Latinos make up a growing portion of the U.S. consumer base and hold around $1.5 trillion in purchasing power, according to Nielsen. However, despite their increasing influence and significant online engagement, Hispanic representation lags behind in the influencer marketing space, where 68.6 percent of Latinas feel they are not fairly represented, according to newly released research from micro-influencer marketing platform SocialPubli.
The firm’s Latina Influence 2022 Industry Report underlines the key motivations, preferences and behaviors of Latina influencers and content creators.
Latina influencers have the ability to influencer buying decisions, as they are heavily clustered in industries that place a premium on trust and authenticity—lifestyle (34.2 percent), beauty (18.8 percent) and family and parenting (17.1 percent).
Compensation for Hispanics and other minorities also remains high on the list of industry challenges, with 39 percent of Latina influencers surveyed ranking it as a top area of concern.
“As more brands seek to authentically connect with the Hispanic consumer, it’s important to address this sentiment among Latina influencers and the need for more visibility and representation. Latinos are not only America’s second fastest-growing minority group, they also boast the highest rate of entrepreneurship of any race in the U.S.,” said Ismael El-Qudsi, CEO of SocialPubli, in a news release. “Latina influencers value working with brands that are committed to diversity and inclusion. 98.3 percent of Latina influencers consider a brand’s commitment to diversity and inclusion when deciding whether to collaborate with them, and 64.4 percent rank diversity and inclusion as a ‘very important’ differentiator.”
Latina influencers have built a solid base of experience for their businesses, and over 50 percent of the Latina influencers surveyed have at least four years of experience working with brands. Close to 60 percent of Latina influencers surveyed are full-time content creators and about 20 percent of Latina influencers surveyed are earning $50,000+ from their influencer marketing work.
But many feel their potential has not been fairly compensated. Over half of Latina influencers (53.4 percent) do not think they are paid fairly for their influencer work, and 60.7 percent of Latina influencers believe their ethnicity affects the rates they’re offered for influencer campaigns.
“A growing number of Latina influencers are approaching content creation as a legitimate, full-time career path, but our research shows they’re continuing to face roadblocks when it comes to equal treatment and fair compensation from brands,” El-Qudsi said. “As the lines between content creator, entrepreneur and influencer continue to blur, brands have ready and willing Latina influencers seeking partnerships. They must seize the opportunity to buy in further and invest more deeply in the value generated through Latina influencers’ deep connections with their online communities.”
Additional key findings from the survey:
- Latina influencers earn a high percentage of their income (44.1 percent) from content production, specifically sponsored content partnerships with brands.
- Instagram remains the platform of choice for Latina influencers, but TikTok follows at a close second. 52.1 percent of Latina influencer surveyed plan to focus on Instagram as their top opportunity for brand collaborations over the next six to 12 months. TikTok is also a major focus, with 38.5 percent of those surveyed planning to take advantage of TikTok’s growing advertiser base.
- Based on advertising spend, Instagram also ranks highly for brands. 70.3 percent of Latina influencers cited Instagram as their main source of income. No other platform ranked in double-digits, highlighting how the photo and short-form video platform serves as a critical connection point for brands and influencers.
- Influencer marketing platforms support Latina influencer connections to brands. 48.3 percent of Latina influencers surveyed said that they use influencer platforms to connect with brands. As they seek to gain ground as digital content creators, using influencer marketing platforms helps them ensure they’re maximizing their exposure to brands seeking their talent and expertise.
Download the full report here.
Research was conducted by SocialPubli using an online survey during August 2022. In total, 118 U.S.-based Latina influencers responded.
