The Internet is a Growing Destination for Hispanics

The Internet is a growing destination for Hispanics. And now, a great place for companies who want to reach them.
The Internet used to be last place marketers would look for Hispanics. Not anymore, and the situation is changing fast. In fact, the number of Hispanics online will increase 43% by the end of the decade, exceeding 20 million users, says a new report from Web researcher eMarketer. According to the report, Hispanic Youth Online: Language and Culture Define Usage, there were 15.7 million Hispanics who had access to the Web in 2005. By 2012, that audience is expected to hit 30 million users.

U.S. Hispanics with Internet access at home are rapidly adopting broadband. Half of online Hispanics use high-speed connections at home, according to the third annual AOL/Roper U.S. Hispanic Cyber Study. That’s on par with the general online population with broadband at home, and comes despite the fact that Hispanics are newer to the Internet. In addition, Hispanic online consumers have made the Internet part of their everyday lives. They spend an average of 9.2 hours online at home each week, compared to 8.5 hours for the general online population. They now heavily rely on the Internet to learn more about products, share opinions and improve their lives. In fact, 70% now view the Internet as the best source for comparing prices, making the Web the most powerful information medium for influencing online Hispanics throughout the purchase decision.

Online Hispanic consumers are younger and are heavier users of the most cutting edge features of the Internet. 56% of Hispanics online are between the ages of 18 and 34, compared to 34% of the general online population. The study found they use the Internet far more frequently than average to listen to music (55% vs. 41%), download music files (37% vs. 25%) and for instant messaging (59% vs. 48%). The study also indicates that 47% of online Hispanics have children under the age of 18 at home vs. 37% for the general online population. They are also far more upbeat about the ability of the internet to improve the lives of their children. “This study clearly reveals that Hispanic families see the Internet as a valuable tool that empowers them to lead better lives," said Mark Lopez, Publisher of AOL Latino. Finding a way to reach Hispanic audiences with an effective and compelling message isn’t always easy. So if your company is trying to reach Hispanics, the Web is a tool you need to seriously examine now.