If you’re looking for a job, you’re going to need to do a lot more than spruce up your resume. As part of their screening, potential employers will likely scour your social media accounts. Which is why Consumer Reports says there are a few things you can do to put your best cyber-foot forward.
A CareerBuilder survey this year found 70% of potential employers used social media to screen candidates and more than half didn’t hire someone because of something they saw. READ MORE AT NBC DALLAS
Hispanics are way ahead of the general market for social and mobile usage. The more acculturated the Latino, the more likely they are to use these technologies. That has huge implications for your marketing plans, regardless of whether Hispanics are in your target market.
Latinos Lead Mobile Usage
Hispanics are no more likely than the rest of the population to own a cell phone or a smartphone. However, they are more “cell phone focused” than other demographics. Over 50% live in cell phone only households. Plus, they are twice as likely as Anglos to go online primarily via their mobile.
That’s only the beginning. Hispanics are early adopters of virtually all mobile activities. They are three times as likely as the general market to check into locations. Two thirds of Latinos listen to music on their phone vs. 42% of Anglos. And cell based video chat is used by one third of Hispanics compared to less than one fifth of the general population.
Hispanics’ affinity for mobile usage extends to shopping. Latinas index at 156 vs white women for making a mobile purchase in the past thirty days. They also do more pre-shopping research via their phone. READ MORE
There is no doubt the digital media universe continues to shift and evolve with the constant introduction of new platforms and ways for consumers to engage.
Marketers looking for a massive demographic embracing this shifting landscape needs look no further than U.S. Hispanics. A community 52 million strong, representing 17 percent of all Americans, Hispanics are a marketer's dream: digitally savvy, young and socially connected.
Indeed, it's no secret that Hispanics are tech-forward. Digitally, Hispanics far over-index non-Hispanics. For example, smartphones are indispensable to their lifestyles, with the vast majority (72 percent) owing at least one device, according to a recent Nielsen Mobile Media Marketplace study. Web video? Hispanics watch 62 percent more digital video than non-Hispanics, according to Nielsen’s Cross-Platform Report. READ MORE
Nely Galan, the media dynamo and one of the entertainment industry's savviest and firebrand talents, will keynote the Latina Empowerment Breakfast at USHLI's 31st national conference. Her address is scheduled for 7:30am, Friday, February 15, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, located at 301 E. North Water Street in Chicago.
Nely Galan has done it all, going strong, and is still doing more. As the former President of Telemundo, she was the first Latina to head a television network. Since 1994 she has operated her own media company, Galan Entertainment, which has helped launch 10 groundbreaking television channels in Latin America, produced an amazing 600 episodes of programming ranging from reality shows to sitcoms and telenovelas to talk shows. And, for 15 years Nely has owned a real estate development and investment company, which has residential and commercial holdings in multiple states.
As a public speaker Nely is well known for her powerful crowd-pleasing presentations on the Latino market, entrepreneurship, and Latina empowerment. In making the announcement, USHLI President Dr. Juan Andrade said, "Nely is the personification of Latina empowerment. We are excited to have her as our conference kick-off speaker and looking forward to her keynote address with great anticipation."
A firm believer in education and self-improvement, Nely recently completed her Doctorate in Clinical and Cultural Psychology.
For more information regarding USHLI's national conference please call 312.427.8683.
Join USHLI and HispanicPro for one of the most important nights of business networking in Chicago.Connect with top influential leaders in business, education, government & politics from the state of Illinois and across the country attending the United States Leadership Institute 31st National Conference.
Thursday, February 14
5 pm – 8 pm
Enjoy an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, raffles, and entertainment. Admission $10. Proceeds will benefit the USHLI Scholarship Fund.
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the East Coast Chicano Student Forum at Harvard University, where I had the privilege of conducting a presentation to a group of college students from Ivy League Universities eager to learn how they could follow in the footsteps of Latinos who are using Social Media to implement positive change in their communities.
There is no denying that social media as a multi-faceted tool has been an enormous success. Not only has it allowed billions of people to connect on a variety of platforms -- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and so many others -- but it has also served as a valuable tool with the tremendous potential to help implement positive change among the Latino community.
When discussing the power of social media and how it can be used to impact communities in positive ways, Latinos simply cannot be ignored.
Latinos, who have been recorded as the group with the highest rate of early adopters are continuously embracing technology faster than any other demographic in the United States. READ MORE
Latinos own smartphones, go online from a mobile device and use social networking sites at similar—and sometimes higher—rates than do other groups of Americans according to a new analysis of three surveys by the Pew Research Center.
The analysis also finds that when it comes to using the Internet, the digital divide between Latinos and whites is smaller than what it had been just a few years ago. READ MORE
It’s no secret young people live on their cell or smart phones, but for Latino youth –that rings even truer. A new report written by Mobile Future and the Hispanic institute underlines young Hispanics and new generations of Americans spend heavily on mobile broadband technology – $17.6 billion on mobile devices and more than $500 million on mobile apps in 2012.
