or Instagram. The next step is to interact with your followers. This is the heart of social media!

Like or comment on pictures they have tagged you to show appreciation.

Responding to comments or tweets on your posts is another integral step. Not only do consumers enjoy connecting with you, but it is a fast and effective way for you to gain feedback. Your followers will let you know what you company is doing right and what you need to improve on.

 Learn More Instagram Tips for your Garden Business! Click Below!