By now, you've probably heard about the ALS ice bucket challenge. 

If you haven't, don't worry. If you use any social network at all, you'll probably run into it soon.

Though the exact origins of the challenge are difficult to trace, one thing is certain - ALS awareness is skyrocketing. 

Don't just take our word for it, though. Keep reading to learn more about the movement, how its success has been measured, and marketing tips your garden brand can learn.

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.

In life, there are things that we recognize as necessary evils - paying taxes and doing dishes. But, we know we need to for our government and homes to run properly.

In the world of gardening public relations, the measurement metric, advertising value equivalency (AVE) has been getting a lot of flak lately.

Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of advertising value equivalency in the gardening public relations world.

By now, you know Pinterest is a major player in the world of social media.  

There are 70 million users and 500,000 active business accounts on Pinterest. Plus, Pinterest generates more referral traffic than YouTube, Google+ and Linkedin combined.

The visually-driven content is clearly a winner for the gardening world since our industry is flooded with awe-inspiring colors and plants.

With Pinterest's newest update, users can follow topic categories in addition to individual pinners and brands. Users can follow topics such as gardening, hanging baskets and more. This update expands the potential reach of your content, allowing more users to connect with garden business. 

Add these tips to your Pinterest strategy to increase awareness of your gardening brand.

When it comes to PR measurement, there isn't one, definite blueprint - everyone does it a bit differently. From conversation rates to the quality and quantity of media hits, there are a ton of variables to examine.

While getting to pick and choose what matters most to your garden business, it's difficult to standardize a method of measurement that works across the board.

No matter what measurement system you're using, make sure to avoid these 3 common mistakes to help your garden business grow!

Shark Week begins in just a few short days on Aug. 10, and the excitement is mounting.

Soon, the internet will be buzzing about sharks - and gardening brands can take a few tips on how to raise brand awareness from the pros.

Shark Week, originally broadcast in 1987, is the longest running cable television programming in history. Featuring the most feared creatures of the sea, the series was developed to raise awareness and educate viewers. Now, Shark Week is broadcast in more than 70 countries and has social media users of all demographics talking.

Learn how to be a great white shark in the garden marketing game with these takeaways from past Shark Weeks.

Garden businesses want clearly defined numbers when it comes to ROI.

While public relations departments and firms can collect all kinds of information, it's extremely difficult to produce a singular monetary representation of PR results. 

However, that game may be changing.

Adopting the sales metric of conversion rate can end some of the uncertainty surrounding PR measurement.

Can conversion rate change the public relations measurement game? Keep reading to learn more!

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.

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.

When your garden business chooses public relations, you expect your strategy to pay off.

And, you're right to expect a return on your investment (ROI) - hiring a PR firm is a cost-effective, efficient way to meet your business goals. 

One thing PR isn't, though, is immediate.

It takes time for a PR campaign to build momentum. Plus, the nature of PR is such that as your brand reputation grows media endorsements over time, even more outlets will want to work with you as you to become a household garden brand. 

So, the million dollar question: how can you tell if your public relations strategy is working?

Read on to learn 3 tips for measuring your garden brand's current public relations success.