Nobody said running a Spanish language media site would be easy. The landscape is competitive for digital media in any language, and publishing in Spanish adds layers of complexities that can be insurmountable, if you’re unprepared.  

But the potential profitability of taking a current model and replicating it in different languages is even more compelling. Take  AJ+, for example. The online video branch of Al Jazeera operates channels in Arabic, English, Spanish, and French, with original content for each language outlet. 

Publishing in a different language allows you to reach audiences yet untapped, and a Spanish-speaking focus is particularly compelling when you consider an uptrend in advertising spend on Spanish language media. According to Statista, ad spending for Hispanic online video is expected to grow from $70 million to $460 million by 2020.

This increase in niche advertising interest is in part a response to our evolving entertainment and media landscapes that are increasingly niche, thanks to the rise in streaming video-on-demand platforms. More than ever, audiences expect to see themselves reflected in the content they consume. So catering to different voices is more than an opportunity. It’s an expectation. 

As editor-in-chief of Digital Trends en Español, I’ve encountered many of the potential obstacles of publishing Spanish language content in today’s media climate, and learned how to turn some of them into stepping stones. If you’re thinking about launching a Spanish language media site, here's what you should know.

Know Your Readers by Employing Them

As with any media company, Spanish-language publishers need to understand their audiences intimately in order to cater directly to them. If your target readers are outside the U.S., you’ll have to adopt unique strategies to reach them. More than nine out of 10 Americans may get their news from digital media publications, but that statistic doesn’t hold up around the world. Reaching readers outside the U.S. requires different strategies at all levels of operation.

At Digital Trends en Español, some of our highest volume demographics, in addition to U.S. readers, are in Mexico and Spain. One of the keys to our success has been to maintain cultural awareness so we can meet the needs of these respective audiences and cater to the tastes of the international community. In order to maintain an authentic connection to our reader, our staff is made up of people who grew up outside of the U.S. This keeps our company authentic to who we are as individuals, as a brand, and to the cultural identities we serve.

This is not a case where you can ‘fake it til you make it.’ A Spanish publication needs the perspective of cultural insiders, so be sure to hire them. The value they will bring to your content and company cannot be overstated. Your readers will know, and respond accordingly.

Get Used to Pursuing Your Readers

Of course, an English-dominated world does present its challenges to non-English outlets. One major challenge we face is presenting unique articles that reflect the culture, are share-worthy, and are more than just duplicate or translated content. But remember that having great Spanish language content isn’t the goal in itself. It still needs to find its way to readers, and for Spanish channels that requires a little more initiative than the English outlets that rely heavily on SEO. 

Our biggest challenge has been generating organic traffic. Most internet searches are in English, and if a reader doesn’t have Spanish as their browser’s default language, they won’t find you organically. Even fully bilingual individuals sometimes prefer to consume media in English. Be assertive with your marketing to make sure your demographic knows about you. Don’t passively rely on Google, or they won’t find you. 

Tune In to La Revolución

There’s an element here of riding the trends, as well. Underrepresented groups are definitely having a moment in the U.S. and mainstream media is taking note. Feature films like Crazy Rich Asians and Sorry to Bother Youare stoking conversation about representation. Indian Country Today, a major media outlet for indigenous news, came banging back this year after a tentative hiatus.

And the demand for Hispanic online media is rising. An AHAA report shows that 74 percent of affluent Hispanics watch their TV online, especially those under age 40. “If you’re looking for your audience,” Hispanic Online Marketing poignantly puts it, “that’s where you’ll find them.” 

Don’t Let the Challenges Stop You

Look at it this way: since English is the de facto language of the internet, starting a Spanish media site has always been challenging. But don’t let that stop you. There’s also never been a better time for it. So learn from the slip ups of the many and the successes of the few. 

Be true to the cultures of your reader base, hire inclusively, and adopt flexible strategies for finding your readers. Doing so will set you up to beat the odds and get your Spanish language site the traffic it deserves.

Juan Garcia is the Editor in Chief of DT Español, and leads the writing team both creatively and operationally. Before joining Digital Trends ES, he was editor and producer of the Spanish language MLB.com. He is a systems engineer by vocation and lover of technology by conviction. He was the first at his university to have a cell phone in 1992, and has been connected ever since.