July 2012

Social Networking
in Mexico:
Osbaldo Franco
ofranco@emarketer.com

Bringing the Plaza Online

Contributors
Mark Dolliver, Danielle Drollet, Tobi Elkin,
Kris Oser, Martn Utreras

Executive Summary: Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, and culturally it is naturally
social, so it is not surprising that people there would take quickly to online social networks, and that a substantial
social network audience would arise in a relatively short time.
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Social Network Users in Mexico, 2010-2014

millions and % change
40.0
35.2
30.3
23.7
20.0
35.0%
27.9%
18.4%
2010

2011

Social network users

16.2%
2012

13.8%

2013

2014

% change

This report looks at the growth of the social web in Mexico and
at some of the unique characteristics of social usage in the
country. Mexicos plaza culture, in which the town square is
the center of a communitys social life, makes for a population
that is open to sharing opinions publically online. For marketers,
Mexicos social media audience is one that likewise is open
to hearing brand messages, and, importantly, to remembering
those messages and amplifying them, whether online or off.
The report also looks at the considerable Mexican and
Spanish-speaking populations in the US and compares them to
that of Mexico proper. When speaking to Mexicans in Mexico, are
marketers reaching Mexicans in the US? Does messaging flow
across borders, or are these fundamentally separate audiences?
Key Questions

Note: internet users who use a social network site via any device at least
once per month
Source: eMarketer, July 2012

Which

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What

www.eMarketer.com

The eMarketer View

The Basics of Mexicos Online Social Population

Preferred Social Networks and Activities in Mexico

Attitudes Toward and Interactions with Brands

Beyond Borders

Conclusions

eMarketer Interviews

10

Related eMarketer Reports

10

Related Links

11

About eMarketer

11

social networks are succeeding in Mexico?

are the key demographic trends in social media usage

in Mexico?

What

are the similarities between Spanish-speaking social

network users in the US and those in Mexico?

Digital Intelligence

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved.

The eMarketer View

Mexico was ready for online social networks before
they even existed. Mexican culture is deeply rooted,
and sometimes romanticized, in the town plaza,
where generations of Mexicans have gone to
conduct business, shop, socialize and discuss current
events. From this perspective, it is not surprising that
Mexicans embraced social networks so quickly and
effortlessly, turning social sites into virtual plazas.
Chat rooms and instant messaging offered the first taste of
online social interactions for internet users in Mexico. With the
rise of social networks, Mexicans flocked to the new services
and became prolific social media amplifiers.
But social adoption is capped by economic realities. Roughly
half the population of Mexico falls below the poverty line.
Internet and social network usage among the lowest earning
of Mexicos population is extremely rare, and there are scant
signs of improvement in the near future.
At the other end of the income spectrum, social network usage
is already quite high, leaving little room for further growth.
In the near term, growth in social network activity in Mexico is
likely to come from the middle class, and in particular from the
less affluent members of the middle class.
eMarketer expects social network usage to grow at double-digit
rates in the coming years. But despite Mexicans cultural affinity
for social networks as an extension of the town plaza, economic
obstacles mean that many in Mexico will not share in this new
mode of communicating.
Mexicos Demographic, Online and Social Profile
Population

2010: 112.3 million (INEGI)

Population

growth rate 2012 vs. 2011: 1% to 1.5%

(eMarketer)

Average

age: 26 years (INEGI)

Average

household income 2010: $11,264 (INEGI with

eMarketer calculations)

Population

below poverty line 2010: 58 million

(CONEVAL with INEGI data)

