(BLACK PR WIRE) – Everybody knows that the digital revolution is the happening thing these days. Long gone are the days of pure off-line marketing. If you decline to go online, you will most likely be left behind. According to research from eMarketer, there are currently about 18.4 million (48.7%) of the African American population online. This year, there is expected to be 20.1 million (51.9%) of the African American population online.

Why the increase? The Internet has a wealth of information that is available at the click of a button. Consumers can log onto the Internet and learn about products, as well as purchase them, at any hour. According to research from America Online, Inc., the African American demographic has a higher propensity toward purchasing certain items online than the rest of the general Internet population. African-American Internet users purchase more clothing and apparel online than the general Internet market (48 percent compared to 41 percent); as well as more music and videos (44 percent vs. 39 percent).

Unlike traditional marketing media (like print, radio and TV), entry into the realm of Internet marketing can be a lot less expensive in terms of advertising. The good news is that African Americans actually like advertising. According to Simmons Market Research Bureau, African Americans are more likely to notice and feel positively about a range of marketing vehicles.

Advertising, nevertheless, must be relevant to the community it’s intended for. This means that advertisers must include people of the same race/ethnicity in their ads, along with a message that resonates culturally.

Marketing to the African American community deserves as much attention and effort as other populations. With an increase in web surfing among African Americans, we can rest assured that African Americans won’t decline to go online. And we encourage them to continue to visit www.blackprwire.com and www.blackdigitalnetwork.com anytime!