Discover how WebFindYou Helps American Companies Win in the Venezuelan Market

The "American dream" is still a relevant concept for thousands of Venezuelans that have fled their country in search of better opportunities. Venezuela's social, financial, and political decline is no secret to anybody, with many Venezuelan citizens choosing to uproot their lives during the last decade. The U.S. has been one of the most popular destinations for many Venezuelans.

Despite migratory restrictions like the requirement of a visa and a separation of more than a thousand miles, many Venezuelans have successfully entered the country, employing a diverse array of resources like political asylum, work/study visas, visa lotteries, and even changes in marital status with legal outcomes that simplify the road to US citizenship.

How many Venezuelans are living in the U.S.? According to the United State Census Bureau, there are 418,366 Venezuelans currently living in the country. This is a number that has gone through a continuous growth since 2005. In addition, statistics from Homeland Security show that the amount of people obtaining Permanent Resident Status has consistently increased since 2014 (8,427), 2015 (9,144), and 2016 (10,722). The Venezuelan immigrant population has experienced a major growth compared to immigrants of Hispanic descent, rising by 388% between 1990 and 2013 (Pew Research Center). These numbers indicate the Venezuelans' clear intention to stay permanently within the U.S.

Where do these Venezuelans live? Independent organization Visión Democrática states that there are Venezuelans in the majority of the U.S. territory, with the exceptions of Alaska and Vermont. Most Venezuelans have settled in Florida, Texas, California, and New York (in the same order), with the notable case of the city of Doral (Florida) where the Venezuelan population has already surpassed the number of American residents; the nickname "Doralzuela" is currently used by many people, even outside the city.

It's safe to say that it will take a while before this phenomenon starts to lose momentum. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have received 71,530 naturalization applications from Venezuelans, showing a steady increase since 2014. As mentioned above, these numbers reveal a general interest toward remaining in the country.

Venezuelan immigrants currently represent an important part of the North American society, as well as a relevant financial target that must receive proper attention from marketers, entrepreneurs, and marketing agencies. To do this, we must assess the profile of the Venezuelan immigrant in our country and compare it to Venezuelans shopping patterns. We can then establish a correct digital marketing strategy for this particular portion of the U.S. market.

A Radiography of the Venezuelan Immigrant

Studies indicate that most of the Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. are academically and professionally qualified, in many cases as a direct result of their purpose of applying for one of the many residency visas offered in the country, of obtaining American citizenship and reaching financial stability. Let's review some of the information provided by the Pew Research Center on the topic of Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S.:

1. Venezuelan immigration is a relatively new development, at least when we compare it to Mexican and Cuban immigration. This massive migration started in the early 90s; 30% of these immigrants have U.S. citizenship.


2. The average age of Venezuelan immigrants is 34 years, so most of them are from Generation X. This means the Venezuelan population is generally younger than Americans (with an average of 37 years of age) and older than the Hispanic population (28 years of age).


3. 54% of Venezuelan immigrants older than 18 are already married.


4. One out of 20 Venezuelan women in the U.S. between 15 and 44 years of age have given birth during the 12 months preceding the survey.


5. Seven out of 10 Venezuelan immigrants speak English fluently and 85% of Venezuelan immigrants speak Spanish when at home.


6. 69% of Venezuelan immigrants are located in the country's southern states; 42% of these are in Florida.


7. Venezuelans show an academic profile that surpasses other Hispanic immigrants and Americans. Half of the Venezuelan immigrants (over 209,0000) have a university degree.


8. Only 18% of Venezuelan immigrants live in poverty. This percentage is slightly higher that the poverty rate for Americans (16%) and lower than the rates shown for other Hispanic immigrants (25%).


9. 26% of Venezuelan immigrants don't have health insurance.


10. Venezuelan immigrants are ahead of the rest of the Hispanic immigrants when it comes to living arrangements; 49% of them own their houses, unlike 45% of other Hispanic immigrants with a roof over their heads.

This information reveals that the profile of the Venezuelan immigrant in the U.S. is very different from that of other Venezuelans who have left their country. Due to migration restrictions in the U.S., along with difficulties concerning geographic access and the country's demanding economic standards, Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. are of age and have the means to overcome obstacles to improve their way of life. Venezuelans' high academic rates and low poverty rates serve as proof of this; by having some form of higher education, they can opt for well-paid jobs or big business ventures.

Venezuelans with this profile have a big chance of traveling to the U.S. and getting the proper accreditation to settle down legally inside the country. This differs from Venezuelan immigrants in neighboring South American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, etc), where all people, regardless of their credentials, have chances of entering these countries legally and, in some cases, reach them by land.

On top of this, almost half of the Venezuelan immigrant population in the U.S. own the properties that serve as their homes and have some kind of health insurance, reflecting an effort to reach stability with a consistent source of income. If we take into account that Venezuelan immigration in the U.S. is relatively new when compared to immigration from other Hispanic countries, then we can safely say that Venezuelan immigrants have an ambitious streak and don't settle for less than what they've envisioned.

Most Venezuelan immigrants prefer to live in states with a big Hispanic presence, like Florida, Texas, and California. They feel comfortable with people who share a similar cultural background, language, religion, etc. As expected from Hispanic citizens, Venezuelan immigrants are very open and mutually supportive.

