Social Media Is a Garden: Plant Strategically

Social media is a constantly evolving garden. It’s not just about throwing seeds (posts) into the soil and hoping something grows—it’s about knowing which seeds thrive in which soil, and when the weather is just right for planting.

Some plants need full sun, some need shade. Some sprout fast and bloom wide, while others take months to grow but last longer. Your social media content is no different.

Take timing, for example. I once had a client who questioned why I was posting their quote graphics on Instagram at 8am instead of waiting until noon—because noon was the “peak” of when their followers were most active. On the surface, that logic seems sound. But here’s the catch: do you plant your seeds during the peak of when everything is growing? No—you plant them beforehand, so your plants have time to flourish.

Quote posts are notoriously harder to get blooming in the feed. They’re competing with reels, trending audio, and eye-catching carousels. By 11am or 12pm, when everyone else is sowing the same kind of seed, it’s like tossing your little sprout into a crowded field where it immediately gets overshadowed.

That’s why I planted them early. At 8am, when the soil was still fresh, those posts could establish roots before the midday flood. The result? Higher visibility and stronger engagement. When the client insisted on posting at noon, they immediately saw a 50% drop in engagement.

The numbers back this up: studies show posts that hit feeds right before peak hours often perform better than those that land during peak hours, because they have a chance to climb the algorithm ladder before the rush. And businesses that post strategically (timing, content type, and consistency) see engagement rates up to 30% higher than those who just post “when everyone’s online.”

In gardening terms: you don’t water your plants only when the sun is hottest—that scorches them. You water early so they’re nourished and ready to withstand the heat of the day.

Strategy matters. Just as gardens need pruning, fertilizing, and attention to the changing seasons, your feed needs consistent care, timing, and adaptation to platform shifts.

Okay, maybe we’re getting a little metaphor heavy here…but the truth is: social media is less about luck and more about strategy.

So the real question is: what are you planting on your feed?