Greetings, and welcome back to Social Studies!

In today's digital world, having a direct and reliable connection with your audience is crucial. While social media platforms are valuable for reaching a wide range of people, it is important to note that the visibility of your content can be affected by the ever-changing algorithms that these platforms employ. (Which we covered in lesson 7) That's where having an email list comes in.

Today we will cover why having an email list is necessary and ways to promote your newsletter.

If you haven't already, sign up for our weekly Social Studies email series to catch up on any lessons you may have missed!

Keep reading to discover valuable tips on crafting an impactful newsletter and maximizing its reach!

If the sight of Christmas decorations next to Halloween candy on store shelves makes you raise an eyebrow, you may want to get used to it – because a trend has arrived that garden retailers can’t afford to ignore.

In recent years, 43% of holiday shoppers planned to start shopping in November. But signs are indicating a major shift this year, and retailers need brace themselves: holiday shoppers are shopping EARLY in 2020, and their preferences have changed.

Read more to learn 3 must-have tips for positioning your brands this holiday season.

In a recent interview for Oregon Association of Nurseries magazine I was asked about influence. Who has it, why is it important and how do you get it. The interview got me thinking about the future of social media influencers.

And then I read a New York Times story about the rise of the nano-influencer and Ellen Wells' Buzz in which she pointed out a great article about the future of social media marketing.

"Influencers will need to prove more value as brands question inflated vanity metrics driven by bots and sophisticated click networks." - Susan Beebe thought leader with a background in technology, project management, and corporate communications.

It seems I'm not the only one questioning the model.

Here at Garden Media we love working with influencers. Our clients have partnered on a tremendous amount of video and blog content, co-hosted and sponsored events and worked with influencers to simply grow brand awareness.

While not abandoning our favorite influencers, we also have to look to the future. Where are we going and what are the best ways to acquire new customers?

Read on for alternatives to influencer marketing that will help grow your brand in 2019.

What is the number one thing that gets clicks to your blog? Headlines. What is the written content that pops up when your blog gets posted on social media? Headlines.

You get the point. Headlines matter!

According to CopyBlogger, “8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest."

One of people's biggest complaints about content marketing is that often times the content is confusing. To avoid this negative reaction, write your content as you would a press release. Make sure your purpose is clear, and arrange your content in a logical, simple manner.

And, be sure your headline entices the reader to open the email. Subject lines seem like a small part of your job, but in actuality, they matter more than anything else!

Read on to learn how to create winning subject and headlines.

Technology is arguably the best invention to happen since sliced bread. It allows us to FaceTime with far away family members, watch our friends live their lives through social media, know the great things happening all around the world and show off our achievements for our friends and family to see.

On the other hand, being plugged in all the time is exhausting. As a society we are constantly distracted, not being present in real life situations, missing out on once in a lifetime moments. We are stressed out with the notifications popping up on our phones, the constant emails coming through and the strain our eyes experience staring at screen for hours on end.

As a result, our physical and mental wellness is suffering, yet we can’t break the pattern. It has become the norm so much so that we aren’t realizing how it affects our bodies on the day to day basis.

One by one, let’s work on taking a break from the demands of the internet and devices and have a digital detox.

Trust me, that Facebook post will still be funny later.

Continue reading for three ways to go on a digital detox – even if you are surrounded by technology.

The problem people find with emails is that it is difficult to communicate the tone of your voice. 

Depending on the mood the person on the receiving end is in will determine how it is read.

The thing you were trying to joke about? It might be read as being snooty. The friendly email sent to cover up the annoyance you feel? It will sound immature.

When you send a professional email that may sound rude, you can feel compelled to add a smiley face or put a “LOL” next to it. You need to stop doing that now – you will start to see a difference on how you are treated in the workplace.

Learn how to eliminate useless words from your emails and start getting to the point.

Email has revolutionized communication. It has been a wonderful way to get a quick response – you can have a reply in just a few minutes!

While emails were a great invention, they may cause unneeded stress in and out of the workplace.

Are you one of the almost half of Americans that feel the need to check emails in the bathroom to stay on top of them? Then you know the feeling. Emails quickly pile up, drafts go unsent and you lose track of what’s important.

Keeping an organized inbox reduces stress and anxiety and helps you be better prepared for the day. Net Credit came out with a great infographic to help prioritize your inbox.

Waking up to a full inbox is an easy way to start your day off wrong.

Studies show it takes 64 seconds to get back on track after an email notification pops up. More than 1/4^th of the workweek is spent on email with more than 3/4^th of employees becoming more stressed using email.

Continue reading to see how to achieve ‘Zero Inbox’.

Winter storm Jonas proved to be a rude awakening for the mid-Atlantic region and demonstrated that not all Jonas’ come fully equipped with a pop band with dreamy eyes.

The blizzard brought over 24 inches of snow to our area, not to mention driving nightmares for days after.

Besides binge watching Making a Murderer on Netflix or complaining about shoveling, there are lots of ways to keep yourself entertained during a snow day that can also help you in your PR career.

Continue reading to learn about how you can improve your PR skills during a snow day.

Time is quickly running out in 2015, which means it’s time to make decisions and set your New Year’s resolutions for 2016!

Coming up with a personal resolution is easy — you know what your bad habits are and what you need to do to change them. There are support groups, clubs and apps to help you change your ways. Professional resolutions are trickier to identify because the list could honestly be endless.

Keep reading below to learn about the 5 pr resolutions will change your life and your business in 2016.

You've done the easy part: brainstormed a topic, wrote the blog and gathered images. Last, but certainly not least, headlines are the hardest yet most important element of a blog post.

We advise writing a headline after the body is written because the headline should summarize the entire article.

While there is no specific formula for the perfect blog title, research has shown that there are a few techniques that prove successful.

Continue reading to find out the hidden formula for creating a booming blog headline.