College

Social

Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking market in the

world, with a population totaling 115 million this year.
eMarketer estimates that internet adoption will reach
40.5% this year, for a total of 46.6 million users.
Internet and social network usage are being driven by
Mexicos middle and upper middle class, which combined
comprise a third of the households in Mexico.
When discussing socioeconomic levels, it is common in Latin
America to use a letter-based scale from A to E, where the
highest-income households are classified as A and the lowest
as E. In Mexico, the socioeconomic level (SEL) standard used
by marketers was developed by the Asociacin Mexicana
de Agencias de Investigacin de Mercado y Opinin Pblica
(AMAI), a trade group.
The Instituto Nacional de Geografia y Estadistica (INEGI)
estimates there were 28.2 million households in Mexico
in 2010, each with an average of four people. According to
AMAI and Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales (IIS), part of
Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico (UNAM), 31.2%
of these households were SEL C or C+. These two levels are
viewed as Mexicos middle and upper middle class.
While income levels are not officially assigned in the AMAI
SEL system, middle class households are generally associated
with annual income ranging from $15,000 to $45,000, while an
upper middle class households annual income ranges from
$45,000 to $100,000.
Not surprisingly, internet penetration levels are highest for the
upper class, reaching 76% among SEL A and B households,
according to IIS and AMAI. For the upper middle class and middle
class, penetration reaches 46.9% and 27.1%, respectively. Among
the lower earning groups (SEL D and E), internet adoption is
virtually nonexistent, with penetration falling below 3%. The two
groups at the bottom of Mexicos socioeconomic level scale
represent one of every four households.
Social media adoption is naturally limited by internet adoption,
and internet uptake in Mexico has not been as rapid as in
some other countries.

education 2010: 12.1 million (INEGI)

Internet
Mobile

The Basics of Mexicos Online

Social Population

users 2012: 46.6 million (eMarketer)

internet users 2012: 17.1 million (eMarketer)

network users 2012: 30.3 million (eMarketer)

Facebook
Twitter

users 2012: 27.8 million (eMarketer)

users June 2012: 11.9 million (Mente Digital)

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

The Basics of Mexicos Online Social Population

Comparative Estimates: Social Network User

Penetration in Mexico, 2012
% of internet users

Internet User Penetration in Latin America, by

Country, 2011-2016
% of population in each group
2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Argentina

49.8%

54.3%

58.7%

63.0%

66.8%

68.0%

Brazil

39.0%

42.0%

44.0%

46.0%

47.0%

Mexico

35.5%

40.5%

44.5%

48.0%

51.1%

Other

37.1%

42.1%

46.1%

49.7%

52.9%

55.4%

Latin America

38.4%

42.6%

46.0%

49.0%

51.5%

53.4%

AMIPCI, May 2012 (1)

92.0%

48.0%

comScore, June 2012 (2)

91.4%

53.8%

Ipsos, March 2012 (3)

Note: individuals of any age who use the internet from any location via any
device at least once per month
Source: eMarketer, Feb 2012
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Nevertheless, internet users in Mexico have embraced social

networks more enthusiastically than those in other countries
have done. eMarketer forecasts the number of social network
users in Mexico will reach 30.3 million this year, for a 65%
penetration rate.
Social Network Users and Penetration in Mexico,
2010-2014
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Social network users (millions) 20.0

23.7

30.3

35.2

40.0

% change

35.0% 18.4% 27.9% 16.2%

13.8%

% of internet users

57.3% 58.6% 65.0% 68.0%

71.0%

% of population

17.8% 20.8% 26.3% 30.3%

34.1%

Note: internet users who use a social network site via any device at least
once per month
Source: eMarketer, July 2012
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Putting that in global perspective, Mexico ranks as the 10th

largest nation in terms of internet population, but it ranks
higher, at No. 8, in terms of social network users.
Estimates of the size of Mexicos social networking population
vary widely, and estimates of social network penetration
rates show even larger variations. For example, Competitive
Intelligence Unit (CIU) estimated there were 34.1 million social
network users in Mexico in Q4 2011, which was about 44%
above eMarketers estimate for 2011.

eMarketer, July 2012 (4)

