HispanicTrending

Jan 26 2012
By Rachel Greenway

Hispanics are 37% more likely than the general population to publish a blog on a blogging platform or use a social networking site, according to a recent  study by 360i.

While this statistic was provided by Nielson Media Research, those diligently working in the Hispanic online community don't disagree.

“It’s just understood culturally: Latinos are more social,” says Manny Ruiz, daddy-blogger and founder of the Hispanic social media site, Hispanicize. “Social media is an extension of our personalities, and allows us to talk, engage with one another and form relationships.”

Ruiz’s efforts in the social media realm also include being the organizer of the largest annual events for Latinos in social media, marketing, entertainment and innovation: Hispanicize 2012, this year in Miami, FL.  

While the general population influencers reveal a tremendously diverse set of motivators, the study found that Hispanic influencers are most commonly motivated by their shared cultural ties.  Ruiz again agreed.

“Food is a major issue,” Ruiz said.  “But also things like education.  Education is an issue we strive to take better command of as a community.  And of course the number one type of blog for Latinos is family.”
 
Ruiz leads by example.  His own experience in blogging is the bicultural and bilingual site, Papiblogger.com, where he is able to explore the adventures of his growing family in front of the World Wide Web.  While Ruiz refers to himself as a lifelong journalist, his efforts in the parenting blogosphere invite others to share their parenting experiences along with his own in what he hopes will one day be a detailed diary for his children to look back upon.
 
“Of course there are some very dedicated Hispanic political bloggers,” noted Ruiz.  “But most often their blogs—like any political blog—can be very divisive, which doesn’t lend itself to getting sponsored.”
 
The relationship between the Hispanic community and brand sponsorship is one marketers have been trying to tap into recently, especially given the rate at which Hispanics consume and create social media above the general population.  And successful bloggers like Ruiz know that sponsorship allows them to continue creating the social media they love.
 
The study urged marketers to pay more attention to cultural nuances and motivational drivers in the Hispanic population. Because the number of brands that currently work with Hispanic influencers is still small, a clear opportunity exists to form strong and lasting relationships with that community.

If there is a takeaway for government and political communicators from the new study, it's that the Hispanic community can in fact be reached through social channels. The fact lay in contrast to surviving myths that this segment of the population is underrepresented on social media. Perhaps true at one time, that era is over.

Communicators looking to reach "underserved populations" within the Hispanic community can rejoice in the fact their tweets, videos, and blogs will not just be echoes in cyberspace.  

Source: OhMyGov!