Hispanic Influencers reflect on their impact, untapped potential

The Hispanic population is expected to grow tremendously but experts say there is a missed opportunity of over $2 trillion dollars to cash in on the Hispanic audience.

Hispanic Influencers are taking over social media, dominating as comedians, authors, astrologers and much more.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the Hispanic population makes up 19.1% of the U.S. population with 58% being under the age of 34, and 25% falling under the age of 18.

One in every five adult TikTok users are Hispanic, according to a Forbes article about the potential of Latina influencers on social media. Forbes says Hispanics are one of the fastest-growing U.S. demographics, and they are more likely to use newer social platforms like TikTok over non-Hispanics.

Fidel Martinez, the editorial director for Latino Initiative at the Los Angeles Times, told ABC News the age of many Latinos could be a reason why they take to social media quickly.

“Latinos are much younger than any other racial or ethnic group in this country, then it stands to reason that they would be adopters of online technology quicker than other groups,” Martinez said. “And that's why you see heavy usage of social media among Latino groups. As a result, I can only imagine that they see the opportunities and values of using social media as a promotional tool.”

On TikTok the hashtag #LatinoTikTok has 3.8 billion views. Latina Influencers are among those taking advantage of this untapped market, 40% indicated they see TikTok as one of the biggest areas for opportunity in the future, Forbes reports.

Itzy Canales is a Latina influencer and confidence coach based out of Los Angeles. Canales spoke with ABC News about her experience as an influencer.

“We just have so many different expressions and I feel like even being Nicaraguense, myself, like the ‘Central American Latina influencer’ as an industry isn't really tapped into very much,” Canales said.

Canales says her intention behind creating content is to empower women and show another side to being Hispanic.

“So we're just so multi-passionate and we don't really fit into a box. And I feel like we also have a lot of stories to tell,” Canales said.

Annie Leal is the Founder of I Love Chamoy, a sugar-free Mexican candy alternative inspired by her diabetic dad. Leal spoke with ABC News and attributes the company's success to its ability to connect with users on certain issues that impact many Hispanics.

“The week that our production run was ready, one of our videos went completely viral and we sold out of those 750 bottles that were meant to be sold in six months, we sold them in six days,” Leal said.

The company's TikTok now has over 400,000 followers. Leal says she wants people to see her business, know their story and feel represented.

“When somebody sees the story of my dad and myself, I want them to feel seen,” Leal said. “If there's any small businesses out there struggling to connect with customers, to find your community, being authentic and being real pays off.”

Representation is a motivating factor for many Hispanic influencers, especially Leal and Canales. Hispanic Heritage Month can serve as a time to reflect on the Hispanic representation throughout history, celebrate the culture and honor traditions.