Just like in the rest of the world, people in Japan are heavy users of social media. It is projected that in 2026, over 90% of the Japanese population will use at least one form of social media. Anyone who is planning a digital marketing campaign in Japan can’t get around the huge benefits social media can provide for their campaign. But be careful before starting any social media campaign, as there are peculiarities in social media usage in Japan. You have to know who uses which social media and how the different channels are used in order to launch a successful campaign. Let’s go over Japanese social media differences with other countries and some tips to use these variances to your advantage!
Table of Contents
Demographic Trends in Japan
It is good to realize that Japan might be quite different from your usual market in demographic terms. These differences will eventually affect your marketing strategy, depending on who is your target audience. Because this makes it even more important to have a good idea of who can be found where on social media, let’s first have a look at the demographic build-up of Japan’s netizens and internet usage of these demographics in 2021:
- There are 126 million people, 33% of whom are over 65 years old
- Income steadily increases between people’s 20s until their 50s, and then drops steeply from their 60s
- Together, Japan’s households spend around 30 billion USD per year on luxury goods
- Nearly 90% of the population is online, and 63% is on social media
- A quarter or social media users is under 30 years old
- Younger users are much more active on social media than older users, with a rather large gap between people under 30 and people over 60
Popular Social Media in Japan
Over the years, the social media landscape in Japan has been in motion. In the early years there were mainly blogging sites that made up the landscape of Japan’s SNS, and Japan-born networks like Mixi were more popular than Facebook. Nowadays, the social media environment has become a bit more diverse and image-oriented, and channels that are famous worldwide have started earning their spurs in Japan as well. Here is an overview of the most popular social media in Japan, who uses them, and how they are used:
- Instagram: around 30% of the population is on Instagram, and it’s mainly used by younger women to relate to their hobbies like fashion and cooking
- Pinterest: the visual boards of Pinterest are used by artsy types and women between 35-55 for inspiration, and intent to purchase is high
- TikTok: Gen Z’s favorite video app is growing fast in Japan, and its users strongly favor creative brands who go with the flow and make fun TikToks themselves. It is easy to find your niche here
- YouTube: under-40s come to YouTube to learn about skills like cooking and crafting when it is just easier to watch a video instead of read a text
- Facebook: while Facebook isn’t as popular in Japan as in most other countries, a variety of audiences can be found here especially for those who are willing to experiment a bit with different ads
- Line: THE messenger app in Japan isn’t WhatsApp, but it is Line. 70% of Japanese people is on Line, and people love business’ coupons on the app
- Twitter: the micro blog is especially popular in Japan, and there are slightly more men here. Because it can be used anonymously, Twitter is an amazing source for social listening to see what people are saying about your brand and industry
Social Media Marketing Tips for Japan
There are a few things that you can do to maximize the success of your social media campaigns in Japan. First of all, you should make sure to get a good insight into who your audience is. Simply going for, for example, ‘the Japanese woman’ is not going to cut it. You have to research your target audience by their demographics but also by their behavior, preferences, and trends. Furthermore, if you are new to the Japanese market it is a good idea not to be too specific when you are targeting your audience.
It is smart to experiment a bit with slightly different audiences before investing too heavily in one specific segment of the market. Facebook is a great medium to use for these experiments as there are many different audiences represented, and it is easy to tweak and target your ads.
Lastly, because Japanese people are less likely to leave (negative) reviews online that can be traced back to them, if you want to learn and improve from your audience’s feedback you have to find other ways. Reaching out to your existing customers is one way, but especially if you are new in the market Twitter will be a valuable resource to see what people are saying about your brand and your competitors.
But your biggest challenge in your social media management for Japan is making sure that your digital content is properly localized to make sense to your audience in the Japanese market.
Digital Content Creation for the Japanese Market
A considerable part of your social media marketing efforts will consist of content creation for posts and ads. As being unfollowed is always a risk, it is important not only to time your posts well with good scheduling, but you also have to get the content just right. You have to not only write in Japanese, but also strike the right tone with the audience you are trying to reach. In order to do this, a deep understanding of Japanese language and culture is necessary. If you’re not fluent in Japanese and well-versed in Japanese culture and current trends, it is hard to strike a chord with them.
It may be a good idea to get in touch with a digital marketing agency in Japan who stays up to date with current trends on social media channels in Japan. They can fine-tune your social media campaign to fit the current Japanese market and trends.
The same is true for images and videos; in many cases it is advisable to use local environments and models when you address your audience. One of the basics in marketing is that people tend to get attracted to people who they feel they are similar to, so it is easier to influence their opinions and decisions by using models and environments that look familiar. So if you want to do business in Japan, it is advantageous to use picture and video material that people in Japan can relate to.
Your Digital Media Partner in Japan
Hashi Media is Japan’s go-to content marketing and social media company. If you are planning on entering the Japanese market and don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered.
- Content creation
- Social media management
- Digital marketing strategy
- Brand localization
If you enjoyed what you read today and found it valuable, contact us today and let’s talk about your project.
