Companies that target the American Hispanic community through online strategies need to be cognizant of the unique qualities that cut across all Latino groups. A thorough analysis of these similarities will enable them to figure out any mistakes that they may be making while communicating with a community that currently represents over 18% of the US population. There are three traits of Hispanic communication styles that are most effective at the present moment. They include:

Targeting the bilingual Latino population

A larger percentage of young Latinos are bilingual compared to their older counterparts. According to Nielsen;

• 96% of Hispanic youth under the age of 18 are bilingual.
• The overall percentage of Hispanics who are bilingual stands at 55 percent, representing a large population that can’t be ignored.
• 27 percent of Hispanics are English-dominant while 19 percent are Spanish-dominant.

For a long time, online marketing strategies employed to reach Hispanics have often overlooked this characteristic, opting instead, to either use Spanish or English exclusively. It must be stated, however; that these languages should be used together as they complement each other, blend naturally and reach a wider Hispanic audience.

A shift away from the Mexican-oriented marketing

A considerable increase in the population of Hispanics of all descent has necessitated a reduction in Mexican-oriented marketing. Given the fact that Mexicans are the dominant Latino population in America, many marketing strategies have been tailored around them. This has had the negative effect of alienating other Latinos who do not resonate with these Hispanic communication styles. Hispanics who have their roots in countries such as Argentina and Colombia have a unique way of speaking Spanish and may, therefore, be thrown off by the Mexican manner of language. Marketers should, therefore, develop Hispanic communication styles that are tailor-made for each group they wish to attract, be it Mexicans, Peruvians, Chileans, etc.

Appealing to the community

The most successful Hispanic communication styles are those that target the family rather than individuals. Hispanics have strong family and community bonds (la Comunidad) that have a great bearing on their preferences. An emphasis on the family will have the positive effect of drawing them all in.

While the Hispanic community is large and much diversified, there exist some similarities which if taken advantage of, can provide exceptional returns for all interested parties. This is a fast growing market, and marketers will be well advised to understand it better.