Hispanics are En Línea,
But Are They Part of Your Target Audience?

The one thing that’s certain about digital media is that nothing is ever certain. It’s a universe that’s always in constant motion and change. Every few weeks, it seems, there are new platforms making their debut in the hopes of dominating consumer engagement and becoming the next big digital trend. 

However, one thing that can’t be denied is the role Hispanics play as the largest demographic in the U.S. digital universe. Hispanics are the largest group to be online, they are shown to be more digitally connected than other non-Hispanic groups as they watch 62% more web videos and statistically rank higher when it comes to internet use, online social networking and early adoption of technology. They are also the largest group that is younger than the rest of the U.S. population with 77% under the age of 45, versus 57% for non-Hispanics.

Throw in the fact that Hispanic Americans possess a total purchasing power of $1.5 trillion, and you’ve got to be wondering what you’re doing wrong if they’re not at the top of your list as a potential online target audience. As the youngest, most digitally savvy, and most socially connected of audiences, it makes them the stuff of marketers’ dreams.

Therefore, understanding the spending behavior and culture of this demographic gígante is imperative for companies who want to succeed in grabbing their attention online.

How should you be marketing to Hispanics online?

First things first - commitment. When it comes to Hispanic consumers, their willingness to buy and be loyal to a company depends highly on how visibly dedicated that business is to the demographic. Again, visibility is a key component for this population’s willingness to buy. That is, a business must not merely talk about their interest in the Hispanic community, but be present and involved with the people in the community.

According to one national telephone survey of more than 1,000 U.S. Hispanic working adults, approximately 65% stated that they were more likely to buy and remain loyal to a business if they had a strong and visible commitment to the Hispanic community.

This involvement trumps Hispanics’ desire for more culturally-relevant products and services. Every year, companies spend millions of marketing dollars to target the Hispanic population, but studies show that 42% of those surveyed believe U.S. companies have little respect for them as consumers.

So, if your business is looking for more than a one-time purchaser and is seeking returning customers, it would be wise to target this area of Hispanic consumer behavior.

With so much information and money at stake, where should your business begin in approaching this market segment?  At CultureSpan, we are dedicated to helping companies plan and execute strategies so that investments in marketing are research-based.

More than just translation. 

Another essential factor for engaging Hispanic consumers is the visibility of a spokesperson who speaks, well, Spanish. A whopping 94% of Hispanics surveyed said that they wanted to see a Spanish-speaking spokesperson in advertising and marketing campaigns targeted to them.

Seems like an easy element to adopt in a marketing strategy, right? But this is where many companies make mistakes. When targeting Hispanics, it is so much more than finding someone who can translate your marketing campaign into Spanish (Google can do that). It is about delivering a message that is culturally relevant. There are a combination of elements that must come together if a business wishes to be successful in targeting this audience.

Luckily, here at CultureSpan Marketing our focus includes a comprehensive knowledge of digital implementation, the Hispanic demographic profile and approaches that help ensure your message reaches your intended target audience. Whether it’s our well-vetted approach for marketing to Hispanics, developing a Spanish-language version of your existing marketing approach or knowledge about the digital world from a Spanish speaking perspective, we can help.

If your business is currently experiencing marketing challenges, we’d like to help find solutions that can unveil new opportunities and increase your revenue stream. Our industry thought leadership and experience with total market advertising are available when you’re ready to get started. Give us a call at (915) 581-7900 or send Gabe an email. We hope to hear from you soon!