It’s Not Always About The Marketing
AOL just release their Hispanic Cyberstudy, packed with the habits of Hispanics online. The study is based on a question – Why and how are Hispanics using the internet in their daily lives?
For years, marketers have struggled with the complexities of the Hispanic market. Given the blistering growth of their population and subsequent rise in purchasing power, AOL wants to help marketers and agencies understand the changing Hispanic market, and improve their advertising performance with this segment.
Not widely known are that Hispanics online are very different from the general Hispanic population. They are so different in fact, that personally I use the term Latino to differentiate the online counterparts.
Online vs. Offline
Online, 46% of Hispanics prefer English media and speak it at home, compared to only 23% Spanish language dominant. Interestingly, offline this fact is reversed – 52% prefer Spanish, and 28% are English dominant. This shows us that the majority of Latinos online are well acculturated, young and early adapters.
Online Hispanic households are much younger than the general population. Almost half are under 35 years old, compared with only 28% across the nation.
Hispanic-Fluential
One fifth of the Hispanic online population are exceedingly influential and are termed as Power Users. They share maven-like characteristics and are the sweethearts if not the key-holders to the Hispanic online population.
They spend over 24 hours online per week, half of that time connected via mobile device. They are highly innovative, thus are early adapters.
These are the influential leaders in their respective category , that shape and direct what is hot and what’s not. They are what my friend Lori Gama talks about as Hispanic-fluentials.
Online Hispanics, prefer it in English
Marketers – even Hispanics! – have a misconception that in order to reach Hispanics online one must do it in Spanish. However, the opposite is true.
As much as Hispanics themselves would like to see more Spanish online, truth is the audience is a yet a smaller subcategory of the already mulit-faceted Spanish population. Brands as well need to note this.
Mi Gente
Studies like this give me pause to reflect not only on social media/marketing, but society. If you look below the surface marketing is 100% about business – it’s about people and what is going on in our culture.
Beyond buying and selling, you can appreciate the subtle cultural dynamics. Once a shrug of the shoulder, the Hispanics market is hitting the industry with a sledge hammer.
Salsa outsells ketchup. In some places in the US, Hispanics are the dominant population. Yes, these types of trends will continue, but behind the numbers is a vibrant culture filled with smiles, laughter, celebration – culture. Let’s not forget that…
Popularity: 27% [?]
I agree it goes way beyond the marketing. Social media offers the opportunity to engage, interact and learn from folks that you would likely never meet otherwise. It lets people that thought they had nothing in common with each other see all that they actually do have in common. The Iranian election is one amazing example. So the fact that the Latino community is so active online is very good for our community. We are eroding division within our own communities (Cuban, versus Mexican, versus etc.) and building bridges outside of our community (Mommy bonds,gadget geeks, book lovers, cooking etc.). And learning about all we do have in common.
Well said; I couldn’t agree more.
Louis, thank you for mentioning me in your very well-written post about the AOL “Hispanic CyberStudy.” I am honored.
Something else the study mentioned was that “Marketers should always take their target audience’s life stage into account before determining the language/media mix.” That’s a wise piece of advice for marketers for all audiences but especially when approaching Latina(o)s online.
Also, Julie Diaz-Asper mentioned, in her comment above, that the online communities of Latina(o)s are “building bridges outside of our community.” I firmly agree: it’s extremely important to do.