• by Lee Vann , Columnist, September 12, 2013

2013 has been the year of the Hispanic mobile user.  Study after study has confirmed that U.S. Hispanics are embracing mobile devices in record numbers and using them religiously. The Federal Reserve recently found that 60% of Hispanics have smartphones vs. 50% of non-Hispanic whites.  What’s more, the study found that Hispanics are active on their smartphones and specifically “show a disproportionately high rate of adoption of mobile banking.”

Based on strong Hispanic mobile usage, it is not surprising that brands are clamoring to reach Hispanics on their mobile devices.  What is surprising is how the U.S. government is taking the lead.

Here is a quick rundown of noteworthy U.S. government mobile initiatives targeted to Hispanics:

CuidadodeSalud.gov

The success of ObamaCare hinges greatly on Hispanics, who are more likely to be young, uninsured and active on mobile devices. It’s clear the government understands this. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid launched CuidadodeSalud.gov, a comprehensive website to educate and enroll Hispanics in ObamaCare.  The digital initiative also includes a Twitter account, Facebook page, YouTube channel and dedicated toll-free number, which are all mobile-friendly.

GobiernoUSA.gov

The General Services Administration recently announced the launch of a fully responsive version of GobiernoUSA.gov, the official Spanish language portal of the U.S. government.  By going responsive, GSA is not only meeting the needs of millions of Spanish-speaking constituents, but also saving taxpayer dollars, as responsive websites are more efficient to maintain.  Complementing the mobile-friendly website, GobiernoUSA.gov engages with Hispanics through a robust social platform that includes Twitter, Facebook, YouTube,Tumblr and a dedicated toll-free number.

Social Security

The Social Security Administration is also reaching out to Hispanic mobile users.  Early this year the administration launched a responsive, mobile-friendly version of its website in Spanish, whose features include a benefits calculator.  Spanish speakers can also keep up with the latest from Social Security on Twitter and Facebook.

Other Spanish Language U.S. Government Mobile Initiatives

In addition to the initiative highlighted above, many other U.S. government agencies have Spanish-language mobile programs on various topics, including:

-- Consumer Information from the Federal Trade Commission

-- Cancer.gov in Spanish from the Department of Health and Human Services

-- Spanish language health resources from the Medline Plus and the CDC.

-- Student Financial Aid information in Spanish from the U.S. Department of Education

-- APPS.GobiernoUSA.gov features a complete list of Spanish language U.S. Government mobile initiatives

Brands looking to engage with the nation’s largest minority should look at mobile as an opportunity -- and look to the government for inspiration.