Unique audience insights through the lens of language diversity

When it comes to the U.S. Hispanic population, two languages are prominent: English and Spanish. This provides advertisers with more opportunities to vary their creative messaging to better connect with their target audiences authentically.

Although data from the Pew Research Center has shown that English proficiency has grown among native English speakers and native Spanish speakers alike, effective advertising must consider more than simply what language people understand, but which language they prefer. According to a survey by Facebook IQ, the majority of Spanish-Dominant (79 percent), Bilingual (82 percent) and English-Dominant (60 percent) U.S. Hispanics think brands should advertise in both Spanish and English.

The diversity within the U.S. Hispanic population shows that one-size won’t fit all when it comes to meaningfully engaging this audience. Targeted, personalized, culturally relevant ads will only increase in importance as time goes on. Audience data can help advertisers understand where their target audiences are consuming content, as well as learn behavioral insights about them.

In our newest infographic, we provide a deeper analysis of U.S. Hispanic streaming audiences through the lens of language. By comparing bilingual (English + Spanish) Hispanics with Spanish-only Hispanics, we highlight the unique streaming and mobile app preferences among these subgroups. We provide advertisers with audience data that helps them understand these audiences and then use related insights to help optimize their advertising campaigns. In using an index analysis, we can view where these audiences may differ from one another.

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A closer look at the audience data

Here’s what we found:

When compared to Spanish-only speakers, bilingual speakers are:

• 2.4x as likely to have Crunchyroll‍
• About 5x more likely to have social networking mobile apps
• 4x as likely to have Podcast Addict‍
• At least 5x more likely to bank with military banks
• 26% more likely to travel domestically

When compared to bilingual speakers, Spanish-only speakers are:

• 2.8x as likely to have Canela.TV‍
• 29% more likely to have fuboTV‍
• About 3x more likely to have communication mobile apps
• More than 2x as likely to have apps used for sending money abroad.
• 5.4x as likely to have Finhabits, a bilingual financial planning app

In terms of streaming viewing habits, Bilingual Hispanic audiences are more likely to have Crunchyroll, an anime streaming app, than their Spanish-only counterparts. They are also 4.5x and 3.5x as likely to have Paramount+ and Hulu on their streaming devices, respectively. Paramount+, Hulu, and Crunchyroll are all ad-supported streaming platforms, but Paramount+ and Hulu require a paid subscription, suggesting this group may be more likely to pay for popular streaming services.

In contrast, Spanish speakers show a higher affinity for Spanish-language and sports content. They are 2.8x as likely to have Canela.TV and 29% more likely to have fuboTV on their devices than Bilingual Hispanics. Compared to Bilingual Hispanics, Spanish-only audiences seem to favor free TV, indexing on Canela.TV and Tubi. However, they show a higher affinity for fuboTV indicating they are more likely to pay for sports.

These groups’ mobile app preferences help tell a story of their behaviors and life experiences. In terms of mobile app categories, Spanish-only speakers are 2.9x more likely to have communication apps on their phones. WhatsApp is a very popular communication app in Latin America due to its free WIFI messaging, high telecommunication costs in the area, low competition, and lower iPhone penetration. This higher affinity may signify a higher likelihood that Spanish-only Hispanics rely on communication apps to connect with relatives in other countries.

Unsurprisingly, Spanish speakers show a higher affinity for Spanish language content, such as in their viewing apps with Canela.TV, but also in their downloaded music apps, e.g., Radio Mexico (8.8x as likely) and La Musica (4.5x as likely). They are also 5.4x as likely to have Finhabits, financial planning app that is available in both English and Spanish. As seen with their likelihood to use communication apps, other mobile app preferences suggest connections abroad, such as their increased likelihood to have apps, such as Xoom (2.3x as likely), an app used to send money abroad.

Bilingual Hispanics are 5x more likely to use social networking apps than those who only speak Spanish. Bilingual Hispanics also show an affinity for Podcast Addict, being 4x as likely to have the app on their mobile phone. This aligns with research from Insider Intelligence that shows podcasts are traditionally more popular in English-speaking countries, due to the high number of podcasts that are in English. But podcast listener growth in Latin America is outpacing growth in Western Europe and the U.S. in 2023 as Spanish-language podcasting increases.

Bilingual Hispanics seem to be more likely to have served or have family who served in U.S. armed forces as they’re more than 14x as likely to have the USAA app, which provides insurance and banking products exclusively to members of the military, veterans, and their families, on their mobile devices. Overall, Bilingual Hispanics are 26% more likely to travel domestically and their indexed travel apps show a higher likelihood of being part of loyalty programs at hotel chains and airlines.

Using audience data to better engage ethnically diverse audiences

As we kick off Hispanic Heritage Month – which runs every year from September 15 to October 15  — there will be more campaigns and initiatives that aim to engage the U.S. Hispanic community.

The opportunity for advertisers is massive, and not just during the fall months. The U.S. Hispanic population is the largest minority group in the United States, comprising 19 percent of the population. In the last census, Hispanics made up more than half of total U.S. population growth, and the U.S. Hispanic population will have an estimated buying power of $2.8 trillion in 2026, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth.

But audience data for Hispanic audiences has been limited — especially data that captures the diversity within the Hispanic community. Members of the U.S. Hispanic population vary in cultural beliefs, language preference, country of origin, political views, and more. Advertisers who want to connect more with Hispanic audiences will need culturally relevant messaging and creative. 

Our previous audience reports have shown unique preferences among the Hispanic audience and compared them against the total market. In our 2023 Audience Trends Report, we found that Hispanic/Latino streaming audiences show an affinity for Spanish language content and mobile gaming apps compared with the total market. With this analysis, we hope to offer more granular insights that will help advertisers better connect with this diverse audience.

Download: 2023 Audience Trends Report

Methodology

Data for this report are sourced by leveraging App Science®’s Hispanic audience segment, created by first- and third-party mobile device and geolocation data. Index scores represent how likely an outcome is to occur. Preferences among Bilingual and Spanish-only audiences are analyzed against each other with an assigned baseline of 100. For example, if a mobile app indexed for bilingual speakers at 142, this would be interpreted as, “The odds of bilingual speakers having the mobile app is 1.42x as likely as Spanish speakers,” or, “The odds of bilingual speakers having the mobile app is 42% more likely than Spanish speakers.”‍

‍Campaign measurement that captures diverse audiences

App Science®’s Insights solution provides advanced audience analytics for better campaign reach. Using Insights, advertisers can verify campaign reach among diverse audiences and gain richer audience insights on target audiences via audience streaming and mobile affinities.

Schedule a meeting with us to learn how we can help maximize your ROI with actionable campaign intelligence for better campaign management.

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