Spanish is the second most common language in the United States. More than 40 million people aged five and over speak Spanish, and more than 25 million of those people have limited English proficiency.

Essentially, Spanish is tremendously common and represents a massive opportunity for law firms. Bilingual marketing can open up your services to 40 million people who may not have engaged with you otherwise. It is a fantastic way to build a pipeline and reach revenue goals. All you have to do is build and populate a bilingual marketing funnel. 

Here are some quick tips for getting started.

Building Your Bilingual Marketing Strategy

Never use Google Translate.

Google Translate is a fantastic tool for checking vocabulary or for having low-stakes conversations, but it will never produce a native-sounding copy. Google translate is very literal – it does not account for idioms, phrases, or regional culture. It is never a good idea to write marketing copy in English and toss it into Google Translate. It will come out sounding stilted at best and incorrect at worst. Audiences respond to authenticity, so if you want to put yourself in a trusted position, you have got to work with a native speaker for bilingual marketing content creation. 

Remember that not all Spanish-speaking consumers are created equal.

Many marketers make the mistake of treating the Spanish-language audience like a monolith, assuming that everyone will have the same needs, motivations, and cultural experiences. The reality is that the Spanish-speaking population is incredibly diverse. It includes unique cultures with unique personality traits, needs, and habits. If you want to build an effective marketing funnel for a Spanish-speaking audience, it will need to include consideration for different Spanish-language personas. Start by doing some research into the makeup of the Spanish-speaking population in your area. 

Take advantage of low-cost keywords.

If you are looking to attract Spanish-speaking customers, a great way to do it is through Google Ads. With Google Ads, you choose a keyword that you think your target audience is searching for, and you craft an ad that your searcher would reasonably want to see. For example, a good keyword for LexReception could be something like “Legal Answering Service.” Whenever someone searches for a keyword you have written an ad for, Google will display your ad and charge you for each person who clicks on it. Generally speaking, there is less competition for Spanish-language keywords, which means you can get them for much lower bids. This means that your cost-per-customer acquisition will be lower.

Optimize for mobile.

Spanish-speaking consumers are known as “super consumers” when it comes to mobile. 90% of Spanish-speaking consumers regularly stream video to their mobile devices, as compared to 80% of the rest of the market. Overall, they are using mobile devices more often and more regularly. If you are planning to market to a Spanish-speaking audience, you need to prioritize mobile optimization. 

Create video content.

Spanish-speaking communities respond well to video advertisements and generally do not view advertising as negatively as other marketing segments. This creates the perfect opportunity for some video marketing! Engage your Spanish-speaking audience with video content. They are more likely to watch it and more likely to have a favorable reaction than any other market segment. 

Prioritize cultural competency.

Spanish-speaking audiences do not care about and value the exact same things that English-speaking audiences care about. Cultural competency refers to the practice of understanding, communicating with, and effectively interacting with different people across cultures. It is the recognition that not all cultures are the same and the practice of learning about and understanding other cultures. It should be the north star of any bilingual marketing strategy.

When in doubt, bring in the experts!

Bilingual marketing is nuanced and can seem intimidating when you first launch a bilingual initiative. If you are dedicated to getting bilingual marketing right, then it is a good idea to learn from the experts. Bilingual marketing agencies specializing in cultural competency, professional translation, and marketing campaigns are a fantastic resource for any business looking to get started. 

Conclusion

Remember that growing your practice through direct response marketing involves the practice of brainstorming, testing, analyzing, and adjusting a number of different creative ideas. Bilingual marketing is no different. Any bilingual marketing strategy will go through several iterations until an excellent and effective cadence is developed. If you use these quick tips as a guide, you can save yourself and your brand some trial and error in early development. Bilingual marketing may not be easy, but the buying potential of the Spanish-speaking market makes the endeavor more than worth the effort.