Do you want to access a group with a whopping $1.7 trillion purchasing power? The Hispanic community is a severely undermined consumer audience from which businesses across all industries can benefit. It’s the fastest-growing ethnic cohort in the U.S. So, if you’re planning on growing and expanding throughout the country, start marketing to the Hispanic community!
PwC published a report in 2022 in which it is estimated that there are over 62.5 million Hispanic people in America, making up 18.7% of the total population. However, the community within itself is also quite diverse, with each group having similar languages with different dialects. Let’s discuss what entrepreneurs need to remember when marketing to these individuals.
Know the Difference Between Latino and Hispanic
People often use Latino and Hispanic interchangeably, but the communities are vastly different. Usually, Latinos are considered as those belonging to Latin America (including Brazilians) and Hispanic individuals are Spanish speakers of Spanish ancestry or origin.
Not only should you be privy to regional differences, but also how you refer to each group. In short, not all Hispanic people are Latino, and not all Latino people are Spanish-speaking (for example, in Brazil, people also speak Portuguese).
Knowing these differences can be critical to your marketing strategy, as you can localize your marketing to appeal best to your target audience.
As per PWC, most Hispanic individuals in the U.S. prefer using their country of origin when describing themselves. So, your business needs to have a comprehensive insight on its target audience. For example, there is a high population of Hispanic descendants in different regions of the United States, such as Florida, Arizona, New York, New Mexico, California, and Texas. So, when you’re reaching out to these cohorts, be sure to localize your marketing to Hispanic individuals rather than Latinos.
Consider Cultural and Generational Gaps
There are three main kinds of cultural categories in which you can divide Hispanic consumers:
US Dominant
These individuals, on average, are 37, as they are born and raised in the U.S. Making up around 46% of the population, the US dominant community primarily consumes media in English. This is the same language they speak at home, allowing marketers to balance English with hints of Spanish in their marketing initiatives.
For example, you can use commonly use Spanish phrases, terms, or idioms, in a marketing copy written in English to appeal to this group of individuals.
Bicultural
The bicultural population encompasses individuals of ages 34 and above. This group primarily includes both people who are US nationals and first-generation Hispanic descendants who have lived in this country for about 22 years. The bicultural population encompasses 31% of the population, consuming English and Spanish media. Therefore, when you’re marketing to this group, you can create content in both languages.
Hispanic Dominant
This community of Hispanics makes up 23% of the online population, who speak Spanish at home and consume Spanish media regularly. They’re mostly born out of the states and are generally 40 years old, living, on average, in the U.S. for seven years. Marketing to this group would require complete localization of content to Spanish.
Gen Z and Millennials
Hispanics born in America to a Hispanic family (second-generation Hispanics) are younger, including the Gen Z and millennial cohorts. Even though they are more Americanized and speak in English primarily, they do have an appreciation and respect for their heritage, language, and culture.
To target a younger audience, particularly teenagers, you must create localized content to publish on digital platforms. In fact, studies show that 35% of teenagers frequently use one social media platform, particularly TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube.
Therefore, when you create content for this group of individuals, you must leverage the current marketing trends and incorporate Hispanic culture within them. For example, if your brand is running a campaign on TikTok involving cultural nuances, you can create a script in Spanish and describe Hispanic traditions.
Consider Offline Marketing
Offline marketing refers to the traditional marketing approaches that are not implemented on the internet. If your business is involved in offline marketing, the Hispanic Dominant community will be your primary audience.
These individuals may be considered traditionalists, which are immigrants who aren’t fluent in English. Marketing to this group would entail reaching out to Spanish websites and radio and T.V. stations. When developing your marketing strategy, emphasize Hispanics’ traditions and cultural values, particularly surrounding the holidays, family, and food.
Studying the varying idioms and dialects within a particular region would be best. Moreover, research on which media sources and tone is necessary to keep the target market belonging to this specific group.
Make Your Marketing Consistent
When it comes to including the Hispanic population of the U.S. within your marketing strategy, you need to be consistent across all platforms. For example, if your webpage is in Spanish, it will only be effective if your landing page is as well.
This also applies to customer support and phone orders; by adding Spanish voicemail options or representatives who can speak to Hispanic customers, you’re more likely to appeal to them. Your Hispanic audience should feel included throughout the customer lifecycle.
Create Online Ads That Incorporate Hispanic Culture
According to the 2015 report issued by the Google Hispanic Marketing Forum, 88% of individuals in this community consider whether an online ad includes an aspect of their heritage or culture, even if the ad is in another language.
Use Hispanic Imagery and Music
When developing your marketing campaigns, center them around Hispanic imagery. Make the visuals vibrant and the stories colorful, but do avoid singling out the group or feeding into stereotypes.
Try Using ‘Spanglish’
Hispanic communities are resurging the Spanish language, with the youth mainly responsible for the revival. 62% of Hispanics who are millennials report being highly interested in Spanish as a language, stating that it’s an essential aspect of their identity.
Considering this trend, it’s integral to incorporate Spanish words within your marketing strategy when targeting the Hispanic population. Whether your target market consists of bicultural or US-dominant Hispanics, having a blend of both English and Spanish within your campaigns is a good idea.
Even if you primarily use English, integrating Spanish terms, quotes and phrases will help you appeal to the consumers.
Partner With an Experienced Localization Service
The best way to market your business offerings to the Hispanic community within the U.S. is to utilize a localization and translation service. These services can give you insights into the specific regions to target and the appropriate dialect to use.
Furthermore, an experienced service provider can make it easier to tailor all your marketing campaigns, including web content, blogs, and social media posts, to Hispanic audiences within your locality.
In Conclusion
It’s important to bring communities together by including them in marketing efforts. Not only will it enable your brand to grow nationwide, but will help you cater to a significant portion of the population that brings with it a rich heritage.
With localization and translation services like LatinoBridge offering you all the support, you can easily include the Hispanic community in your marketing efforts. Contact us today to bridge the gap!