The report Hispanic Broadband Access: Making the Most of the Mobile, Connected Future notes that the legal immigration of people from all over Latin America has actually been a significant factor in American Hispanics’ embrace of mobile broadband.
As it turns out in many developing nations, infrastructure problems actually limit the ability for landlines to be used, as a result home internet is not common. This has actually fostered more creativity in how people engage with the internet. As a result accessing the internet using cell phones is actually much more popular. When legal Hispanic migrants arrive in the United States they do so having grown up accessing the internet on their mobile phones. Transitioning to smart phones and other similar devices is actually easier for this population of immigrants. According to the report this partly explains why immigrants are more likely to have mobile phones even if they have relatively lower incomes than the average U.S. resident. READ MORE
As we approach the second half of 2012, we’ve been looking at how consumers are feeling about their lives. What excites them, what they’re afraid of and what they think about the whirlwind political environment that ceaselessly dominates the conversation in America – be it mainstream news media, the blogosphere or social engagement.
Against this backdrop, we asked Hispanics and non-Hispanics across a variety of geographies and segments: Republicans, Democrats and Independents; gender and age cohorts; influencers and non-influencers alike, how they felt about these and other subjects.
Some of the things we learned were surprising, such as that for all the chatter among the pundits, people across the gamut felt that things like immigration were a non-issue in their lives. Based on our findings, here are five things that every marketer who engages Hispanic audiences (which means everyone) should know – and importantly, how to act upon it to win for your business. READ MORE
The "Latin doll" stereotype is getting a makeover, and although stilettos might be part of the new outfit, the smartphone and laptop are essential items.
The digital Latina is taking social media by storm, over-indexing other demographic groups in the growth and use of social media, from twitter to social network sites. Around 2009, the blogosphere witnessed an explosion of Latina bloggers. Today, Blogs by Latina, a blog directory, has over 1,600 entries, since launching in 2009.
This proliferation of Latina blogs makes total sense. Historically, Latinas have been silenced by circumstances or lack of a socialcultural podium. Who she is and what she wants have been defined by caricature archetypes constructed by traditional mass media. She has no diversity on television and print, often existing as either a sexy, loud and passionate girl or an older, submissive, heavy-accented woman.
But the emergence of social media has offered fertile grounds to Latina women craving to self-express and redefine her image. It's become an effective platform to amplify her voice, thoughts, opinions and views. She's creating her own content and writing her own story. Through blogging and online publishing, she's producing a collective of digital voices that is honest, real, smart and empowering. The result? An illumination of the pluralistic identify of Latinas. READ MORE
The Verizon iPhone is finally here, causing a lot of buzz and conversation around this expected news. For marketers targeting Latinos, this might be even bigger news, considering that currently 24 percent of all iPhones have been activated by Hispanics.
We all know that Hispanics are very mobile and are always on the go. For these reasons, cell phones are becoming a very powerful tool for them to stay connected to their social world. The use of cellular phones alone rose 26 percent from 2006 to 2010 among Latinos, compared to 18 percent of the general population. This notable increase shows that Hispanics are catching up: cellular phone penetration among Latinos has reached 82 percent, which is almost even with 84 percent of the overall population.
This is consistent with the growing trend of Hispanics cutting landlines and switching to mobile phones as their main source of communication. Some experts attribute this to the recession. But actually, when we take a deeper look at how Latinos use their mobile phones, there are many other reasons beyond the economy that are driving this behavior.
There are three key attributes driving the mobile Hispanic:
1. Social connectivity: Mobile applications have changed the role and landscape of marketing - and Latinos are all over it.
2. Fun experience: For Latinos, mobile is not about efficiency and multitasking, but about ubiquity and expanding their experiences.
3. Open to innovation: Contrary to many marketers' beliefs, Latinos are more receptive to new ways of using their mobile phones. READ MORE
Tr3s: MTV, Musica y Mas, the bilingual/bicultural network for Latinos in the U.S., unveils a new comprehensive research study coined Death of the Hispanic Adult Demo as We Know It, as part of the brand's mission to continue providing insight on the rapidly growing Hispanic Millennial generation. Since 2007, Tr3s has been leading the market's knowledge bank on this segment, surveying nearly 10,000 Latinos 14-34 to date. The latest study reveals the implications of US-born Hispanics now dominating the 18-29 adult demographic, which are estimated to make up 65% of this demo by 2015, revolutionizing the Hispanic adult demo as we know it. Key findings were presented by Nancy Tellet, SVP of Research for Tr3s at the 2011 AHAA conference in Miami.
"This research helps us understand the massive changes taking place within the Hispanic adult segments, especially 18-34s, as US-born Hispanic Millennials begin to dominate the 18-29 segment," said Nancy Tellet, SVP of Research for Viacom International Media Networks. "We need to develop strategies that consider this demo, to better serve the Hispanic market and deliver results."
