Just like in most of the world, social media are heavily used by a range of people in Japan; three-quarters of the Japanese population is using at least one form of social media. This makes social media one of the best avenues to reach a plethora of audiences in Japan and an unmissable part of your successful digital marketing mix. The way social media channels are used, however, differs slightly from country to country. Let us take you through the basics of social media in Japan to give you an idea of where to start if you’re thinking of doing a commercial campaign in Japan.

​Social Media in Japan

Japan is following the global trend where watching TV loses popularity in favor of time spent on the internet. Japan’s demographic profile with nearly 30% being over 65 at the moment should be kept in mind, though, as it is especially the below-55 demographic who can be reached much easier through a digital campaign versus a TV campaign. Nearly one hour per day is spent on social media, and the number of people who have spent time using social media in the last month has increased to nearly 95% in 2021.

With so many of your potential customers online, a marketing strategy that includes social media is indispensable. There is a wealth of opportunities that will open up to you if you have a good idea of how social media are used in Japan, and who is using what. If you also keep cultural differences in mind, you are well on your way to

Japan’s Most Popular Social Media Networks

The social media networks that are most popular in Japan are mostly well-known platforms. Japanese-Korean app Line is the largest surprise for newbies in Japan’s social media land, but there are also a few differences in popularity of social media’s most famous platforms. Here’s an overview of the most popular social media in Japan:

1. YouTube: with over 75% of Japanese people being active YouTube viewers, the video platform is the most popular social media in Japan and has a wide reach throughout the population.
2. Line: being the ‘Asian version of WhatsApp’, Line is the most popular messenger app in Japan. Being more than just a way to send messages with games, a payment application, news, a shopping feature, and more, Line offers multiple advertising avenues.
3. Twitter: Japan was the great unexpected success story of Twitter, having become the 2nd most popular social networking app with heavy usage amongst people aged 15-35.
4. Facebook: the most well-known social network in the world is used more as a business network in Japan.
5. Instagram: if you’re looking to reach 20-somethings in Japan, Instagram is where to look. With great engagement rates, the photo-based network is full of opportunities.

Using Social Media in Japan

When you are creating a campaign targeting Japanese people on social media, it is good to note that Japanese people’s social media usage is affected by cultural differences. Japan’s collectivist culture places great importance on one’s reputation in one’s social circle and wider community. This seeps through to the way social media is used.

Social media users in Japan tend to not divulge much private information, including pictures that clearly show their face. This preoccupation with personal information staying private also means that it is common courtesy to ask for permission before sharing anyone else’s information or pictures. If you want to hit the right tone with your social media campaign in Japan, it is good to keep these points in mind.

It is good to realize that because of the general importance that is placed on online privacy in Japan, LinkedIn is not used in the same way in Japan as it is elsewhere. Most individuals don’t want to have their work history on display for everyone to see, making it the wrong place to look for individual consumers. Having a LinkedIn company page, however, is still a great idea. B2B marketing does thrive on LinkedIn in Japan and depending on who you are looking to reach, the career website is an indispensable part of your marketing strategy.

Social Media Account Management

The way you manage your business’ social media accounts can make a large difference in customer attraction and turnover. While in the past organic reach was the main pillar of most social media accounts’ marketing strategy, nowadays, paid advertising has become more important. This happened because more (similar) companies have found their way online, and competition has become fierce. In order to even appear on your target audiences’ timelines, chances are that you have to buy advertising to make that happen.

Japan is a very large market with many exciting opportunities. If you want to run an effective social media ad campaign in Japan, there are a few challenges that have to be overcome in order to be successful. The most obvious challenge is the language, and having a native speaker manage your business’ social media accounts for you is invaluable. They can keep abreast of what is being said about your company online, and stay in touch with your (potential) customers to bind them and solve any issues should they arise. A social media account manager can also do an extensive social media analysis and keep an eye on the competition to gain valuable information for your own campaign.

Even if you want to mainly market your product or service to foreigners who live in Japan, there are many Japan-specific things to keep in mind. You need to learn about your target audience which could be more varied than you think, learn about the channels foreigners in Japan tend to use, and you may want to use local (expat) influencers. Besides, it may be possible to market to foreigners in Japan as well as to Japanese locals at the same time, bringing an even greater potential for increased turnover.

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.