LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. If you are not one of the 225 million active members on LinkedIn, you are missing out on an extremely crucial networking opportunity.

A  LinkedIn profile is a personal branding resource. It opens doors to job opportunities, clients, mentors and keeps you connected to thought-leaders in your industry. Here are three reasons why you can’t afford to miss out on LinkedIn.

Instagram, with more than 300 million active daily users, is one of the most exciting and fastest growing
 social media platforms.

It is a hot spot for engagement, as accounts can captivate followers and connect with them in unique ways. This the ideal place for new brands to establish a social media presence.

From user generated content and 60 second videos, to the recently popular feature “Instagram Stories,” brands have the opportunity to become visual storytellers and build their name.

Building a substantial social media presence is without a doubt challenging, but there are numerous tactics that can be used to succeed.

Read on to learn 5 tips for building your brand on Instagram

In this week’s Trending Thursday post, we’re looking back nearly a decade to 2005 where the online revolution was in full force.

People were just beginning to use the internet – which was easily accessible nation-wide – as a fountain of knowledge that helped them learn about new products like never before.

This widespread access to new information lead to consumers feeling overwhelmed by choices in garden centers and other stores. In order to combat this feeling, consumers turned to trusted personalities to help make choices for them.

Continue reading to learn more about Curated Consumption.

For today’s throwback trends post, we’re looking back to 2008 to highlight a group of influencers that demanded individuality: The C Generation.

In this case, the C stands for Content, and this group is made up of collaborative, content creating machines who love individuality.

Here’s how this group has shaped the garden industry over the past eight years.

Continue reading to learn more about the C Generation.

Last weekend, I attended the Millennial Week Unconference in DC where I had the opportunity to learn
about leadership, social media strategies and branding from top leaders in the field.

Not only was the experience insightful to me on a personal level, it opened my eyes to new digital and traditional strategies for exceeding client expectations.

Here’s a brief recap of what the speakers had to say.

Continue reading to hear what industry leaders has to say at Millennial Week’s Unconference.

Public relations professionals wear a lot of hats and develop a wide array of skills needed to make their clients successful.  Things like pitching and social media contribute to stellar campaigns, but did you know there’s a lot more that goes into refining one area of expertise?

This infographic from PR Daily shows exactly how to achieve the most success in the field.

Continue reading to learn the best tricks of the trade.  

It’s impossible to escape the hashtag these days. The tiny # symbol has successfully infiltrated most social media platforms and is used for a variety of difference reasons online.

Public relations professionals and social media managers alike use hashtags to garner attention to their brands and connect with like-minded consumers on the web. Hashtags are also a fast, easy way to communicate directly with customs and brand ambassadors.  

While the # may seem simple, there is a lot of strategic planning that goes into choosing the right hashtag and using it.

This infographic from the Huffington Post shows how to best use this powerful social media tool.

Read more to Harness Hashtag Power

You can create a social media account in no time. One thing you can’t build overnight? Your brand.

In this day-and- age anything from companies to apps to people can be considered brands, and it takes time and dedication to make your presence relevant on the web.  

This infographic from Lifehack offers a few simple steps for gaining traction online.

What does your brand say about you?

Petscaping, designing a landscape with four-legged friends in mind, is a new idea for many pet parents. And you know what? Pets love it! From 'catios' to puppy play areas, this pet-forward trend is sizzling this summer.

There's a lot of overlap between gardeners and pet owners. You're looking at a group of outdoor fanatics. Plus, people who care about their pets will do anything for them. Meaning, spend anything on them, too.

Companies can stand out online by appealing to "man's best friend."

You know petscaping is a trend, but how do you communicate that to your consumers?

Continue reading to learn how your garden brand can appeal to a new audience of pet lovers. 

For today’s throwback trends post, we’re highlighting a major trend from 2009: Grow it Yourself (GIY).

Since we spotted this trend nearly a decade ago, the GIY movement has only gained momentum.

Today, people find a variety of ways to embrace growing things on their own.

Continue reading to learn more about GIY.