Target Hispanics Or Target Latinos?
This is an old debate – it’s filled with emotion, preference and who can best determine the roots of language and how we came to this nomenclature. However, for this post I’m just looking at numbers: is the term Hispanic used more on the internet, or the term Latino?
I used Google keyword search tool that is used in many Ad campaigns, SEO optimization and reflects real world searches.
A simple query shows that globally the term Latino is searched over 11 million times to only 1.5 million for Hispanic; locally, the term Latino is searched more than half times than Hispanic. If pluralized (latinos/hispanics), the numbers again vary by almost the same amounts.
The same trend holds true for Hispanic over Hispano (2 million to 74,000), and Latina over Hispanic (3.3 million to 2.2 million). (I was prompted to go over those numbers by a post over at Agua Marketing. )
It is obvious from these results that the term Latino comes in at a tremendous landslide over Hispanic on the internet. While polls reveal that most prefer the term Hispanic, why is it that Latino is used more online? The answer lies in the fact that more acculturated Latinos are online – 78% – and it is this segment within the population that are using the term ‘Latino.’
The conclusion here leans toward the situational: there is never a black or white, especially when it comes to the Latino population. Offline, or if you have an older or less acculturated target within the Hispanic population then by all means use the term Hispanic, but if you are online you would fair better by using the term Latino. If you are an online marketer or advertiser, or have an online campaign, it comes down to knowing your audience and accepting the habits of Latinos online and adjust accordingly.
UPDATE 10/11/09 2:29pm: The same hold true on Twitter:
Source: Mercury Mambo
Popularity: 9% [?]
My personal preference is Latino.
Perhaps because historically I associate the word “Hispanic” with negative notions of lost wars, racism in the 60s/70s and perhaps more than anything I really don’t like it’s quasi sounding similarity to “spic”.
As per “Latino”, it’s spelled as it’s pronounced and it’s pronounced the same in English and Spanish and because of it’s Spanish sound it accentuates our pride. And now that in numbers we are the largest minority, the word even seems to more powerful.
What are the experiences that makes you prefer one over the other?
Thanks,
Latina Maria
Great post.
I really can’t say I have a preference either way but I do see the dynamics that surround both ‘Hispanic’ and ‘Latino’.
For me, the differences that can lead to a preference are a combination of cultural and social factors.
Thanks~
Jose H.
@Maria
My personal preference is Latino, as well…it’s just cooler.
@Jose Huitron
Jose, Yes I agree Jose…I think each term attracts and thus defines to an extent the person who embraces it.
I agree, Latino is cooler, while Hispanic a bit “older” or institutional(?). I use them both. However, I still identify myself as Chicano. The travieso in me likes throwing in a little conundrum on labels, just when others are comfortable with Hispanic or Latino, I like the fact that Chicanismo scratches the surface with a bit of unease.
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