Japan’s Most Dominant Social Media Networks in 2017
Yesterday we had the pleasure of speaking to one of Japan’s top PR firms about the nuances of new digital media and how to use those practices to create a more effective digital strategy in Japan.
However, a large part of our presentation dealt with what platforms to actually use? This is actually a great question because each of these platforms offers their own unique features and opportunities in Japan.
As a social media agency in Japan that specializes in creating digital content, we decided to do some research and identify which platforms had the most penetration/growth in Japan and what that means for marketers and advertising agencies in Japan.
YouTube
Believe it or not, when it comes to social media in Japan, YouTube had the highest penetration rate in 2016. Here are some 2016 penetration stats from Statista, you can view more here.
Regardless of age old dilemmas to innovation in Japan, that doesn’t change the fact that the Gen-Z’s of Japan have access to millions of hours of people bashing watermelons on the cement for a living and they seem to really enjoy it.
Pass by any 18–25 year old with a laptop open in Starbucks and 50% of the time you can guarantee they’re watching something on YouTube.
Did you know that one of the top aspirational professions for Japanese youth is to be a YouTube star?
So, what does your in-house video production team look like?
Yes, Twitter continues to be one of the winners in Japan as well. With an advantage that emphasizes anonymity and gives users the ability to say more in 140 characters of Kanji than in English, it remains a dominant platform for growth. Just look at these numbers from Freshtrax.
Currently Japan is the only country in the world where Twitter is more popular than Facebook.
So, what are you tweeting about?
Instagram’s growth in Japan is nothing short of viral, look at these stats from marketing leader and web design firm Humble Bunny, you can see more here.
From 2014 to 2016, growth numbers year over year are almost double. Brands in Japan that are not using Instagram as a tool to engage consumers are missing out on a key opportunity. With Instagram, they can take a vacant leadership role in social activity by leading the case study battle and showcasing what it takes to create eye-candy for millions.
Do you have an Instagram strategy yet?
The influence of Facebook growth isn’t going anywhere. Here are some predictions for growth by 2022 from Statista.
Given that the year over year penetration for Messenger is increasing. If Facebook continues its investment here they could steal the messaging game eventually from Line and come out on top.
That was 2017, so what’s your digital strategy look like for 2018?
If you’re a brand or business looking to develop a strong digital and social strategy for Japan in 2018, email us at hello@definition.media and we’ll help you get started.
