Two articles on Adweek’s website provided some intriguing statistics about the US Hispanic market and technology adoption. Adweek noted a Nielsen statistic that 72 percent of US Hispanics have a smartphone and watch more online video than 62 percent of white non-Hispanic Americans. They also noted an eMarketer stat that 72 percent of U.S. Hispanic Internet users will use social networking in 2014 vs. 68 percent of the total population in the U.S.
The statistics on technology adoption are not tremendously surprising given basic demographics. Hispanics now comprise approximately 17 percent of the US population, as compared to 9 percent in 1990. More important than the size of the population is the composition of the population. On average, Hispanics are 10 years younger than non Hispanics in the US. For many brands, gaining market share within a younger age demographic has been desirable as it can increase brand loyalty over an extended period of time. Numerous brands in many of our key industries stand to benefit by mastering the tenets of successfully using the marketing mix to gain market share amongst Hispanics.
Social media marketing and online video are key items in a multi-channel marketing approach. They often work together. For instance, video content comprises quality status updates on sites like Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn. Videos expand their reach through social media sites. Considering that Hispanics consume a significant amount of video online and are active in the social space, it would be wise for brands to factor this into their marketing plans & strategy.
Multi-channel marketing serves as the skeletal system of marketing efforts, and would be especially relevant in efforts in Hispanic marketing. It is a great base to build upon. Having the multi-channel marketing automation framework serves as a proven methodology for marketing success. It is a good way to position a campaign, as Gleanster Research has repeatedly noted that Top Performers are significantly more likely to be using a distributed, multi-channel marketing automation software platform. The platform can distribute, optimize and manage content across channels where the target market is paying attention, but the content itself must be content that is going to resonate. Marketing to Hispanics has its own nuances. One blog post on the subject could never do it justice, but just simply translating English language ad copy to Spanish isn’t going to be enough. A classic mistake made by brands in Hispanic marketing initiatives is assuming that all Spanish language speakers are culturally similar. These are just some simple tips that usually enhance efforts.
The right messaging combined with the right platform for executing marketing initiative is the best positioning for success. This is easier said than done, but what is most relevant is that brands should be aware that Hispanic marketing initiatives are well aligned with digital, multi-channel marketing efforts.