Article originally published on Orlando Business Journal
If your firm hasn’t adopted a strategy to reach out to Hispanics via social media, you’re missing out.
Consider: Social media is affecting our lives in the way we interact with people, get the news, buy products and perceive brands. Today, building your company’s presence on social media is key to gaining a significant competitive advantage.
Meanwhile, Hispanics embrace technology faster than any other demographic in the U.S. According to a Pew Hispanic Center Research study, 68 percent of Hispanic Internet users are active on Facebook, Twitter and other social network sites, compared to 58 percent of all U.S. Internet users.
Among Hispanics ages 18-29 years old, 84 percent use social media sites. Also, U.S.-born Hispanics are more likely than foreign-born Hispanics to use social networking sites —73 percent versus 63 percent. English-dominant Hispanics are more likely than bilingual Hispanics or Spanish-dominant Hispanics to use social media sites—76 percent versus 67 percent and 61 percent, respectively.
According to the EC Hispanic Media report “U.S. Hispanics and Facebook: The Generation of Growth,” one of the main “like” motivators for this audience is to receive discounts and promotions. Fun and entertainment is a motivator for 36 percent of Hispanic Facebook users. Also, while only 50 percent of Facebook users login into their accounts any given day, 89 percent of U.S Hispanics log onto the social media network every day: 31 percent are logging in from work and an additional 78 percent from a mobile device.
With this in mind, here are four tips on how to connect effectively with the second-largest consumer market in the U.S.:
- Make a genuine effort: There are many brands that treat digital and social media for U.S. Hispanics superficially. Sometimes marketers do not take the time to understand the audience and how they can benefit from it. If you are a national corporation, it is important to have coordinated campaigns at the local, regional and national levels of digital campaigns supported by traditional advertising to get the exposure you need.
- Engage your audience: Latinos carry an immense amount of power when it comes to using social media as a tool to advance issues that are important to them. So, include them into your social media conversation. Ask for their ideas, advice and get them involved.
- Get to know their culture: If you really want to be successful in social media platforms, your brand must appeal culturally with Hispanics. Establish a relevant online dialogue with them that shows a strong effort at understanding their culture and needs.
- See the big picture: There is a great opportunity to expand your brand not only in the U.S., but also in South America through digital and social media outlets. Think for a minute. Having your website and social media pages in Spanish will help you significantly expand your brand reach. For example, Clorox is doing a good job by promoting its Pine-Sol brand in Spanish through its Facebook “bienvenida vida” and YouTube. It is helping Clorox connect much more effectively with this flourishing market.
Hispanics are very brand loyal and big believers in word of mouth. They can be great brand advocates for your business. They will share your content passionately and consistently in their community. That’s a big incentive to get more social with your brand.