Articles
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Sep 06 2022
4 Japanese App Design Localization Tips for Western Companies
Website and app design relies heavily on knowing (and meeting) the needs of a specific audience. And while many would associate Japanese design with simplicity or minimalism, adapting design and UX to suit what people want and expect here can be an incredibly complex task. Browsing the nation's top apps and websites for the first time, it’s obvious that several unique and intriguing design trends exist, all of which Western companies building digital products for Japan must keep in mind. In this post, we explore our top 4 Japanese app design localization tips! Information Hierarchy In app design, it’s crucial that priority is given to certain information to guide users through their online journeys and give them what they’re looking for in a convenient and practical way. A simple way of viewing things is that, in Western cultures, audiences tend to prefer less clutter on-screen overall, with only the most key details displayed — typically blocked out into logical and se
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Sep 06 2022
5 Things that Make Amazon Japan’s Best Online Store for Foreign Brands
The popularity of Amazon in Japan, combined with the ease with which international sellers can sell their goods on it, may convince most business owners that it’s the best ecommerce channel for them. And while we wouldn’t disagree with you, we’ve summarized the top 5 things that make Amazon especially useful for foreign merchants. 1. Extensive Market Reach Around 126M people live in Japan, which is about twice that of the UK and almost 60% more than Germany. And as most of the nation lives in highly urbanized areas like the Tokyo metropolitan area, online shopping has become the norm for many households (although there is still a strong love for shopping locally!). The number of people actively shopping and buying on Amazon each day is huge and the platform is now the most popular ecommerce store in a highly varied and competitive market that includes the Japanese ecommerce giant, Rakuten. While Rakuten saw 527.5M people visit its platform in June 2022, Amazon.jp saw 572.6M
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Sep 06 2022
Japan Market Analysis – Key Insights for 2022
While expanding into new markets can seem daunting at the best of times, recent geopolitical events and the lasting effects of Covid-19 have made businesses even more cautious about expanding to places like Japan. Yet, we still believe the greatest barriers to entry can often be overcome with diligent planning, guidance from local experts, and targeted market analysis. On paper, Japan is still an incredibly attractive location for foreign businesses, and for those who commit to the process, the practical rewards can be substantial. For companies and investors wanting a cursory overview of the local market, here’s our Japan market analysis roundup for 2022 Getting to Know the Japanese Market? Contact Us! Japan Market Analysis — 2022 Summary Japan is still the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China, as well as the fourth largest importer of U.S. products. The country is home to one
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Aug 05 2022
5 Tips for Running Twitter Ads in Japan
With over 59 million users in Japan, Twitter is more popular than both Facebook and Instagram. And although it may not be the first platform you go to for your PPC needs, it can be a great tool for those who know how to use it well. If you’re considering launching your first Twitter Ads campaign for the Japanese market, or even your first Twitter campaign ever, we’ve outlined a few tips that might help you integrate it into your marketing funnel. Table of Contents Refine Your Tone for Promoted Tweets Tap Into Japanese Seasonality Track Trending Conversations in Japan Localize Your Visuals Be Active with Customer Replies and Company Updates Refine Your Tone for Promoted Tweets One of the best ways to get a high-quality score and lower your ad costs is by promoting content you already know works well for your brand. The tweets which gain the most exposure organically are likely to also perform the best when you promote them through paid ads. There is a t
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Aug 05 2022
Top 5 LINE Advertising Tips for Japan
LINE is Japan’s top social networking site (SNS), but not that many foreign brands advertise on it! Why? One major reason is many see LINE as simply a messaging service like WhatsApp and are unaware of its various ad features available to brands and businesses. Another reason is brands just don’t know how to get the most from it or where it should fit into their marketing mix. If you’re intrigued about LINE’s potential, we explore our tips for foreign brands considering using it as a PPC advertising or brand awareness tool. Table of Contents Understand LINE’s Function In Your Sales Funnel Use LINE for Customer Retention and Upselling Appeal to Customers with Japanese Ad Content Inform Strategies with Local Customer Data Work with Japanese Project Managers 1. Understand LINE’s Function In Your Sales Funnel We find that LINE ads are best used for the top of the sales funnel (brand awareness) and the bottom (retention and encouraging loyalty). As the ap