68.0%
65.0%

Note: (1) accessed their own social network profile at least once in the past
6 months; (2) ages 15+; data is for May; (3) visitors to social network sites,
forums or blogs in the past 3 months; (4) internet users who use a social
network site via any device at least once per month
Source: eMarketer, July 2012; various, as noted, 2012
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Social network usage shot higher this year amidst a

presidential election that not only became a referendum
on Mexicos drug war but also served to focus Mexicans
dissatisfaction with and outright distrust of traditional media.
In May 2012, the leading presidential candidate was
loudly jeered by students during a speech at Universidad
Iberoamericana. The candidate, and some news organizations,
questioned whether the protesters were students, suggesting
that they had been planted in the audience to create a
disturbance. In response, 131 Ibero students created a
video showing their IDs. The video went viral, and the term
#YoSoy132 (I am 132) became a world trend on Twitter, giving
a name to a nationwide movement calling for democratic
reform and a more transparent media.
The political debate spurred significant growth in social
network use. eMarketer estimates that the number of social
network users in Mexico will rise nearly 28% this year. Usage is
expected to continue to grow at a healthy but less torrid pace
in coming years.

Meanwhile, some estimates of social network penetration

rates have reached above 90% of all internet users this year,
far higher than eMarketers 65% estimate. In a May 2012 study,
for example, the Asociacin Mexicana de Internet (AMIPCI)
and Elogia reported that social network user penetration
among internet users in Mexico reached 92% in 2012. The
difference between AMIPCI/Elogia and eMarketer may have
stemmed in part from the fact that this estimate included
usage of YouTube, which eMarketer doesnt include when
looking at social networks. In addition, the AMIPCI/Elogia
study counted as a user anyone who had used a social site
within the past six months, whereas eMarketers estimate
counted only those users who had visited such a site in the
past month.

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 3

Preferred Social Networks and

Activities in Mexico
Internet users in Mexico have taken to social
networking sites in large numbers since 2009,
bringing the countrys plaza culture to the likes of
Facebook and Twitter, as well as to hi5, which got an
early boost because it offered a Spanish interface.
Today, Facebook dominates the social landscape. eMarketer
estimates the number of Facebook users in Mexico will approach
28 million this year, for a penetration of 92% among social
network users. Though growth will be slower as the market
matures, the user base for the No. 1 social network in Mexico is
expected to expand at robust double-digit rates through 2014.

Social Networks Used by Social Network Users

in Mexico, 2010 & 2011
% of respondents
Facebook
86%
94%
hi5
55%
39%
Twitter
39%
45%
Myspace
36%
28%
metroFLOG
25%
18%
Sonico
24%

Facebook Users in Mexico, 2010-2014

millions and % change

19%

129.2%

37.7

Fotolog
8%

32.7

8%
Blogger
7%

27.8

11%

21.0

Flickr
5%

15.2

6%

38.1%

LinkedIn
2%

32.4%
17.6%

2010

2011

Facebook users

2012

2013

2014

% change

Note: internet users who access their Facebook account via any device at
least once per month
Source: eMarketer, July 2012
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5%

15.2%

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Offering further evidence of Facebooks preeminence in

Mexico, an Interactive Bureau Mxico (IAB Mxico) and
Millward Brown survey of social network users in Mexico
conducted in late 2011 found that 94% used Facebook, while
45% used Twitter.
Other services that had been popular, such as hi5 and
Myspace, have seen sharp declines. But hi5 maintains a loyal
audience among online gamers, and Myspace has adherents
among Mexicos relatively small music community.

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

2010

2011

Note: 2010 n=1,049; 2011 n=997 ages 12+ who are registered on a social
network
Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau Mexico (IAB Mexico), "Digital Media
Consumption Study of Mexican Internet Users 2011" conducted by
Millward Brown, Nov 15, 2011
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Other measures confirm Facebooks dominance of Mexicos

social space. AMIPCI and Elogia reported that Facebook was
the most popular social network among 90% of social network
users it queried in May 2012, while Twitter (55%) came in
third behind YouTube (60%). Socialbakers.com data released
in July 2012 estimated there were 35.6 million Facebook
users in Mexico, with more than 2 million accounts added in
June alone. The social media measuring firm also estimated
LinkedIn had 2.7 million users that month.
In part because of the YoSoy132 movement during the presidential
election, Twitter has received an enormous amount of publicity
in the past few monthsand seen similarly enormous growth.
According to Guillermo Prezbolde, general director at Mente
Digital, there were 11.9 million Twitter users in Mexico in June 2012,
of which 8.3 million were active users (i.e., they had used the site at
least once in the previous 60 days). By comparison, Mente Digital
estimated that there were just 4.1 million total Twitter users in
Mexico in March of 2011.
Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 4

