• by Karl Greenberg , March 25, 2009

In the U.S., Hispanics consumers are bypassing other groups in Web savvy, according to a new report from Chicago-based research firm Mintel.

The survey of 1,700 non-Hispanics and 300 Hispanics over 18 found that Hispanics who use the Internet spend three times more time each week browsing Web sites on their cell phones than other groups. Per Mintel, Hispanics spend 1.1 hours Web searching wirelessly versus 0.4 hours for non-Hispanics. The firm also finds that Hispanics spend nearly twice as much time -- 5 hours -- using social networking Web sites or chatting via instant messaging than any other demographic group.

"As technology prices drop and the number of bilingual Hispanics in the U.S. grows, we see more Hispanic adults relying on the Internet for day-to-day communication and learning," comments Leylha Ahuile, multicultural expert at Mintel. "U.S. Hispanics who get online via their cell phones provide a great opportunity for marketers who want to reach them in a personal, direct way."

Mintel found in its survey that Hispanics are more likely to have profiles on social networking sites than non-Hispanics: 48% of them have one versus 43% of black Americans and 31% of whites. And, per the firm, it is young Hispanic consumers who are driving the trend. Web-surfing Hispanics ages 18-34 visit social networking sites 3.6 times a week on average, versus just 1.3 times per week for over-35s. More than a third of all Internet-using Hispanics were age 24 or younger in 2006.

Other findings from the survey suggest that Hispanics adopt new media technology more quickly than non-Hispanics, spend more time listening to Internet radio and downloading music than non-Hispanics and devote more time weekly to Internet browsing than non-Hispanics.

The firm says Hispanics spend more time using electronic readers like Amazon's Kindle; playing multiplayer games online (although not single-player); and blogging or commenting online than other groups.