Marketing Predictions for 2013

In 2012, there were increased developments for marketers. Social media sites, such as Facebook, created a massive mobile advertising business. Now the question is, what does 2013 have to offer? Advertising experts got together to show marketing predictions for the year to come.

The first strategy experts explored was “Mobile-First Strategy.” Facebook and Google are two sites responsible for the mobile ad spending tripling to $4 billion in 2012. According to eMarketer, “we expect mobile ads to increasingly become the top priority for advertisers on digital, rather than desktop.” This is the result of consumers spending more time and money on mobile devices.

Next experts explored the revision of “Banner Ads.” Banner ads do not work well on mobile devices, which has lead companies to reconsider using them. However, the ads will not be going away for good, instead businesses are working on a more creative way to post them and become user friendly.

How Online Shopping Effects Dealership Traffic

According to AutoTrader.com, online shopping leads buyers to visit fewer dealerships than in the past. Whereas people used to visit multiple dealerships and look at any number of cars, car buyers have been given the opportunity to browse inventories online, find and compare prices all without leaving the comfort of home. AutoTrader explained that current buyers spend an average of 11 hours shopping online and just 7 hours offline and in dealerships when searching for their next vehicle.  

On a positive note, online shoppers who do head out to purchase new vehicles are willing to travel further to dealerships they would not have ordinarily considered. The pull of dealerships from further distances seems to have increased with the influx of online shoppers in their searches for the best deal. The convenience of the internet leads to a need for an interactive dealership website which can offer pricing, tools for comparison and an accurate inventory with an emphasis on directions to the physical address. This is just another example of how the age of technology is changing how consumers shop.  

Powerhouse USA Announces a Promotion and Two Team Additions

The Powerhouse Family is happy to announce the promotion of Miss Megan Neuner!
Megan has earned the new title of Internet Marketing Manager and has been given new responsibilities including management of client relations and budgets. Miss Neuner also oversees the work of two new hires, Amanda Carr and Sydnie Cobb.

In November Amanda and Sydnie were brought on to work as Internet Marketing Coordinators. While Sydnie works primarily on maintaining web presence and social media she also aids in internet marketing and advertising campaigns. Amanda works on composing client materials for the media outlets and assists with web presence and media as well.

We're happy to welcome Amanda and Sydnie to the team and look forward to working with them!

Don't Fall for the Fake Privacy Notice on Facbook

Controversy surrounding a fake ‘privacy notice’ surfaced this month in response to Facebook posting its new privacy guidelines. These guidelines establish that Facebook users will now have access to comment on the entities change proposals and documents but do not allow for users to have a vote.

The ‘privacy notice’ claims to keep Facebook from using photos, graphics, and other contents from users personal profiles including personal information. Users have been copy-and-pasting the notice from others profiles in belief that it actually forbids Facebook, as a publicly traded entity, to use personal information given to Facebook during use. Don’t let yourself be fooled, as the ‘privacy notice’ holds no domain over Facebook and does nothing to reverse the consent each user agrees to when they begin use of the service.

It is paramount to always read and understand the contents of each user agreement the conditions prior to selecting that “I Agree” button, otherwise you may find yourself conjuring up privacy spells to no avail.

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.