Attitudes Toward and Interactions

with Brands
Data about behaviors and attitudes regarding
marketing and brand messaging on social networks
in Mexico is still relatively scant. What data is available
suggests that the way internet users in Mexico use
social networks and how they respond to various
messaging on them are similar to behaviors and
attitudes among users across Latin America.
A recent Ipsos study delved into regional behaviors around the
Like button and found that Latin Americans were more likely
than people in other regions to recommend a brand that they
have liked or followed on a social network. Mexicos score
was in line with the regional average.
The same Ipsos study found that 27% of internet users in
Mexico would buy a brand because a friend likes it or follows
it on a social network.
Internet Users in Select Countries in Latin America
Who Would Buy a Brand Because a Friend "Likes" or
Follows it on a Social Network, March 2012
% of respondents
Brazil

31%

Mexico

According to AMIPCI and Elogia, social networks (86%) were the

top online entertainment activity, ahead of news sites (61%) and
music and video downloads (37%), in Mexico in May 2012.
Online Entertainment Activities of Internet Users in
Mexico, May 2012
% of respondents
Social networks
86%
Visit news sites
61%
Download music/videos
37%
Visit humor/jokes sites
28%
Play games online
25%
Adult entertainment
23%
Visit specialty forums
19%
Visit sports sites
15%
Download podcasts
13%
Other
11%

27%

Argentina

26%

Latin America

28%

Note: ages 16-64

Source: Ipsos OTX and Ipsos Global @dvisor, "Socialogue," June 26, 2012
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also see these sites as something more than a source of

idle amusement.

www.eMarketer.com

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The Ipsos data shows the amplification effect that brand

messaging can have in Mexico. Fernando Martnez, online and
digital Marketing manager at Universal Pictures Mxico, sees that
effect at work in movie promotion. Mexico has a high level of
interaction with any post we make, he said. For example, [the
movie] Despicable Me 2 became a world trend under the topic
#MiVillanoFavorito2, which originated in Mexico. Universals
Facebook page for Mexico is the companys largest in the world
in terms of total followers, Martinez said.
Grupo Modelo, which markets Corona Extra and other beer
brands, has seen similar message amplification. Its Corona
Music campaign, geared toward a Mexican audience,
generated more than 1 million fans on Facebook and
more than 37,000 Twitter followers. Its perhaps our most
successful social media campaign yet, said Jos Pars, Grupo
Modelos chief sales and marketing officer.
As in other countries, internet users in Mexico tend to view
social networks as an entertainment medium, but they
Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Note: n=2,329
Source: AMIPCI (Asociacin Mexicana de Internet) and Elogia, "Hbitos de
los Usuarios de Internet en Mxico," May 17, 2012
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That social networks outperformed news sites in this category

is not a surprise. comScore data has shown that internet users
in Mexico are not particularly keen to visit establishment news
sites. Instead, they have turned their attention to social networks
as more trustworthy sources of information about politics
and, amidst drug cartel violence, social networks even provide
information about safely getting from place to place.
A recent New York Times article noted this phenomenon,
saying that, in Mexico, Twitter, Facebook and other social tools
are deployed for local survival.
Even though social networks can play such a serious role in
daily life in Mexico, attitudes toward advertising within them tend
to be benign. Users are certainly aware of social ads at large.
Roughly three out of five respondents to the AMIPCI and Elogia
survey who recalled seeing online ads recalled seeing them in
social networks. Most importantly for social media advertisers,
more than half of ad viewers had a favorable attitude toward ads
served through social networks, while only 17% disliked them.

