So you’re Latino and you use social media. If the thousands of tweets we see every day are any indication, many other Latinos do as well. There are organizations out in the digital world using social media to reach Latinos and vice versa. Latinos are looking for deals and information and they are using this medium as a way to find them. Last fall the Pew Research Center looked at Twitter users and found that 18% are of Latino/Hispanic descent. This brings up the question: What percentage are celebrities and what sites do they use? More importantly why do we follow them and is there interaction or one-sided?
Many of us tend to follow what celebrities have to say on Twitter don’t we? Or in the case of up-and-coming musicians; MySpace, now that it is a music phenomenon. There’s even a Latino Myspace. “Responding to the needs of our growing Hispanic membership, MySpace Latino offers content that is culturally relevant to Latinos in the U.S.,” said VP and Managing Director of MySpace Latino, Victor Kong in a 2008 press release. However, because Facebook and Twitter are easier to manage and disseminate information, everyone is taking notice of its use. Remember Ricky Martin and the “I just came out the closet” tweet? Looking at Shakira’s Twitter account, there aren’t that many interactions with her fans. However, does she really need to interact with them? Are fans content just to follow? Celebrities by nature of their fame have the so-called “celeb status” that they use to just send out information, and that’s okay. Unlike those celebrities, whose use of the media is one-side, Sofia Vergara is one celebrity that loves replying to tweets.
In addition to Twitter, celebrities are also making use of their Facebook pages. They upload music and get reactions, sort of like a “hear it here first” update. This is where you don’t really get anyone’s voice, you only get information. However, this is a perfect place to hold forums, discussions, sound boards etc. Heck, even Ricky Martin uses it as a platform for contests.
Do you appreciate celebrities more when they respond to fans on Twitter? Musicans/celebrities are real people with real lives. It’s very much appreciated when they can interact with their fans on forums, blogs, social networking sites, etc. It’s even more amazing when a celebrity comments on a BeingLatino status. Cultural interaction and fan appreciation; that is the best meaning behind Latino celebrities use of social media.
by Eric Cortes
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