Using the Internet to reach Hispanic and Latino Consumers

 

Marketing to Hispanics still remains a relatively untapped market by companies wanting to expand their market share or increase revenues in areas regarding the New Economy.  Hispanic consumers present ample opportunities and unique socio-cultural characteristics.

 

According to the 2000 Cheskin study, they had found that Hispanics had adopted computer technology much more rapidly than expected by policy makers who had identified a "digital divide.'

 

Rapid Change in adaptation of Internet Use In July, 2001, the Pew Internet and American Life Project released the results of their study on Hispanics and the Internet, an had found that fully 50% of Hispanics, aged 18 years and older, have used the Internet. 

 

In 1998 and 2000, the Department of Commerce had identified the rate of growth in the overall computer technology market at 21%.

 

Online acceleration Clearly the rate of adoptions has accelerated.  The Pew Study also found that half now 22 million Hispanic/Latino adults have Internet access.  In March of 2000, 40% of Hispanic/Latino adults had access.  This translated to more than two million Hispanics getting online within the 12 months ending in February, 2001.

This 10% increase on the Hispanic population online is part of a larger growth of Internet users that includes more women, African Americans, and those of modest means and education.

Cybercitizen demographics

The study found that online adult internet users came from these demographic groups:

	58% White
	50% of English speaking Hispanics/Latinos
	43% of African Americans
	75% Asian Americans

Potential reasons

Education - Asian Americans that were online had higher levels of education and income that correlated with access to the Internet.

 

Age differences  About 61% of online Hispanics/Latinos are 34 years or under, in comparison with 37% of white Internet users and 54% of African American online users in this same age cohort.  Online, Latinos aged 55 years or older only constituted 5% of the online Latin population, where Whites in this same cohort were 15% of this population.

Economic differences  About 61% of online Hispanics/Latinos are 34 years or under, in comparison with 37% of white Internet users and 54% of  African American online users in this

• 49% of new Hispanic/Latino Internet users live in households with incomes under $40,000 a year
• Contrary to general market Internet growth, which involves strong growth within older American demographics (at least into their 50's), new Hispanic/Latino Internet users are younger.
  • 34%,   18-34 years of age
  • 34%,   25-34 years of age
  • 32%,    34 years and older

Educational aspects  Of online Hispanics/Latinos, 26% have a undergraduate or graduate degree.    

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Behavioral usage The internet has become integrated in many Hispanic Internet users' daily lives.  In the Pew 2001 February, survey, they found hat 61% of Hispanics are online on a typical day.  This was a 20% increase from their March 2000 survey of the number of Hispanic Internet users online on a typical day. Some 60% of online Hispanics say they use the internet daily.  Hispanics re embracing the Internet with greater than general market and average gusto. Wired at home Hispanics are increasingly likely to have Internet access from home.  In 2001, 44% of Hispanic online users accessed the Internet from home, while 14% did so from work.  Thirty-three percent reported logging in onto the Internet from both home and home which is similar to usage by Whites.