Using and maximizing hashtags takes your garden business social media marketing game to the next level.

But what are hashtags, and how did they get so popular?

Though they weren't envisioned as a world changing innovation initially, they've revolutionized the way we interact.

First introduced 7 years ago on Twitter, the hashtag has made its home on nearly every social media platform and is now conquering other mediums, too - such as internet ads, marketing campaigns, television ads and even conversations.

Learn the hashtag basics, from what a hashtag is to how you can use it to boost your garden business.

The rules of PR measurement are changing - drastically.

In 2010, public relations professionals from around the world came together to set new standards for measuring PR effectiveness called the Barcelona Principles.

Among other things, these new standards heavily emphasize the process of measurement from beginning to end. Specifically, they outline 3 distinct groups of measurable metrics that require different types of evaluation.

These newly defined focus points - the 3 O's - can help your garden business optimize your measuring practices.

Keep reading to learn how the 3 O's of the Barcelona Principles can help you evaluate where your garden business stands.

This week, Garden Media joins BlogHer’s 10th anniversary #Selfiebration in San Jose, Ca. That's right, a selfiebration.

The selfie trend has continued to rise over the past year and both big and small brands are adding it to their marketing arsenals.

BlogHer makes the trend its own by utilizing selfies to acknowledge the growth of the internet and bloggers over the past 10 years and to generate internet excitement.

Check out these tips to learn how selfies can help bring exposure to your garden brand.

When considering public relations as a marketing tool, many garden businesses struggle with answers to two basic questions:

1. Is public relations worth the investment?

2. How will I know?

The nature of public relations makes these questions difficult to answer. Calculating ROI in a monetary sense is a fluid science, and nailing down perfectly precise numbers is akin to capturing lightning in a bottle.

However, there are some strategies and metrics your garden business can use to measure the potential of a new publicity campaign.

Check out these tips and tricks for projecting the success of your garden business' public relations campaign after taking the jump!

Although the 4th of July is over, Labor Day is right around the corner - creating the perfect time to highlight your brand's American connections.

A report on brand loyalty from research firm Brand Keys Inc. found the top three U.S. brands considered to be the most patriotic are Jeep, Levi Strauss and Coca-Cola.

What do these three brands have in common? Consumers purchase their products because they have deep emotional ties to the perceived "Americaness".

Learn how to extend your garden brand's reach by communicating your business's American Values to consumers this Labor Day.

Contrary to popular belief, the most important commodity to a garden business isn't money.

The mysterious asset we're talking about has nothing to do with the monetary economy.

What is it?

Your brand's reputation.

You need to understand where your gardening business stands in the marketplace in order to continually improve your position.

To do this, you'll first need to measure your reputation.

Keep reading to learn 3 ways you can measure public opinion about your garden business.

Return on investment (ROI) is the ultimate goal of public relations for garden businesses. Everyone wants to see tangible results. 

PR firms gather data to demonstrate their ROI using many variables. Measuring PR's effects can often be quantified with hard data. Sometimes, however, it cannot.

Getting your garden product on the hit show “Shark Tank” would be a great achievement and undoubtedly bring LOTS of publicity to you and your business. 

While not everyone can get on the show themselves, a few takeaways about pitching an investor can be learned.

Even if you know your business inside and out it’s easy to get flustered and thrown off by a tough question or one you weren’t expecting.  Investors ask those kinds of questions to get the information that they need. 

Make sure your garden business doesn't lose a potential deal by not having the right answers to investor's questions. 

You know the importance of consistently drawing in new customers, but it’s equally important to turn those one time shoppers into loyal customers who love your brand!

Though not every customer will remain loyal to your brand, there are a few ways to increase your chances.  Two of the major reasons that customers leave a brand are:

• Feeling that the brand is indifferent towards them

• A poor customer service experience

Loyal customers are a free and effective form of marketing, so don't miss out! 

Follow the tips below to make sure your garden business doesn’t get left behind.

After you’ve brought your website into the 21^st century and gotten your social media game under control, ask yourself: what’s the next step to building my garden business? 

Now, it’s time to start a blog. 

Why?  81% of U.S. online consumers’ value information and advice found on blogs, and a whopping 61% of those consumers have a made a purchase based solely on that advice.  If you haven’t already, it’s time for you and your garden business to get on board with blogging!

What is a blog, exactly? A web log (blog for short) is a website made up of short, information packed entries.  

Below are the top 4 reasons blogging affects the bottom line of your garden business.