• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, July 28, 2005

The Internet Has Become a Part of the Hispanic Family

According to the third annual AOL/Roper Hispanic Cyberstudy,  U.S. Hispanics with Internet access  at home are rapidly adopting broadband, with half of online Hispanics going online over high-speed connections at home. That's on par to the share of the general  online population with broadband at home, and comes despite the fact that Hispanics are  relatively newer to the Internet, the survey found.

In addition, the detailed survey found that Hispanic online consumers have quickly made the Internet part of their everyday lives.

• They go online at  home an average of 9.2 hours a week, compared with 8.5 hours for the general online population and
• They now heavily rely on the Internet to learn more about products, to share opinions, and to improve their lives.
• 70% now view the Internet as the best source for comparing prices, making it the most powerful information medium for influencing online Hispanics throughout the purchase decision process.

Online Hispanic consumers are younger and heavier users of the most cutting edge features of the Internet as compared to the general online population. 

• 56% of Hispanics online are between the ages of 18 to 34 vs. 34% for the general  online population. 
• They use the Internet far more frequently than the general online population to listen to music (55% vs.  41%),
• Download music files (37% vs. 25%),
• For instant messaging (59% vs. 48%).

Mark  Lapez, Publisher of AOL Latino, said "This study clearly reveals that Hispanic families see the Internet as a valuable tool that empowers them to lead better lives. Hispanic families have quickly realized that the Internet is a unique medium that can give their children advantages in life, let them stay connected with friends and family, be educated consumers, and find the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions."

Topline Findings include:

• 52% of online Hispanics now access the Internet on a broadband connection at home, compared with 50% of the general online population.
• Fourteen percent of Hispanic online consumers connected their household  to the Internet within the last six months vs. 7% of the general at home online population.
• Online Hispanics look to the Internet as a primary source of information than they do from television, newspapers, or magazines.
• Online Hispanics use the Internet to get information about health-related issues more frequently than the online general population.
• Nearly two-thirds (63%) of online Hispanics use the Internet for  information for the final brand decision, compared with about half (52%) of the online general population.
• Sixty-four percent of online Hispanics (vs. 54% of the general  population)  get local entertainment information online.
• Online Hispanic consumers have quickly embraced the music and entertainment features and tools available on the Internet, and are far more likely to use  many of them than the general online population.
• More than a third of online Hispanic consumers (38%) regularly or occasionally watch video clips online, on par with the general online  population  (33%).

 

Email for more complete details on The AOL/Roper Public Affairs Hispanic Cyberstudy 2005.