Most regional or national businesses in the United States should consider translating their website and marketing materials into Spanish.  Why?  Because there are about 48.4 million Hispanics who might buy your product or service.  This is especially true if your product or service appeals to younger people and your business is located in the South or Southwest.

Here are some statistics about Hispanics living in the United States:

Population:

• The Hispanic market has an annual buying power of OVER $1 TRILLION in the US.
• Hispanics make up the largest minority in the US with 48.4 million people.
• The Hispanic population in the US has increased 42% since 2000.
• There are over 1 million Hispanics living in each of the following states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey and Colorado.
• Over half of Hispanics in the US live in California or Texas.

Language:

• Spanish is the #2 language in the world with over 500 million speakers in 21 countries.
• Spanish is the #3 language on the internet with over 153 million people online.
• Approximately 21 million US Hispanics have access to the internet.
• In the US, there are 32.2 million people who speak Spanish as their main language.
• Nearly 56% of Hispanics living in the US struggle with English.
• 16% of 5-year-olds speak Spanish at home.

Demographics:

• In the US, about 25% of 5-year-olds are Hispanic.
• Over 1/3 of Hispanics are 18 years old or younger.
• The median age of US Hispanics is 28 years old.
• The average Hispanic family has 4.0 members (compared to 2.9 for non-Hispanic).
• Only 4% of Hispanics live alone.
• Only 47% of Hispanic adults were born in the US.

Like any other business decision, you will need to do a lot of research as it specifically relates to your business, your products, and your area.  But for many businesses, using Spanish to directly market to Hispanics could be a way to increase your sales and find new customers.

Sources: Statistics pulled from USA Today, US Census Bureau, and Internet World Stats website.