The United States is currently the second largest Spanish-speaking country, after Mexico. U.S. Hispanics make up about 17.4% of the total US population and represent $1.5 trillion in purchasing power.
With such a high market share, it makes sense why companies are increasingly trying to market to Hispanic consumers. They’ve gotten better at targeting U.S. hispanic households through traditional tv and radio channels.
However, the same can’t be said for marketing to Hispanics online.
Many brands have simply opted to translate their content into Spanish; but, this is nowhere near enough to truly capture the attention of this growing untapped market of hispanic consumers.
So, how can you do better?
Keep reading to find out 5 ways companies can improve their digital marketing that goes beyond just translating!
1. Understand What “Hispanic” Means
Hispanics are defined as people who have a Spanish-speaking origin or ancestry (including from Spain). The U.S. Hispanic market is made of numerous groups with many different interests, backgrounds, and traditions.
A common misconception is that every Hispanic person speaks the same Spanish.
This couldn’t be further from the truth!
Similar to how British English is different from American English, there are numerous dialects and regional variations of Spanish, depending on the country (or even part of a country!) they are from.
What one word means in Mexican dialect of Spanish could be completely different from what it means in Chilean Spanish.
Therefore, a one-size-fits-all strategy will NOT work in this case.
Localization
When marketing to Hispanics, you want to tailor your content to the specific group of hispanic people in the region you are targeting. For example, Florida has a high population of Cubans and Puerto Ricans.
In this case, an ad campaign with Mexican Spanish dialect will not be effective. Instead, you need to tailor your ad campaign to incorporate the specific dialect spoken by Cubans and/or Puerto Ricans.
2. Understand Cultural Gaps
Just like in many other cultures, Hispanics integrate their traditions from their home countries into their lives in the U.S. However, the degree of integration differs based on culture gaps. Marketers tend to divide Hispanic online consumers into these 3 categories:
Spanish-Dominant
This group predominantly speaks Spanish at home and consumes most media in Spanish as well. They are typically first-generation immigrants and have lived in the U.S. for around 7 years.
If you are targeting this group, you will want most of your marketing to be in Spanish. And as we mentioned above, make sure to pay attention to the regional dialects!
Bilingual
This group speaks both Spanish and English and home; however, they consume most of their media in English. Unlike Spanish-dominant, this segment is a mixture of foreign-born and U.S. born. They identify with both Hispanic and American culture.
If this group is your target audience, you should consider the ‘Spanglish’ approach. Meaning, you should try to blend both Spanish and English into your ad campaign.
You could do this by keeping English as the primary language but try incorporating some Spanish phrases or quotes that connect with your target audience.
English-Dominant
This segment predominantly speaks English at home and also consumes most of their media in English. However, they still feel heavily connected to their heritage and feel “at home” in both cultures.
They are more likely to feel higher pressure for success and are likely to pursue a college education, since it was something their parents may not have had access to. Therefore, ads in English that reinforce the ability to achieve the “American Dream” will likely resonate with them.
3. Focus On Culture, Not Just Language
While language is an important factor when considering a targeted Hispanics in a marketing campaign, showcasing elements of their culture has been shown to be even more effective. This means, showcasing their food, music, sports, and/or traditions.
The majority of Hispanics feel connected to their heritage (as you noticed with all 3 target markets listed above). So, when designing your marketing campaign, you’re going to want to take that into consideration.
4. Consider the “Right” Platform
According to CNN, Hispanic adults, at 72%, are the most active group on social media sites in comparison to all other ethnic groups.
Some other important stats to note include that about 52% of Hispanic adults spend at least one hour per day on social media sites in comparison to only 38% of non-hispanic whites. In addition, Hispanics are 5 times more likely to share a post on social media in comparison to non-hispanic whites.
As you can see, social media is a big part of the U.S. Hispanic lifestyle and it is something to consider if you want more out of your digital marketing strategy. Don’t miss this great opportunity to connect with your Hispanic customers!
5. Look Into Hispanic Influencers to Promote Your Product Or Service
In recent years, digital influencers have become a vital source for marketers to reach their younger, more tech-savvy target audience. The same applies for the U.S. Hispanic community.
Some of the well-known Hispanic content creators currently include Lele Pons and LeJuan James. However, there are numerous other hispanic influencers who might be less well-known, but have a more niche market and be more affordable for your business.
Enhancing Your Business’ Marketing to Hispanics Online
In the end, it comes down to understanding the cultural diversity that exists within the U.S. While you are not expected to know about every Spanish dialect and every tradition, you will still significantly benefit by doing some research on the specific hispanic market segment you are targeting.
Want to get more out of your digital marketing strategy and attract more Hispanic consumers? Be sure to check out our Hispanic Market Breakdown to learn how to market to hispanic consumers more effectively!
In the meantime, feel free to check out our other resources such as U.S. Hispanic marketing trends on our blog!
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