Meltwater, an online media monitoring company, recently launched a report that shared current trends in social media for 2023. 

The report offered findings from over 1,700 marketing and communications professionals globally. The short: paid and organic social media are expected to increase in 2023. Garden businesses must stay at the top of their game and adapt while also increasing their skillset. 

In the report, social media platforms were ranked by usage and popularity. Facebook is still holding the top ranking, followed by LinkedIn and Instagram. YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok remain relevant while being slightly less popular than the top three. Short-form video is hot right now on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Read on to learn more about how social media has maintained and even gained importance during the current economic development. 

Social Media Indicators
The top four social media metrics that businesses used to determine success: 
•    social media engagement (80%)
•    social media followers (65%)
•    website traffic (59%)
•    marketing leads (30%)

The top four social media challenges identified by businesses:
•    proving the value of social media (32%)
•    gaining followers or engagement (39%)
•    measuring impact or return on investment (46%)
•    finding time or resources (49%)

According to recent survey data, both organic and paid social media are expected to play an even bigger role in 2023.

Influencer Marketing 2023
Influencer marketing is another hot topic currently being evaluated by many green industry businesses to determine its value. 

Macro-influencers, those with 50k+ followers, are becoming less important, while micro-influencers, those under 50K, are becoming more relevant. This is because many micro-influencers promote products as a hobby and endorse items they genuinely like and use. Authenticity is a huge trend in 2023 and beyond.

One challenge with micro-influencers is that the quality of their videos may not be up to par with larger businesses. These businesses are treading a fine line between having an influencer that consumers can trust while still creating content that is market worthy. 

Here are some recommendations for having a successful partnership with influencers:
•    Collaborate with influencers who align with your brand values; don’t work with people who may distract from your brand.
•    A single post from a celebrity can be less impactful than a group of micro-influencers. This phenomenon is known as the Kardashian effect. Don’t focus on the big dogs.
•    Control and trust are important! Help them curate the message and then trust the influencer to nurture your brand in their message. 

Social Media Platform Shift
Social media is an ever-evolving landscape, and understanding how to best utilize each platform is vital to a garden business's success. 

Recently, there have been shifts and reorganizations of how each platform is used. As seen by the rise of the micro-influencer, Instagram and Tik Tok are reaching for engagement. 

While it may be smaller than other platforms, Twitter is still an essential tool for reporting breaking news quickly. It provides good levels of intelligence, and data is more accessible to capture.

Employee Advocacy
Employee advocacy, when an employee becomes a positive spokesperson for the employer’s brand, is also essential when it comes to utilizing social media. Only 20% of companies have an employee advocacy strategy, and it's important to remember that employees can only advocate for your brand if it is of their own free will. 

You can give permission, incentives, and/or encouragement to share messaging and brand details but never pressure them. 

Staying True Through It All
When it comes to successful social media strategies, it's important to track everything, pay attention to data, and focus on what works for your garden business while staying true to the key characteristics of your company. While we must analyze the metrics and remember that we are all human. It is essential to listen to your customers and learn their struggles to find the best strategies to make them and your stakeholders happy.

Social media continues to be an integral part of green industry businesses, and its importance is predicted to only increase in 2023. Dedicate more time to the top social media platforms, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and dabble in TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. 

For More Stats on Social Media for 2023, Download our Social Media eBook