METHODOLOGY
The Death of the Hispanic Adult Demo as We Know It study reflects a comprehensive, hybrid approach to the methodology that includes traditional, non-traditional and social media techniques. Resources include national online surveys, texting and Facebook interaction, as well as local focus groups and in-home studies in Los Angeles, New York and Houston.
KEY FINDINGS
Hispanic Millennials respect parental authority, unlike many of their non-Hispanic Millennial counterparts. And they anticipate doing the same with their children (although maybe a little less strict).
Hispanic Millennials are living at home even longer: Large majorities of 2nd generation Hispanic Millennials live at home. A combination of the recession, the "American" delayed marriage and kids life-cycle mentality, and already having a tendency as young Hispanics to live at home longer is a recipe for a long extended stay at home... which includes collaborative sharing among many of the responsibilities and purchasing dynamics of the household. READ MORE
When the personal computer revolution began decades ago, Latinos and blacks were much less likely to use one of the marvelous new machines. Then, when the Internet began to change life as we know it, these groups had less access to the Web and slower online connections — placing them on the wrong side of the "digital divide."
Today, as mobile technology puts computers in our pockets, Latinos and blacks are more likely than the general population to access the Web by cellular phones, and they use their phones more often to do more things.
But now some see a new "digital divide" emerging — with Latinos and blacks being challenged by more, not less, access to technology. It's tough to fill out a job application on a cellphone, for example. Researchers have noticed signs of segregation online that perpetuate divisions in the physical world. And blacks and Latinos may be using their increased Web access more for entertainment than empowerment.
Fifty-one percent of Hispanics and 46% of blacks use their phones to access the Internet, compared with 33% of whites, according to a July 2010 Pew poll. Forty-seven percent of Latinos and 41% of blacks use their phones for e-mail, compared with 30% of whites. The figures for using social media like Facebook via phone were 36% for Latinos, 33% for blacks and 19% for whites.
A greater percentage of whites than blacks and Latinos still have broadband access at home, but laptop ownership is now about even for all these groups, after black laptop ownership jumped from 34% in 2009 to 51% in 2010, according to Pew. READ MORE
To provide additional information and entertainment services to the Hispanic community, Verizon today launched two bilingual social media properties, each of them in English and Spanish, on Facebook and Twitter.
The Facebook fan page Somos Verizon FiOS (We Are Verizon FiOS) and the Twitter site @SomosFiOS (We Are FiOS) will engage Verizon's Hispanic audience by providing a forum for emerging technology that also offers the best in culturally relevant entertainment content and online community connections. The bilingual properties are only part of the story. The remaining story will be crafted by the fans and followers of Verizon FiOS service.
FiOS is Verizon's all-fiber-optic-based combination of home phone, the nation's fastest Internet and crystal-clear TV services. Somos Verizon FiOS and @SomosFiOS complement the FiOS bicultural website, www.EnciendeteFiOS.com , an informational site with versions in English and Spanish that users can easily toggle between.
"Our Facebook and Twitter pages are venues where Hispanics can learn, inform and share their opinions about technology and discuss how it is shaping the future of the things they feel most passionate about," said Orlando Zambrano, Verizon multicultural marketing manager. "We aim to fulfill our community's need to know about the latest and greatest trends of the future by preparing, empowering and inspiring them to learn, create and share their own vision."
Somos Verizon FiOS will kick off with a promotion in partnership with HBO Latino. People who become fans of the Facebook page can register in a sweepstakes for a VIP trip to Los Angeles and dinner with Ana de la Reguera, star of the HBO Latino series "Capadocia." Fans of Somos Verizon FiOS will be treated to regular content updates, promotions, customer support links, special offers and an interactive tab called MontajeFiOS, where fans can upload their photos into a mosaic and share with friends. A partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund will provide educational and informational subject matter to inform users about college funding, educational opportunities and success stories.
On Oct. 11, @SomosFiOS will host its first of many Twitter parties to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Attendees will discuss a variety of topics regarding culture, icons and lifestyle. There will be a chance for participants to win tech gadgets and gift cards, and five winners will be chosen.
"When reaching out to Hispanics, it's not only about language, it's about the overall experience," said Zambrano. "Verizon maintains a large presence in the Hispanic sphere, as many Hispanics crave technology, entertainment and community involvement - three big pillars for Somos Verizon FiOS and @SomosFiOS. We will continue to foster two-way dialogue between the brand and our Hispanic consumers through social media tools that allow customers to engage with FiOS on their own terms."
To experience these new Hispanic social media platforms firsthand, and to become a fan of the new Facebook page, visit www.facebook.com/SomosVerizonFiOS , and follow Verizon FiOS at www.twitter.com/SomosFiOS. READ MORE