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 5

Attitudes Toward and Interactions with Brands

Attitudes Toward Ads on Social Networks According

to Social Network Users in Mexico, May 2012
% of total
Dislike very much
4%
Dislike
13%

Like very much

24%

Neither like
nor dislike
29%

Like
29%

At the end of the day, the reasons that social network users
in Mexico engage with brands on social networks are not that
different from those in other markets. As Grupo Modelos Jos
Pars put it, Mexican social network users are looking for, in
order of importance, good deals, a sense of belonging and a
way to express either good or bad feelings toward a brand.
Similarly, AMIPCI and Elogia found that 52% of social network
users in Mexico followed a brand because they wanted to get
rebates. Identifying with the brand (36%), recommendations
from other users (22%) and getting attention from brands
(18%) were also cited.

Note: n=2,282 who have a profile on any social network; numbers may not
add up to 100% due to rounding
Source: AMIPCI (Asociacin Mexicana de Internet) and Elogia, "Hbitos de
los Usuarios de Internet en Mxico," May 17, 2012
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Surprisingly, in a market so attracted to online video content,

only 3% of social network users recalled seeing ads on
YouTube. It is likely that ads served through this platform but
posted in other social networks (e.g., Facebook, Google+) were
attributed by users to the site used to share them. In any case,
marketers evaluating a social media strategy in Mexico should
consider that 93% of social network users recalled viewing ads
on Facebook.
Use of the mobile internet is growing in Mexico, and the number
of mobile social network users is expanding as well. According
to CIU, there were 10.3 million mobile social network users in
Mexico in the first quarter of 2012. Mobile social network users
in Mexico, while still a relatively small audience, are showing
signs of further engagement with digital media through mobile
devices. In March 2012, a Google study conducted by Ipsos
MediaCT and TNS Infratest showed that 73% of smartphone
owners in Mexico visited a mobile social network on a daily
basis, a higher percentage than those who visited social
networks through a computer (67%) on a daily basis.
Frequency of Mobile Social Network Visits According
to Smartphone Owners in Select Countries in
Latin America, March 2012
% of total
3%

Mexico
73%

13% 7%

5%

3%

Argentina
73%

12% 6%

5%

10% 5%

8%

Brazil
59%
Daily

Weekly

Monthly

19%

Less than monthly

Never

Note: numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Source: Google, "Our Mobile Planet" conducted by Ipsos MediaCT and TNS
Infratest, May 15, 2012
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Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 6

Beyond Borders
Mexicos border with the US has long been a political
hot-button issue, and still is, but the flow of people,
languages and ideas across the Rio Grande is a reality
with important digital implications.
Can marketers look at the Mexican population holistically, as
a single entity straddling two countries, or are there distinct
differences between the two populations? Lets begin by getting
a sense of the Mexican population in the US and its online profile.
The 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) cited by the Pew
Hispanic Center showed there were 50.7 million US Hispanics
in 2010 and that more than 34 million of them spoke Spanish
at home, making the US the fifth largest market in the world by
number of Spanish speakers. That population is expected to
reach 58 million by 2015, according to US Census projections.
More US Hispanics trace their ancestry to Mexico than to
any other countryand do so by a wide margin. According
to the 2010 ACS, 65% of US Hispanics had Mexican roots. US
Hispanics next most common places of origin were Puerto
Rico (9%) and Cuba (4%).

US Internet Users, by Race/Ethnicity, 2010-2016

millions
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

White

153.7

157.0

160.0

162.6

164.6

167.0

168.6

Black

25.7

27.2

27.7

28.2

28.5

28.8

29.2

Asian

10.4

11.0

11.7

12.3

12.8

13.2

13.6

4.1

4.4

4.7

5.1

5.5

6.0

6.3

30.1

32.2

34.9

37.0

39.8

42.1

44.2

Non-Hispanic

Other*
Hispanic**

Note: individuals of any age who use the internet from any location via any
device at least once per month; *includes Native Americans, Alaska
Natives, Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, and bi- and multiracial individuals;
**can be of any race
Source: eMarketer, March 2012
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That group of nearly 23 million users is almost half the size of

Mexicos online population of 46.6 million. Taken together, the
combined online population totals more than 69 million.
US Hispanics are significantly more likely to own a smartphone
than non-Hispanic whites and blacks. eMarketer projects that
smartphone ownership among US Hispanics will be just shy
of the critical 50% in 2013. By extension, then, US Mexican
smartphone ownership should be assumed to be similarly high.
In fact, it could be even higher than the overall Hispanic rate,
given the relative youth of the Mexican population in the US.

