Tech Behaviors of Black Americans

Capitalizing on strategic buying behaviors can differentiate a winning campaign from a dud.

America doesn’t look like it did 100 years ago. For marketers to stay relevant and better serve the consumer, time spent understanding the nation’s multicultural fabric is more important than ever. For this blog, we examine the tech behaviors of today’s Black consumers. We also look at how marketing professionals can grab more market share through deeper engagement.

According to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia, Black buying power is $1.6 trillion, and more than half of all Black Americans have “lived their entire lives in the digital age.” This tech-savvy segment of the American population cherishes “interconnectivity.”

According to a 2022 report released by Claritas on the tech behaviors of Black consumers, the following are general trends that may be helpful when constructing your next digital campaign for Black buyers: 

• Black households are switching to 5G internet for better reliability, speed and service and have compatible mobile devices.
• Streaming is a primary source of entertainment for Black Americans, with 65 percent more likely to spend 11-25 hours/week streaming video and 47 percent more likely to spend 11-25 hours/week streaming audio.
• Black Americans have the highest propensity to stream video using data on their smartphones.
• In the past three months, Black consumers were 26 percent more likely to watch tv and movies on their tablets, 43 percent more likely to watch tv and movies on their smartphones and nine percent on CTV.
• Black consumers most likely purchase additional warranties to protect mobile devices starting with wearable devices, then home gaming, followed by Internet-connected TV.
• Most Black households typically own three to four TVs and are more likely to spend 1-10 hours/week watching On Demand.

More great data to share; this time on phone behaviors and reactions to innovative tech: 

• Twenty-four percent of Black consumers are more likely to have individual mobile plans.
• Forty-three percent are more likely to have a mobile hotspot.
• Forty-one percent are more likely to stream video in HD.
• Thirty-five percent of Black consumers prefer LG smartphones, followed by Apple.
• Black Americans are highly likely to purchase smart speakers, smart devices and appliances.
• Black consumers are 20 percent more likely to own a Google Home device and 19 percent more likely to own a gaming console.
• According to reports, this segment is most excited about recreational drones, followed by VR/AR, self-driving cars and 5G devices and networks. Black consumers are most likely looking forward to streaming HD movies on their mobile devices.
• Faster connections/speed and more reliable network connections are of the utmost importance for the Black buyer.

Understanding your audience is critical to campaign success – no matter what race, gender, or ethnicity they belong. We would love to hear from you if you are preparing your next digital campaign and would simply like to discuss options or brainstorm on tactics.  

Source: Tech Behaviors of Today’s Black Consumers (Claritas, 2022)