Hispanicize Expands Blogging Horizon

Latino bloggers are rapidly growing in both size and strength these days and businesses are slowly beginning to recognize this phenomenon.  According to “Brands Seeking”, Blogs by Latinas (a directory of all registered Latina blogs online) had approximately 156 registered blogs in the fall of 2009.  Within less than a year, the directory swelled with the addition of 505 new users, totaling to over 660.

According to “New Study”, 16% of the U.S. population is Hispanic and this number continues to increase each year.  For those who do not find this statistic convincing enough, there are umpteen reasons why hiring a Latino blogger for your company would not only be a strategic move in the long run, but would also result in immediate benefits.  In the articles “Hispanics Social” and “Why Marketers”, online Hispanics facilitate word-of-mouth marketing for businesses.  The Hispanic culture values the group over the individual and looks to others for help and advice on important decisions.  According to “Hispanics Social” in a Forrester Research Inc. study, 69% of 3,000 online Hispanics are considered to be spectators, meaning they are very interested in browsing what others post online.

Furthermore, in the same study, Hispanics fall into the category of early adopters.  They catch on quick to the newest technological trends and use a variety of channels from audio to video to social media tools, such as blogging.  According to Elianne Ramos in “Why Marketers”, in the business world, Latino bloggers are the gateway between the merging American and Latina cultures. They have the ability to speak English, Spanish, and the ever-so-popular Spanglish.  Also, Latino blogging is a form of niche marketing and Latino bloggers can help businesses target specific audiences to enhance their reputation and promote their brand.

In order to convince CEOs or communications executives to invest in Spanish social media and hire a Latino blogger, there is a variety of evidence that proves how vital this position truly is.  According to “New Study”, in Newlink Research of 1,100 employed adult Hispanics, companies are rewarded for their dedication to Hispanic communities. 65% of those Hispanics said they would be more loyal to companies that made an effort to reach out to their demographic, and 66% said they would be more likely to buy their products or services.  Also, 43% of the Hispanics said they would be more committed if the company engaged in community causes and 41% would if the company hired Hispanics.

When it comes to Latino bloggers, one company in particular stands out significantly.  In “Hispanicize.com Platform”, Hispanicize.com, co-headquartered in New York City and Miami, is a company focused on Hispanic social media marketers, but more importantly, Latino bloggers.  The company’s objective is to promote the development of Hispanic PR and social media by providing up-to-date news, online forums, webinar training, and a networking service recognizing Latino bloggers and corporate brands.

According to “Hispanicize 2011”, in this upcoming April, Hispanicize.com will be hosting its 2^nd Annual Hispanic PR and social media conference in Los Angeles, CA.  The conference will be the largest gathering of Latino bloggers and Latino marketing professionals ever with 32 sessions and 80 speakers.  Companies are encouraged to send their corporate communicators, social marketers, and advertising and PR representatives who want to concentrate on Hispanic and/or multicultural communications.  However, those who are advised to attend this conference the most are Latino bloggers.  According to “7 Reasons”, attending this special event will be their most noteworthy investment in 2011 for several reasons.  To illustrate, Latino bloggers will have direct contact with over 150 brands such as Sprint, McDonald’s, and Wal-Mart who are in search of Latino bloggers to work with.  In addition, Latino bloggers will not only be able to meet with other Latino bloggers to network, but will also be able to attend workshops and training sessions to learn how to enhance their skills.

Here is a video on the Hispanicize 2011 Conference:

Overall, blogging can be more than a hobby, but rather a profession that can help companies surpass the current language barriers that exist today.  With the help of Latino bloggers, companies will learn to think outside the box, open their eyes, and Hispanicize!