In short, Venezuelan immigrants have a very clear profile: their financial situation is relatively stable and they are good consumers. Their goal is a life in the U.S. that doesn't deprive them of their roots.

The approach taken by American companies/marketing agencies to reach the Venezuelan market in the U.S. must differ from strategies used on other Hispanic immigrants. Venezuelan immigrants are very demanding and very active consumers. They represent a well-defined target audience.

The Venezuelan Consumer

Venezuelan pollster Datanalisis tags the average Venezuelan as a good consumer, a feature that prompts the migration of many Venezuelan citizens. Datanalisis states:

"58% of Venezuelan consumers are younger than 30. They live in poor conditions inside urban areas yet they are compulsive buyers and big fans of popular brands. They don't like to save their money; they prefer to keep their status and feel powerful, so they purchase things like state-of-the-art mobile devices and the latest fashion clothing to achieve this."

Due to Venezuela's hyperinflation rates, Venezuelans have grown used to looking for discounts and making bulk purchases in order to make the best of their limited budget. This has turned them into big consumers because they take advantage of any opportunity to buy whatever they want. When Venezuelans move to the U.S. (a country with notorious financial stability), they improve their way of life in a process that is quick and consistent.


Another distinctive feature of Venezuelan consumers is their attraction to online shopping. According to the conclusions reached during the Ganando con el Comercio Electrónico (Winning with Ecommerce) Congress (2017), 73,7% of Venezuelan Internet users are online buyers or check online sources before making a purchase (around 13,800,000 Venezuelans). As the majority of the Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. are Generation X members, professionally skilled, and sustained with stable jobs, they have more access than other immigrants to the Internet and technology as a whole. Despite the fact that millennials and Gen Z members are more tech savvy, Venezuelan immigrants from the Generation X are capable Internet users and often seek the support of digital tools.

What Do Venezuelans Buy on the Internet?

• Clothes, footwear, and accessories (necklaces, bracelets, belts, make-up).
• Technology - computers, smartphones, tablets, and similar digital equipment.
• Other services (movie tickets, health insurance, etc.)

What are the Most Popular Devices Venezuelans Use to Make Online Purchases?

• Desktops (63%)
• Laptops (51%)
• Smartphones (43%)
• Tablets (16%)

Impact of Venezuelan Immigrants on the Economy in the U.S.

Unlike the average Hispanic immigrant, most of the Venezuelan residents are entrepreneurs; they have good jobs and they make a positive impact with their work.

In an investigation performed by El Nuevo Día (2018) "Venezuelans topped the five biggest real estate buyers in Miami in the last decade. The National Venezuelan-American Lawyers Association has also grown: from the initial 13 members that presided over its foundation in 2013, there are now 200 current members. On top of this, the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce has doubled its association during the last decade to 300 members.

This means that businesses, companies, and advertising agencies must consider Venezuelan immigrants in the US as a promising and profitable market. Unlike other migration-related cases, Venezuelan residents are active consumers and well-versed in the use of technology. We need to apply the correct tools to earn the trust of a target with their financial power. What are those digital tools?

Digital Marketing Strategies for Venezuelan Immigrants

In light of the unstoppable number of Venezuelan immigrants requesting some form of residency in the U.S., American entrepreneurs can increase their sales by reaching this target on the Internet and using digital marketing tools like:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Content Management (CMS)
• Ecommerce
• Email Marketing
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• SEO Web Design
• Responsive Techhnology
• Promotion Management
• Tracking Technology
• Social Media Management

Do you know what each of these tools entails? How can they get your company to the top spots of Google's and Yahoo's search engines? If your company sells products or services, is it only done in a store or do you also make sales on the Internet? Did you know thatin 2017 alone, ecommerce in the U.S. reached $453,460 sales? Now, imagine if just 1% of this sum could be earned with online sales. Wouldn't it be great?

Unfortunately, 92% of the market lacks the budget to afford true digital marketing. What do we mean by this? Companies must pay $1,500+ a month to different digital marketing agencies for these tools and online services. They must also go to different agencies for the management of these digital marketing tools and this seldom leads to good results. The best option for you would be to have an integrated technology to implement all these tools with less hassle and excellent results. Does such a thing exist?

WebFindYou is the Solution to Succeed with the Venezuelan Immigrant Market

WebFindYou is the solution for American companies because we are the first and only All-In-One Digital Marketing Technology that integrates more than 20 digital marketing tools. Our technology will help you boost your brand and gain the loyalty of Venezuelan immigrants as well as the rest of the Hispanic population of the US.

Marketing agencies in the U.S. will be able to use the WebFindYou technology to maximize their clients' sales and improve their ROI.

You no longer need to pay $1,500 each month for the services of different digital marketing agencies. With WebFindYou, you will implement true digital marketing with less hassle, reduced costs, and increased revenues. You can do all this on your own or with the help of our experts: We manage, you manage – you decide!

Make the best of this growing market! WebFindYou will take you down the path to success. Be part of our success stories. Call us at 866-SEO-WEBS or fill the contact form. and we'll happily help you take your business to the next level.

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