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Aug 05 2022
Starting A Business in Japan — A Guide for 2022
Expanding into the Japanese market is a dream for many brands. However, many are put off by the perceived difficulty of officially setting up a business here — especially those with limited experience of the nation's laws and regulations. Yet, as we’ve seen first-hand many times over, there’s no reason why companies who approach the process diligently can’t successfully incorporate with minimal hassle. In this post, we’ll outline how exactly to go about starting a business in Japan, including the kind of forms and applications you need to complete, as well as a brief look at what the landscape looks like for new businesses in 2022. If you’re still learning about what the country has to offer, you might want to first take a look at our guide: Japanese Market Entry in 2022 – A Crash Course for Inbound Businesses Table of Contents Is Japan Open for Business in 2022? Visa Types For Starting a Business in Japan Requirements for Establishing Your Business i
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Jul 01 2022
Search Engine Marketing in Japan — SEM Localization Tips for Foreign Brands
Localization is a crucial part of making sure your marketing works in Japan. From paid search campaigns on Google to SEO-focused blog content aimed at ranking for organic keywords, you won’t get the results you want here without a comprehensive localization strategy. We explore our top localization tips for foreign brands engaged in search engine marketing (SEM) in Japan. Table of Contents Why Is Localization So Important to Japanese SEM? Localize Your Keywords and Ads Properly Adapt Your Landing Pages for the Local Audience Build An Effective Localization Team Entering the Japanese Ecommerce Market? We Can Help! Why Is Localization So Important to Japanese SEM? Localization is the process of adapting your content for a new market, language or culture. This can include copy, design, the layouts of your ads and even your brand. When done right, effective localization will recreate the emotional and persuasiv
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Jul 01 2022
Logistics in Japan — 3 Need-to-Know Tips for Cross Border Ecommerce
There are several logistical hurdles to overcome when selling your products in Japan. Although cross border ecommerce is a profitable option for many sellers expanding their operations here, warehousing, deliveries, and customer service are all areas you need to master if you want to find long-term success in the Japanese ecommerce market. We’ve outlined what we think are three of the most important tips for organising your logistics in Japan. Table of Contents 1. Go for Last-Mile Fulfilment 2. Leverage FBA Services 3. Think About Local Needs and Don’t Let Your Customers Down Entering the Japanese Ecommerce Market? We Can Help! 1. Go for Last-Mile Fulfilment While each step of the delivery journey from sender to customer is crucial, there’s no step more important than the last mile delivery stage, where goods are transported to customers. The goal of last mile delivery is to transport an item to its recipi
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Jul 01 2022
SEO Marketing In Japan – 10 Mistakes to Avoid in 2022
The basic principles of SEO apply no matter where you’re targeting customers. However, many brands fail to localize their approach when entering the Japanese market — leading to weak SERP performance and ineffective keyword targeting strategies. Below is our list of top 10 mistakes to avoid when engaging in SEO marketing in Japan for 2022! Table of Contents Key Facts Influencing Japanese SEO in 2022 Not Catering to Your Japanese Audience Not Creating Brand New Japanese SEO Content Not Targeting the Right Japanese Keywords Ignoring Japanese Search Intent An “Unhealthy” Backlink Acquisition Strategy Not Adapting Your Web UX for Japanese Users in 2022 Not Working with Japanese Copywriters and Marketing Creatives Not Adjusting Your Meta Data and Technical SEO for Japanese Keywords Not Supporting Your SEO Gains with Other Strategies Not Tracking Content and Keyword Performance Diligently Final SEO Marketing Tips for 2022 Key Facts Influen
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Jun 04 2022
Selling On Online Stores in Japan – How to Build Trust
Ecommerce sellers operating in Japan rarely succeed without finding ways to build trust quickly with their customers. Considering how to establish your brand’s credibility fast and start growing long-term relationships with your new audience is crucial if you want to succeed in an increasingly competitive market — with even more challenges for non-domestic brands. We explore how ecommerce sellers can build trust when operating in Japan, with advice that applies to those designing their very own online store in Japan for direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales or merchants selling through one of the nation’s popular ecommerce platforms such as Amazon or Rakuten. Table of Contents Collect As Many Trust Building Points As Possible Focus On Design and Visuals to Make a Good First Impression Show Empathy for Customer Needs and Concerns Make Contacting You Easy Create a Loyalty Program Identify Trust Gaps with Analytics Entering the Japanese Ecommerc
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