As the end of the year approaches, many brands have already begun preparing their social media strategies for the new year. 

Social media continues to evolve and if your brand doesn't follow the trends and changes, your efforts may fall flat. 

Thankfully, there are a few social media trends coming to light that brands should consider as they prepare for the new year. 

Read on to learn about 7 social media trends that can help boost engagement. 

While they didn't take our color advice from our 2019 Garden Trend Report this year, the Pantone Color Institute has announced that 2019 will be all about Living Coral.

The color represents “playful expression,” and our “innate need for optimism.” (After this year, we can use all the innate optimism we can get.)

Living Coral is technically a “coral hue with a golden undertone”—a few shades louder than pink, but softer than red.

Read more to learn about how to apply Living Coral to your garden this year.

“Brand prosperity is a lot like the root system of a tree; if you think about the root system of a tree, it is hidden beneath the earth, but it is fundamental to whether or not that tree flourishes and whether or not it bears fruit … if any of the roots are weak or not functioning well, the ability of the tree to flourish is compromised.”

—Michael Movitz, The Movitz Group

The success of a brand, according to Michael Movitz, relies on an interconnected set of factors he calls the 7 P's: Purpose, product, people, pathway, pricing, and promotion of the brand.

Read more to learn how to manage these factors and achieve brand success.

More and more, clients are asking us to increase our PR efforts digitally. The goal is to increase online visibility and enhance the brand, a tactic we've been doing since the beginning. 

The right digital placements will increase domain authority, build the brand and increase SEO. 

Since we are constantly asked how to measure PR, we decided to share how we've honed our measurement of these online sources, too. 

Fortunately, digital PR measures more precisely. When it comes to comparing digital PR and offline, there are 6 areas where digital takes the lead: domain authority, page views, traffic, back link sources, brand awareness and social engagement. 

Read on for 6 ways to measure digital PR efforts.

“Generation Z only knows a world that is hyper-connected, where by the tap of a smartphone, a pair of shoes can be delivered to their doorstep via Uber or a drone in less than an hour. To Generation Z, a phone will be broken if they cannot see the other person on the other end. It’s a brave new world that Generation Z is growing up in.” Ryan Jenkins

According to Laura Stack at TLNT, the first batch of kids born in Y2K is starting college in large numbers and their slightly older siblings are nearing graduation or have graduated.

The first few members of Generation Z , born from about 1996 to 2016, have entered the workforce.

By all indications, they’ll prove themselves just as practical and capable as Millennials.

Read more to learn what Gen Z wants from employers and what we can expect from them.

Kroger announced its top food trend predictions for 2019, curated by its team of Our Brands new product developers, chefs and innovators, focusing on flexible eating styles.

From regional tastes to plant-based alternatives, the year ahead will focus on flexible eating styles, predicts Kroger, one of the country’s largest grocery companies. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based company’s team of product developers, chefs and others created this list of top five trends:

Instagram is shaping up to be THE major marketing platform, compared to it's beginnings as a photo sharing platform. 

With over 1 billion monthly active users, utilizing Instagram for your business has never been more important. They have taken strides to create a desirable space for both customers and business owners alike.

With updates to Instagram stories and creating shoppable posts, it's no wonder engagement is higher there than on Facebook and Twitter. 

Reach on to learn more about what your business can do to utilize Instagram.

A few weeks ago, Ellen Wells, Editor-At-Large for Green Profit, asked the question: Are demographics dead?

She was asking due to multiple articles stating that in today’s modern world, demographics can be thrown out the window.

Marketing based on age, sex and race is too simple, especially with groups of unlikely friends coming together.

Marketers have been relying on this information for years to keep selling their products. They are seeing the same people purchasing over and over. 

But not so fast. Demographics aren't dead... yet

Read on to see what you should be focusing on to create better marketing strategies.

The future for gardening looks joyful and holds a connection to Mother Nature that just may be the saving grace of the planet.

This bold prediction comes from the 2019 Garden Trends Report: Rooted Together – Reconnecting with the Natural World.

The 18th annual report dives deep into the intrinsic connection people have with nature and how banding together could be the best defense to protect the earth.

Today’s “social clock” society is online 24/7. In a desert of work, stress and the internet, nature - both indoors and outside - has become an oasis.

We are finding joy in nature to achieve peace and purpose. Our 2019 Garden Trends report showcases trends in design, color and technology that will strengthen our relationship with Mother Nature.

Read more to lean about the 2019 Garden Trends.

Katie has been invited to present the 2019 Garden Trends Report at an exclusive event hosted by the Orlandelli Organization, Orlandelli Horizon.