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2017 Hispanic Social Marketing Report
This was first brought to wide-scale attention in May 2014 by Latinum Network, which discovered that 33% of bicultural online Latinos said English was their language of choice when posting on social media while 27% used Spanish and 40% switched fluidly between Spanish and English.
What does this mean for marketers? Read between the lines: Spanish was used more commonly with posts users wanted family to see. For classmates and co-workers (who may not be Hispanic), English was the choice.
The results reinforce the assessment that today’s Latino consumer easily shifts between their English-language world and Spanish-language world – oftentimes, in the same sentence. It also means marketers would be best served by engaging in social media efforts in both Spanish and English. Yes, the beloved millennial Latino is largely living in an “English-preferred world.” But, they could also be a much-desired “influencer” for marketers. If Hispanics family members trust each other and share their buying preferences and “likes,” Spanish-language efforts must be seen.
By engaging in Spanish-language social marketing, along with English-language efforts that are culturally sensitive to today’s Latino consumer, brands can best reach a diverse and still-vital segment of consumers.
In this report, we discover that Hispanic millennials aren’t the only group of Latinos that actively interact and engage with brands through social media. In fact, one group of AARP members stands out for their online prowess.
We also review how experiential marketing and social media are a perfect combination, shifting the focus away from impressions.
This report also looks at several case studies, and how every account requires a different approach to reaching the Hispanic social media user.
Lastly, we remind marketers that, despite the elevated conversation in the U.S. on issues pertaining to undocumented immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries, the U.S. Hispanic population is driven by births, rather than immigration.
Thus, many of the Latinos brands are conversing with through social media were born in the U.S.A., into families that may have a strong cultural connection to their nation of heritage but are 100% American.
Remembering this fact goes a long way with “authenticity” and relevancy.
With more than 3,000 of the nation’s most influential Latino digital content creators, journalism, music, marketing, cinema and business converging in Miami from April 3-6, 2017 for the Hispanicize conference, the eyes and ears of CMOs and brand managers will likely be fixated on the trendsetters set to speak.
We hope they listen, and use this report to help guide them on the smartest route to reaching social media-savvy Latinos.