Mexicans are distinct from other US Hispanic groups in several

key demographic ways: They are the youngest group among
US Hispanics, with a median age of 25, and are more likely
than any other Hispanic group, other than Puerto Ricans, to
have been born in the US. Mexicans ages 25 and older skew
lower than most other Hispanic groups in the US in terms of
higher education, with only 9% having a bachelors degree
or more. Median household income among Mexicans is just
below the average of the US Hispanic community overall, but
home ownership levels are higher.

Social network usage among US Hispanics is roughly in line

with the overall average in the US. eMarketer projects that
68.5% of US Hispanics will use social networks at least once
per month this year.

Digital trends among Mexicans in the US, for the most part, can
only be extrapolated from the broader Hispanic population
because there is relatively little data about their consumption
habits. But extrapolations can offer some directional guidance
when thinking about the US Mexican market online.

Black

64.7%

68.1%

72.0%

74.2%

76.1%

Asian

60.7%

64.4%

66.1%

66.6%

67.9%
65.4%

eMarketer estimates there will be 34.9 million US Hispanic

internet users in 2012, for a 66% penetration rate. If internet
usage followed the overall population pattern, then roughly
65% of those Hispanic internet users would be assumed to be
Mexican, for a total of almost 23 million US Mexican internet
users this year.

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

US Social Network User Penetration, by

Race/Ethnicity, 2010-2014
% of internet users in each group
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Non-Hispanic

White

58.7%

62.3%

64.3%

64.7%

Other*

63.0%

67.9%

71.1%

71.4%

71.7%

Hispanic**

62.9%

66.2%

68.5%

70.9%

72.0%

Total

60.1%

63.7%

66.0%

67.0%

68.0%

Note: internet users who use a social network site via any device at least
once per month; *includes Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Hawaiian and
Pacific Islanders, and bi- and multiracial individuals; **could be of any race
Source: eMarketer, Aug 2012
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February 2012 uSamp data showed Hispanics overindexed

in use of Facebook (90%), YouTube (57%) and, particularly,
Google+ (47%). Conversely, Hispanics showed much less
interest in LinkedIn (5%). It is likely that LinkedIn, a social
networking site targeting professionals, has an even smaller
audience among US Mexicans, which are less likely to hold a
college degree than other Hispanic groups.

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 7

Beyond Borders

Social Networks Used by US Hispanic vs. General

Population* Internet Users, Feb 2012
% of respondents in each group
Facebook
90%
81%
YouTube

The data about the US Hispanic market offers directional

guidance about the US Mexican online population and
suggests a user group that is large, young and mobile, and
one that looks to social sites to communicate and to be
entertained at home and on the go. It is also a population that
is less affluent than other Hispanic groups and the overall US
population, and one with relatively less education.

57%
46%
Google+
47%
18%
Twitter
31%
33%

Demographic data on both sides of the border suggests that

Mexicans and US Mexicans share a similar profile. Mexicans
in Mexico are slightly older than Mexicans in the US, and have
a higher education level. But Mexicans in the US have higher
income and higher technology adoption rates.

LinkedIn
5%
21%
Hispanics

General population*

Note: *includes Hispanics

Source: uSamp survey as cited on company blog, April 12, 2012
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Similarly, Pinterest, the rising social networking star in the US,

and foursquare, the popular location-based service that allows
users to check in to venues, are lagging when it comes to use
among US Hispanics. In February 2012, more than 70% of the
group said they did not have an account for those services,
according to a BIGinsight survey. It is worth noting that,
according to the same survey, more than 80% of US internet
users overall did not have accounts for those two sites either.
Frequency with Which US Hispanic Internet Users
Access Select Social Networks, Feb 2012
% of total
More often than once a day

