February 2021 - 8

FROM THE EDITOR
LET'S GET SOCIAL
The pandemic - along with the many curveballs 2020 has thrown us - has affected
our everyday lives in many ways. One of those being the way we interact with one
another. Whether it's a business associate, a complete internet stranger, or even close
friends and family, the way we communicate has drastically changed.
Will this change be permanent, or maybe it's more like an evolution? Only time will
tell. But this change is something we simply cannot ignore.
As a 30-something-year-old (don't you dare ask me to specify my exact age),
technology is something that has always interested me. As a child, I was able to witness
so many innovations. From AOL chat rooms to Apple iPods to MySpace and Facebook,
and so on. New forms of digital communication come fairly natural to me.
I know for some grasping new technology isn't always easy. But I'm happy to see
how far our industry has come. Every day I notice new and improved websites, lots of
engagement on social media, beautiful e-newsletters, energetic videos and more.
WE ASKED, AND YOU ANSWERED
As part of this month's Chat Room survey (turn to page 12), I asked about social
media habits. A large majority of respondents said they do indeed use social media
applications for business purposes. That statistic did not surprise me. What did
surprise me a little bit was which platforms you choose to use (or not use). Facebook
was No. 1, by a landslide, with Instagram coming in second. LinkedIn and YouTube
were tied at No. 3.
While Twitter is an incredibly popular platform - with more than 320 million monthly
active users - it seems our industry isn't as interested in tweeting. I don't blame you,
though. As a very visual industry, the Twitter feed isn't exactly the best platform to
showcase our products.
I was happy to see so many respondents saying they use YouTube. As stated above,
we are a visual industry. It is so important to share our products' beauty and aesthetic
characteristics with our peers and consumers. Video is such a great way to accomplish
this, especially while we are cooped up indoors.
SHARE YOUR STORY
I recently spoke with a large grower who significantly increased their social media
presence in 2020. While they do not sell to the end consumer directly, they have been
able to drive consumers to the retailers they do supply by using platforms like Instagram.
It's amazing to see the reach a simple photo with a few clever hashtags has. By
engaging directly with consumers, this particular grower has been able to share their
story and educate new gardeners. In turn, their products have been flying off the retail
shelves. Good for the retailer, great for the grower, and even better for the consumer
who will hopefully nurture this new hobby.
With everything going on in the world right now, I think it is so
important to promote our industry and our beautiful products more
than ever. I know you don't need me to tell you there can be a lot of
negativity out in the world of social media. Let's change that! Give
people something to smile about. Share your story and inspire.
You never know who's watching.
STAFF
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Tim Hodson, thodson@greatamericanpublish.com
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Jasmina Dolce, jdolce@greatamericanpublish.com
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February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021