• by Parker Morse , Columnist, November 14, 2018

On the one hand, research conducted by Pew in 2015 has shown that Hispanics are less likely to have an internet connection at home. In fact, the share of Hispanics who access the internet via a home broadband connection has not changed over a five-year period—46%, compared to 45% in 2010—while the percentage of non-Hispanics who used broadband to surf the web increased from 64% to 73%. Consequently, the reason that so many Hispanics rely on their smartphones is that it is very often their only reliable means of accessing the internet.

Meanwhile, a report by PwC noted something entirely different. It characterized Hispanics as “early tech adopters” and a “mobile-first community,” and it also singled out Hispanics—especially millennial Hispanics—as a group “more likely to use newer technology, such as Bluetooth and wireless headphones, 4K TVs, virtual reality, and drones than the overall population.”

As if that weren’t enough, Hispanics are also more likely to stream video on a smartphone or tablet and watch 26 hours a month—seven hours more than the national average—of video online or on their phones.

So how can we reconcile these two sets of facts? How is it possible that Hispanics can be both early adopters of technology and also less likely to have a broadband connection in their houses?

The answer lies in the relative youth of the Hispanic demographic. Millennials and Gen Z comprise over half of the entire U.S. Hispanic population, which makes their high adoption rate of smartphones easier to comprehend. When you consider that 36% of Hispanics are under the age of 25 and that Hispanics have one of the highest engagement rates on social media, it makes sense.

They also have a higher propensity to pay their bills, keep in touch with others, check the news, and shop on their mobile phones, which explains why Hispanics are more likely to adopt new technologies, as younger generations tend to lead the way when it comes to tech adoption.

Based on that, tech companies should take note of the interest that many Hispanics have shown in trying out new technology and emerging digital platforms.

According to Nielsen, 35% of Hispanics say they are usually among the first people in their group of friends to try new tech products; so if tech companies could get Hispanic audiences on board from the very first, those same companies would be able to build brand loyalty from the get-go and count on early adopters to spread the word among their social groups.

For brands, this could necessitate a shift in strategy, especially when it comes to determining the placement of ads. Instead of focusing heavily on television ads, it would be beneficial to shift spending toward digital and mobile platforms where we know Hispanics are spending their time.

Also, given the amount of time that the demographic spends watching videos, being able to create dynamic, engaging video content for mobile would also be a great way to grab their attention.

At this point, we all know—or should know—that Hispanics over-index on mobile. It’s time to start seeing those insights put into action.