The US online population will grow 3% to 180,100,000 people from 2005 to 2006. (Source: eMarketer) We predict that the percentage growth in number of US Hispanics online will equal or surpass the online general market in 2006. This brief inquiry highlights the achievements of US Hispanics online, particular category growth by unique visitor, and language nuances year to year 2005. It is important to understand online behavior of this population, the largest online and offline ethnicity with $700 billion in buying power. Hispanics are young, hip, and making their mark online in numbers on par or surpassing the overall online audience, in comparison.

US Hispanics are head to head with the overall general market in unique visitor and total minutes online growth, year to year Dec 05.

As evident in the chart above, unique visitors increased 6% in the general market panel to 170,285,000 from Dec 04 vs. Dec 05. The US Hispanic panel increased 5% from Dec 04 – Dec 05 to 14,579,000 unique visitors online during Dec 05. Total page views for USH and GM increased 12% and 14%, respectively, Dec 04 vs. Dec 05. US Hispanics are growing in these key metrics at almost the same rate as the overall online community.

The key metrics of unique visitor and total page views are important, but it is also interesting to note highlights in average daily metrics, such as average page views which are consumed in greater numbers by Hispanics than overall.

A drill down of average page views per day shows US Hispanics surpassing the online general market during Dec 05. US Hispanics view an average of 158.8 pages per day versus the online general market of 142.5 pages per day, meaning US Hispanics view 11% more pages per day on average than the general market.

Top category growth in unique visitors sheds light into where Hispanics are increasing their attention online, and where their daily page views may land.

The Spanish preferred segment is defined as Spanish only or Spanish preferred as the language spoken in the home. Although similarities exist between the top categories of US Hispanics overall and Spanish preferred, the Spanish preferred online audience has increased more in unique visitors than the overall US Hispanic panel, consistently reaching triple digit growth.

Terra Networks’ audience happens to be 77.6% Spanish preferred. (Source: comScore Media Metrix, Demographic Report, December 2005)

This is only a brief snapshot of 2005 online highlights of US Hispanics. Be a Smart Marketer and determine how your category of interest fared in 2005. Perhaps nuances by language preference exist that need to be considered?

Regardless of your specific niche, this brief inquiry exposes US Hispanic growth in online usage virtually on par with the general market, by unique visitor and total page view metrics. As noted above, key interests to marketers such as the pharmacy category increased in unique visitors by 35% for US Hispanics online, and 254% for the Spanish preferred segment. We will be watching as US Hispanics continue their virtual click-a-thon through 2006.

To learn more about how you can reach Terra.com's quality audience with your marketing message, call us at 212-354-2700. Visit http://www.terra.com/advertise/ and http://www.terra.com/terraenlaprensa/.

By Natasha Funk Published January 31, 2006. If you missed past issues of Terra’s Smart Marketer Series and would like to obtain them, please send an email to: smartmarketer@terra.com.