Every other week

Once a day

Once a month or less often

2-3 times a week

Do not have an account

Once a week

Facebook

43.7%

17.1%

9.8%

2.5%

1.0%

6.0%

20.0%

Twitter

17.3%

18.1%

5.8%

7.9%

4.0%

7.3%

39.6%

Google+

14.3%

12.8%

9.3%

6.6%

1.2%

10.2%

45.6%

LinkedIn

8.0%

7.5%

4.8%

8.9%

5.2%

9.1%

56.6%

foursquare

7.9%

5.3%

3.6%

4.1%

2.4%

5.6%

71.1%

Pinterest

6.9%

6.3%

5.1%

4.4%

0.6%

5.1%

71.5%

Note: ages 18+; numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding
Source: BIGinsight, "American Pulse Survey," Feb 21, 2012
137426

Hispanics have embraced mobile broadband and are also

extending social networking to mobile platforms. As Christian
Filli, vice president of strategic planning at LatinWorks said,
Hispanics are connecting to the social world, talking and
texting with their friends. The modern gadgets help them get
their point of view across within the US and abroad.

www.eMarketer.com

Similarly, Mexicans in both the US and in Mexico are active

social network users. Data suggests that both populations are
receptive to marketing messaging via social media, and that
they amplify messaging through sharing or recommendations.
Clearly, then, there are branding and marketing opportunities
that transcend borders. But those opportunities wont be easy
to tap. For one thing, certain types of conversations are more
likely to span borders than others. Most of the comments that
cross the border are primarily about politics and, in second
place, sports, said Guillermo Prezbolde. No other subject
reaches massive proportions.
Getting brand conversations across the US-Mexico border started
will require commitment to a social network audience that
deeply dislikes monologues. Arturo Caro, senior vice president
of digital at public relations agency Edelman Mxico advised,
[Engage in] conversation, conversation, conversation. Listen, talk
and then listen again. But he also cautioned about unfavorable
commentary when influencers dislike a brand. This negative
content can spread faster than a positive one, and Mexican social
media users really respond to influencers, Caro said.

Conversation, conversation, conversation.

Listen, talk and then listen again. Arturo
Caro, senior vice president of digital at Edelman Mxico,
July 9, 2012

137426

Hispanics are playing a key role in mobile internet adoption in

the US. eMarketer predicts there will be nearly 24 million US
Hispanic mobile internet users this year. By 2013, Hispanics
are expected to be the ethnic group with the highest mobile
internet user penetration in the country.

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Brand messaging and experience will also play a key role in keeping
customers engaged. As Paul Wiseman, communications manager
at marketing and corporate communications firm JeffreyGroup
Miami put it, The customer is interested in you, your product, your
service and the benefits they can derive from it, even if the benefit
is the enjoyment of interacting with a brand they admire.
Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 8

Beyond Borders

While Mexican brands expanding into the US Hispanic market

frequently try to appeal to Mexican-Americans, as they
represent a gateway to the US Hispanic market, according to
Mariana Villarreal, managing director at JeffreyGroup Mexico,
the ultimate goal is to understand the cultural nuances of
diverse markets and appeal to them in meaningful ways.
Trying to understand and appeal to a broad Spanish-speaking
audience with a holistic approach could be the next step. In
fact, Sears Holdings Corp. took that step when the company
decided to launch the SearsLatino social media program.
Because the demographics of Sears fan base in Mexico and
the US Hispanic market are very similar, we can embrace
cultural similarities and leverage nuances to create an
engaging forum, said Oscar H. Castro, Sears director/general
manager of international ecommerce and multichannel
integration, and added, The differences between the [Latino
market] segments actually represent an opportunity for
sharing, educating and engaging.
Marketers who understand the cultural, social and, particularly,
online exchange between Mexicans in the US and those in
Mexico, will have the best chances of sparking conversations in
an online community that exceeds 70 million and can elevate
social campaigns from isolated chatter to worldwide trend
status and open the door to other Spanish-speaking markets.

