The African American elite, otherwise known as the African American upper class, amount to less than one percent of the African American population. In comparison to White elite, which amounts to two percent of the total population, there is still a reasonable disparity between the two. However, that does not mean that your company cannot come up with ways to market to African Americans. Even the elite group has kids, and those kids are online just as much as any other class or race. Ergo, you can work on African American digital marketing strategies; here is how you should approach them. 

No Stereotypes

The most important aspect of your digital marketing approach is to avoid stereotypes. Likewise, avoid anything that is culturally insensitive or racist. If you are not African American yourself, and you are concerned about these aspects, then you should speak to your African American employees and ask for their insight. It also helps to hire African American cultural consultants when you begin your digital marketing campaigns that target this cross-section of the population. 

Become Familiar with What Kids, Teens, and Twenty-Somethings Are Viewing

From age four to age twenty-nine, this is your target age group for online marketing. It is important to note, however, that different races view different things online. There is some overlap, but ultimately, when you want to create marketing toward a specific race, you have to cater to what is relevant to them. Become familiar with what is currently trending, relevant, and commonly viewed by these age groups and their own class/race. Then you can effectively, properly, and sensitively develop the right marketing. 

Target Heavily Populated Areas

You would not create an ad for a product with big-name rappers and then show that ad in areas where there are only Caucasian Americans live. Likewise, you need to develop ads and marketing that will be aired and shown predominantly in areas where it is relevant to the population. If you were to take the same ad featuring big-name rappers that was shown in the predominantly Caucasian neighborhood and show it in the predominantly African American neighborhood, you are going to see quite a difference in the response to the ad and the sales that will result because of where it is shown. Make sure your marketing is targeting your intended audience and in the correct and densely populated areas where it makes the most sense.

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