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For example, last year more than $3 billion was spent in targeted niche advertising toward the Hispanic population in America. However, only a small fraction of this was spent on online advertising, with the bulk going toward print, television and radio campaigns.

Why Now

The key obstacles that traditionally exclude minorities in non-cash and carry fiduciary exchanges are breaking down. Economically, with annual incomes exceeding $100,000, Hispanics are among the fastest-growing upwardly mobile segments of American society.

So, now you have a population with more means and the broadband technology to make e-commerce part of their buying habits. The tendencies of the upscale Hispanic community are no different from that of the rest of the population.

Who’s Getting It and Why

Web sites like Yahoo en Espanol, ESPN Deportes and Southwest Airlines’ site make it easy to access bilingual information without feeling as if you are accessing services inferior to the English version.The bilingual factor is essential in e-commerce outreach to the Hispanic community. While much of the U.S. Hispanic population is fluent in English, for many the comfort level is with the Spanish language. By offering bilingual sites, companies give the Hispanic community a choice and show that they are important consumers.

Acquiring Customers

Acquiring Hispanic customers is done on two fronts. First is the integration of the Web site into other ad streams geared toward Hispanics, like print, television or radio. ESPN does a great job of this with its Deportes TV network. The second is advertising in key Spanish print publications.

Joseph Anthony is CEO of Vital Marketing, a New York advertising agency specializing in youth and multicultural marketing. His e-mail address is janthony@thevitalgroup.com.