Nielsen recently released a new report that shows nonprofits are in the perfect place to engage Hispanics and benefit from their growth.
Here are the main reasons:
1. Community and social causes are already important to Hispanics! Consider the following statistics about Hispanic buying behavior:
- 57% of U.S. Hispanics agree they are more likely to purchase brands that support a cause they care about.
- 43% expect the brands they buy to support social causes (over-indexing non-Hispanic whites by 26%).
- 58% agree they are willing to pay more for a product that is environmentally safe.
Along the same community-focused lines, many Hispanics seek the advice of others before making a purchase, which reflects nonprofits’ grassroots strategies. And as Stacie says in the video, engaging with social causes as a community has become even more important to Hispanics in the last 18 months.
2. Hispanics are leaders in adopting new technology, which makes reaching them easier, and cheaper, than ever.
Hispanics try out and own new gadgets and technologies at higher rates than non-Hispanic whites. Nielsen found that “35% agree that they are among the first of their friends and colleagues to try new technology products (over-indexing against non-Hispanic Whites by 36%).” Thirty-three percent own a game console and 92 percent own a smartphone. Social media is a crucial meeting place for Hispanics and nonprofits alike. Both groups rely heavily on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, with Hispanics using social media and sharing content at higher rates than non-Hispanic whites. With the addition of targeted, specific and intentional messages, nonprofits have a direct channel of connection and communication.
3. Hispanics are crossing into the mainstream – and surpassing it.
This demographic is no longer a siloed audience. Both as individuals and a group, Hispanics are becoming influencers of American culture, gaining audiences that cross ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic class. So it stands to reason that by speaking to Hispanics, nonprofits are also speaking to the nation – making them an especially critical audience to reach.
4. Hispanic voices are louder than ever – and they’re not losing their cultural identity.
As Hispanics achieve mainstream crossover, the evidence shows they are also maintaining their language and culture. Millions of people heard and loved “Despacito”, without understanding its Spanish lyrics (making it the biggest song of 2017). Fútbol is finally gaining fans in the U.S.. Latino food – and not just Mexican – is on the rise. This cultural continuity matters to nonprofits: it means they need to listen and adapt what they say before communicating, versus relying on a generic message.
It is a crucial moment to listen. Nielsen has done the research and provided the stats. Now it is your turn to capitalize on this opportunity and win the hearts of Hispanics!
A smart and inexpensive way of gauging Hispanic interest in your message is on social media. If you want guidance in how to set up your channels, repurpose your content, managing conversations, etc. please reach out.
We would be happy to help you.