The widespread use of social media has forever changed mainstream communication, as well as the approach marketers take to engage consumers. Since a large portion of the general population spends an extensive amount of time on social media sites (about 4.6 weekly hours according a TNS “Digital Life” survey), advertisers have discovered there is ample opportunity to utilize these sites for marketing purposes. Not only can word of mouth spread like wildfire in the social media realm, but tens of millions of people are susceptible to any given advertisement at any given moment.
When marketing to the U.S. Hispanic population, social media can be a premium environment for marketers to capitalize on. Hispanics greatly rely on the Internet as a source of information and access it daily. According to Google Analytics from 2011, 23 million Hispanics in the U.S are currently “plugged in,” which is almost half of the total U.S. Hispanic population. With 22 million Hispanics on Facebook and 6 million on Twitter, both sites are key portals for delivering a message to this community.
Word of Mouth Matters
According to cultural research expert Geert Hofstede, Hispanics are collectivists, which means they value the needs of others, such as family, before their own. Nevertheless, this means they value the opinions of others as well. Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanics to read and trust online reviews of products, ultimately influencing their purchasing behavior according to Google research. Having a product rated by fellow customers online is a great way to drive sales within the Hispanic market and utilize virtual word of mouth in your favor.
In addition to word of mouth optimization, advertising online and simply having a virtual presence will greatly enhance your campaign. Google Analytics proves 53 percent of Hispanics use Search Engines to gather information about products and shop. Hispanics like to research what they buy to guarantee they are buying the best brand, so developing online credibility is vital. Additionally, 61 percent make in-store purchases as a result of an online advertisement. This is 22 percent more than the general population. If you have a product that you wish for the Hispanic market to see, utilize online advertising as frequently as possible.
The Mobile Connection
Mobile media is another useful medium to get connected with the Hispanic market. Google claims 45 percent of Hispanics own a smart phone and the majority of them are using their mobile device as their primary access to the Internet (65 percent). If marketers can connect with Hispanics through their phone, they can literally be in the consumers back pocket. Social and mobile media are becoming more widely used and while marketing to the Hispanic community so there is a greater reason to capitalize on these portals of communication.
The bottom line is that digital marketing a top contender for ad dollars. No matter which market you wish to tap into, it is vital to utilize social and mobile media as a new component of your marketing mix.
Mobile and social: reshaping hispanic marketing. (2011, August 01). The hispanic weekly special report, http://www.hispanicmarketweekly.com/article.cms?id=11149.
Quayat, R. (2010, March 01). Reshaping hispanic marketing through social media [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/reshaping-hispanic-marketing-through-social-media/
Google/ OTX, (Producer). (2010, October). Four truths about the us hispanic market [Powerpoint].
More time spent on social media than email worldwide [Web log message]. (2010, November 4). Retrieved from http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008025
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