Florida's Job Market Continues to Grow

According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida ranks number 2 in the nation for job creation.

The Sunshine State created 23,200 nonagricultural jobs in the month of August and totaled more than 28,000 new private sector jobs created. This is the 11th month-to-month positive job growth Florida has had in the past 14 months, and also the 25th consecutive month of positive annual job growth.

In another interesting report recently shared by the State of Women-Owned Business Report, Florida ranks No. 4 for the most women-owned businesses. Florida has an estimated 587,600 women-owned firms, employing 473,100 people and taking in roughly $77.6 billion in revenue. The number of women-owned firms in the Sunshine State has grown 73.9 percent from 1997-2012.

Silly Social Media Mistakes

Making a mistake on social media can be seen by thousands, if not more, in the matter of seconds. Brands and businesses always need to be careful when monitoring and posting on these sites, such as Twitter. 

This infographic (created by MDG Advertising) shows examples of some social media screw-ups. To avoid these issues, always edit your tweets and make sure you know what's going on in the news and the world around you before you speak on it; or in the case of social media, "tweet on it". These types of mistakes are 100% avoidable when paying attention to social media etiquette. For now, check out these social media blunders for a good laugh, and hopefully to learn from others mistakes!

Apple Breaks Silence Over iPhone 5

After weeks, even months of rumors and speculation Apple finally broke their silence about the iPhone 5 today at a special event held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, CA.

Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller came out to make the Announcement at the to an invite-only crowd of Journalists, Bloggers & Apple employees. He described the details of the new iPhone, made entirely of glass and aluminum, as 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than the 4S. It will also have a larger 4-inch screen in order fit in an extra row of icons.

Many who already own an iPhone will be happy to know that their is an improved battery life for the iPhone 5, including 8 hours on LTE web browsing usage. Apple has also improved the camera on the new iPhone, allowing it to snap pictures 40% faster. 

Siri has also been upgraded, and can now tell users the scores of sports games and post status updates to Facebook. 

Sales of Apple's iPhone 4S and earlier models have been dropping off in recent months and analysts believe this is due to a huge pent-up demand for the iPhone 5. It's been predicted that Apple could sell up to 10 million iPhones in the first 10 days, and up to 50 million in the holiday quarter. 

The iPhone 5 will be available for pre-order on September 14th and hits stores the 21st. Available in white and black, the devices will be priced at $199, $299 and $399 for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models , respectively. 

For images of the long-awaited iPhone 5, click here.

Social Media & the 2012 Presidential Election

This 2012 election has been called “the first social media presidential election” and early data has shown just that.

The Twitter Government and Politics Team tweeted out on Sunday night that before even starting, there were more tweets about the Republican National Convention that day, than the entire week in 2008.

Syracuse University has even opened a class for the fall semester dedicated to social media and the 2012 election.

Both candidates are utilizing social media tools like Twitter to reach out to optimize their campaigns. Obama is leading the way by far with more than 19 million followers, while Romney hasn’t quite hit the 1 million mark yet. 

Click the link below for the social media guide to conventions to learn more and get involved in the social aspect of the election!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/27/cnns-social-media-guide-to-the-conventions/ 

Facebook Testing Promoted News Feed Posts for Non-Fans

Companies may now be able to advertise in the news feeds of users on Facebook who are not a fan of their pages. Facebook revealed on Tuesday that it will begin testing promoted posts for brands so that they have the ability to reach people who haven’t become a fan of their page.

Facebook spokeswoman Annie Ta announced that Facebook will shortly be starting a very small test which will allow companies to promote posts to users beyond the fans in their news feed. The promoted posts will appear both on desktop and mobile versions of the site.

The promoted posts will look like typical updates in a user’s news feed, but they will be labeled as “sponsored.” As of right now, only fans of a company have the option to view their posts in the fans news feed. 

Facebook Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

With more than 900 million people utilizing Facebook, it’s crucial to implement marketing ideas to the best of your benefit. Most companies have no problem figuring out best practices and trends, but along with this comes things you absolutely shouldn’t do. Here are a few tips on how to not make these mistakes:

1. Not completely filling out the page
Although this may seem obvious, many companies still forget to fill out the page completely. Be sure to include hours, address, phone number, and pictures to get the most out of your page.

2. Not following Facebooks rules for cover photos
Cover photos are not allowed to include information such as pricing, a call to action, or contact information. This is a simple mistake a company can make when trying to promote their business. Instead, post a picture that represents your brand.

3. Refrain from Facebook contests
Although it’s somewhat of a grey area, any type of contest run on Facebook is illegal. All contests and giveaways  must be administered through Apps within Facebook.

4. Over posting
When it comes to Facebook, less is more. Consumers don’t want to be bombarded with posts and information. Start out with two posts a week, and customize a schedule to see what works best for you.

5. Too much text
Keep it short and sweet! Research shows that consumers are most responsive to posts between 100 and 250 characters, or one to two lines of text. 

Powerhouse USA Adds 3 New Team Members

We’re very excited to announce three new hires to our growing team here at Powerhouse USA!

Jenn Allen is now the company’s Creative Services Manager. “Art has always been my passion and I love working in the fast paced environment at Powerhouse USA and being able to bring agency and client ideas to life,” said Ms. Allen about her new position. She will be overseeing all graphic content elements of online and print campaigns.

Andrea Rodrigues has been added as the company’s Marketing Coordinator. “I’m thrilled to be at Powerhouse USA and working with their diverse roster of clients.” Her responsibilities include client relations, budgets, presentations, and research.

Megan Neuner is the company’s newest Internet Marketing Coordinator. “Internet marketing is such an exciting area and working at Powerhouse USA provides me with the opportunity to help with their existing client base as well as grow future business.” Ms. Neuner is responsible for client web presents and develops online marketing and advertising campaigns as well as social media.