I usually start off Saturday mornings by catching up on some of my favorite blogs... from design, fashion and of course, those from the garden industry, I get my fill of information for the week! But this weekend, I read a particularly different post about social media etiquette.

Etiquette.  Ahhh... society has gotten so far from the writings in the very first Emily Post Blue book.  And as the rules of social media evolve, how does etiquette evolve with it? 

No, I'm not saying change is bad.  Change is good!  It's just that there are some basic principals of etiquette that should never change, on or offline:

Be kind.  Treat others with respect.  Show your appreciation.

This post will offer tips on how we can continue to follow these basic principals for these social media platforms: Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Otherwise, we all will have Miss Post rolling in her grave. 

At Garden Media, we’re all about the latest social media trends. So today, we’re introducing you to our favorite new social media tool, Vine. We love Vine not only because it’s a great name (c’mon, vines... gardening… get it?) but because it’s a great tool that can help you market your business.

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Vine, Blogging. Ugh, my head is already spinning! Anyone else's?? 

Social media plays a HUGE role in any modern, successful company's media plan, but it can also take up a good deal of time.

It doesn't have to, though.

Load up your social media toolbelt, and prepare to be amazed. These four tools outlined below will save you and your garden business oodles of time. Plus, time is money. Need we say more?

 Instagram has been dominating headlines over the past few weeks. Right before Christmas, Instagram announced a change to its privacy policy. In essence, the new policy would let advertisers pay Instagram to use your personal photos without telling you. As you are well-aware of by now, there was an uproar. Users shed the site and expressed their rage all over the media--social media included, of course.

However, Instagram is saying that this policy is NOT true. Instagram is in full-fledged crisis management mode and had their CEO email all of their users clarifying their new policies. In their rebuttal, Instagram said their privacy policy will remain the same as always and vowed that users would still own their photos--as they always have.

However, users across the globe are opting to keep their photos private to avoid them being used in advertisements. At this moment, the privacy policy puts business accounts in a tricky position.. What have you been talking about doing with your garden industry account?

Now that we know we're in the clear with the Instagram policy mix-up (for the most part), we can exhale deeply and hug our smart phones. Instagram is here to stay! Instagram is a fun, simple way to beautify your business and Facebook page.

Instagram is now a part of the personal realm, but it should also be in the professional world. 44% of American adults have a smart phone, which means they can easily snap a vintage-chic pictures on their Android or iPhone.

Instagram is free and has its own social network—while also easily hooking up to other social media platforms. 40% of Interbrand’s top 100 brands use Instagram, but does it make sense for your business?

Instagram has over 80 million users, and even if your garden business is focused on B2B or consumers, there’s a way to integrate Instagram into your media relations plan.

Below are 4 ways to use Instagram to spice up company announcements!