Currently, there are more than 50 million Hispanics living in the United States. With this significant growth in population, many businesses have started marketing directly to this demographic. However, many have failed due to a lack of understanding of how and where to effectively communicate with the audience.
Studies have shown that traditional media has been an effective channel for many years, but recently, Hispanics’ media consumption has shifted to the digital sphere. In fact, the Hispanic population as a whole is spending more time online than most other ethnic groups:
- On average, Hispanics spend 10 minutes more per day on social networks than non-Hispanic Whites.
- Thirty-nine percent of Hispanics rate and review products digitally, compared to only 15% of non-Hispanics.
- Sixty-nine percent of Hispanics read blogs compared to 42% of non-Hispanics.
- Overall, studies have shown Hispanics are quicker to embrace new technology (like mobile devices) than the general population.
So, knowing these numbers, it can be safe to assume that using online venues to market to this demographic is an effective way to get their attention.
However, knowing the correct marketing channel is only a small piece of the puzzle. In order to develop a truly effective marketing strategy, a company needs to “know” the audience it’s targeting (i.e., What are their interests and values? What are their needs? What family member makes the majority of buying decisions? What product benefits will cause a strong reaction and get their attention?). You cannot effectively repurpose a message you’ve used targeting a different audience–regardless of the channel you are communicating it through.
So, what’s the takeaway from all of this?
The U.S. Hispanic population is constantly connected, and their buying power is growing exponentially. As a business owner, “connected consumers” are a very important demographic—they’re influencers, constantly spreading ideas and content. The key is offering these influencers a message that is unique and culturally relevant.
Sources:
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/us-hispanic-market-digital.html
https://econsultancy.com/blog/9466-digital-marketing-to-hispanics-in-the-us/