Conclusions
Cultural and digital exchange across the US-Mexico
border offers challenges and opportunities. Though it
is not recommended to try a one-size-fits-all approach for
both Mexico and the US Hispanic market due to the cultural
nuances of these markets, similar demographics among
Mexicans on both sides of the US-Mexico border make for a
broad audience that is eager to comment and can serve as a
gateway to other Spanish-speaking audiences in Latin America
and within the US Hispanic market.
Popular social networking sites fall in line with global
trends. As is the case worldwide, Facebook, Twitter and
YouTube dominate in Mexico. The number of Google+ users in
Mexico is also growing and, if trends in the US Hispanic market
are an indication, usage rates could improve in Mexico in the
near future as well.
Pinterest, foursquare and LinkedIn will remain
underachievers. Cultural traits and security issues will
hamper growth of these three social networks. Pinterests
highly visual interface is likely to struggle to gain the
preference of a commentary-hungry audience in Mexico.
Safety concerns will continue to prevent widespread use of
geolocation services like foursquare, though users of this type
of service are finding creative ways to stay safe (e.g., checking
in to places upon departure). LinkedIn will have to get around
the lack of a business networking culture in Mexico, a
custom that is often frowned upon.
Social network users in Mexico and the US Hispanic
market have positive views about ads and like to
comment. These two audiences are especially receptive to
social ads. Mexicans and US Hispanics like to be trendsetters
and also listen to commentary from trustworthy sources like
friends, experts and admired brands through social media.
Catering to these markets requires consistent branding and
a culturally relevant communication strategy. The reward for
such efforts could be results that trend globally and a loyal fan
base that actively promotes favorite brands online and off.

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

eMarketer Interviews
Mexican-Americans and Mexican Nationals Respond
Similarly, but Not Identically to Ads

Paul Wiseman
Communications Manager
JeffreyGroup Miami
Interview conducted on July 6, 2012

Arturo Caro
Senior Vice President, Digital
Edelman Mxico
Interview conducted on July 9, 2012

SearsLatino Embraces Cultural Variations in Mexico

and the US
Oscar H. Castro
Director/General Manager, International eCommerce
& Multichannel Integration
Sears Holdings Corporation
Interview conducted on July 11, 2012

LatinWorks Looks Beyond Stereotypes to Discover

Hispanic Identity
Christian Filli
Vice President of Strategic Planning
LatinWorks
Interview conducted on March 27, 2012

Grupo Modelo: Social Media Doubles Brand Reach for

Beer Brands

Fernando Martnez
Online & Digital Marketing Manager
Universal Pictures Mxico
Interview conducted on July 3, 2012

Guillermo Prezbolde
General Director
Mente Digital
Interview conducted on July 9, 2012

Related eMarketer Reports

Mexico Online: Usage Grows as Access Obstacles Give Way
Hispanics Online: Demographics and Media Usage
Hispanics Mobile Uses and Usage
Social Network Demographics and Usage
US Social Network User Forecast: Mass Audience,
Slowing Growth

Jos Pars
Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Grupo Modelo
Interview conducted on June 11, 2012

John Fetto
Senior Marketing Manager
Experian Simmons
Interview conducted on July 5, 2012

Dr. Max Kilger

Chief Behavioral Scientist
Experian Simmons
Interview conducted on July 5, 2012

Ricardo Surez
Founder and CEO
Yumbling
Interview conducted on June 7, 2012

Mariana Villarreal
Managing Director
JeffreyGroup Mxico
Interview conducted on July 6, 2012

Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

Copyright 2012 eMarketer, Inc. All rights reserved. 10

Related Links

About eMarketer

American community Survey

Asociacin Mexicana de Agencias de Investigacin de
Mercado y Opinin Pblica
Asociacin Mexicana de Internet
BIGinsight
The Competitive Intelligence Unit
comScore
Consejo Nacional de Evaluacin de la Poltica de
Desarrollo Social
Edelman Mxico
Elogia
Experian Simmons
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Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales
Instituto Nacional de Estadstica y Geografa
Ipsos Global @dvisor
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Ipsos OTX
JeffreyGroup
LatinWorks
Mente Digital
The New York Times
Pew Hispanic Center
Sears Holdings Corporation
Socialbakers.com
TNS Infratest
Universal Pictures Mxico
Universidad Iberoamericana
Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico
US Census Bureau
uSamp
Yumbling

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Social Networking in Mexico: Bringing the Plaza Online

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