I'm going to write this entry in English just to reach the people out there who may require our services. I've been told that we (FICC inc.) are one the few (maybe the only) web agencies in Japan who can do the job right, in English. We have been developing websites and producing web promotions mainly for Japanese subsidiaries of foreign companies such as L'Oreal, Danone, and LVMH. For leaders of such companies, the Japanese Internet is definately an interesting market. There are huge networks of potential customers who are untouched by conventional advertising. The problem lies in comprehention, consensus and thorough execution of effective web marketing plans. This would be quite difficult to achieve without clear communication (in English) from the web producer.

There are a few points which I explain to new clients to have them understand what they are about to tackle. I will briefly explain such points below in this entry.

The Japanese internet
The internet infrastrure of Japan is one of the most high speed in the world. With optic fibres running parallel to all the above-ground electric lines, high speed internet has been provided to over 98% of all households over a very short period. With such an infrastructure, consumer web services flourished quite early. Services such as Blogging, Social Networks, E-commerce, and Social Reviews have been widely accepted and enjoyed by the general public. The internet here is not a tool for the technologically savvy, but is a social infrastructure deeply rooted into the daily lives everyday people.

The Importance of Search
One significant difference here is the choice of search engines. The general public still prefers to search on Yahoo instead of Google. A majority of users search with more than two words, creating a complex pattern of keywords which must be covered. Finding which keywords your potential customers are searching for is easy. Search engines release such information to sell sponsored links on searches.

95% of consumers are said to search before making descisions on purchases. This may not include much consumer commodities where descisions are mostly made at the point of sale, but none the less proves that search is an important factor of puchase motivation.

In all age groups, the most frequent method of landing to a website is the search engine. If the user is searching for a solution to a specific problem, we have a chance to match products to a consumer in need. Search results are the most important point of contact to a consumer on the internet.

Blogging
Blogging has become a culture in Japan. There are an estimated 40 million Japanese blogs and over 20 million bloggers. At one point (Q1 2007), Japanese (at 37%) was the most common language used to blog on the entire internet. Such consumer generated media acts not only as effective testimonials, but also as advertisements to acquire traffic to a website.

The professional blogging industry is booming. There are celebrities, professionals, and everyday people writing advetorials to promote products online. The key is to generate unpaid and authentic blog testimonials of satisfied customers. This can be done through creating a database of bloggers to match your category, and offering them experiences to write about.

Blogger relations is now an important factor of any internet strategy. Websites and web promotions must be optimized to make full use of such bloggers.

Mobiles
Mobiles offer a digital communication platform where consumers can be reached when they are close to the actual point of sale. Through careful segmentation of cutstomer profiles, we are able to contact them with then information they want, when they want it.

The Mobile also offers a chance to distribute digital incentives, such as wallpapers, ringtones, widgets, and skins. As over 80% of mobile users customize their phones, such digital incentives are an extremely effective promotion tool.

E-CRM
The goal of all web promotions are to create new and repeat purchases. Consumer information such as demographics and purchase actions should be collected digitally, segmented and used in direct marketing. All registrants (acquired from both the web and the point of sale) can be contaced individually based on their characteristics with optimized content to drive them to purchase. Not only does E-CRM optimize the targeting of direct marketing, but it also reduces costs dramatically.

Although the internet is global, there is much local marketing know-how which only local suppliers have. In this global recession, corporations and consumers, more than ever, are turning to the internet. But I must say that most strategies are far behind. If you have a need to be one step ahead in the Japanese market, look to the internet, and feel free to contact us with your business needs.

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