How to Implement A Successful Japanese Influencer Marketing Campaign

Entering the Japanese market as a first-timer is definitely a challenge, as you have to first gain the trust of a notoriously tough market for newcomers. One of the most effective ways to do this is influencer marketing because of the high level of trust followers have in their favorite influencers. In Japan, more and more companies are discovering the benefits of influencer marketing, and the expenditure on this form of marketing is forecast to pass 70 billion JPY in 2025. But influencer marketing in Japan comes with its own differences and obstacles, so here are some points to consider when you want to implement a successful Japanese influencer marketing campaign.

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Target Audience in Japan

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Once you have decided to take the route of Japanese influencer marketing, the first step is to determine how to reach your target audience. In an unfamiliar market, it may be difficult to figure out where and how to reach them and you need to understand how social media channels are used. This is a summary of important social media channels for influencer marketing in Japan:

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• Instagram: followers on Instagram are mainly female and between 20-40 years old. Content related to travel, beauty, fashion, food, and other products or services that benefit from a beautiful display are what they come to this picture and short-format video channel for. A new feature is the ‘Add Yours’ sticker that facilitates easy collaboration between influencers, widening your reach exponentially
• YouTube: young men can be found as subscribers on YouTube, as they tend to prefer the platform’s longer-format videos. Many Japanese men like to follow influencers who are funny and carry out daring activities. A benefit of using YouTube influencers is that there is ample time to introduce and demonstrate products or services in detail
• Twitch: people who are interested in subcultures like anime, manga, games, and niche hobbies are found on live streaming platform Twitch. Because audiences on Twitch have such specific interests, it is easy to classify and target them. Live streams also lend themselves for brand introductions and demonstrations, including game launches.
• TikTok: Under 25s in Japan tend to use TikTok as a diversion to take a break from their busy lives. It is not a channel that usually leads to direct sales, but it is a great medium to spur brand awareness amongst Generation Z.

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Finding Japanese Influencers

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Once you know your target audience and where they hang out, it is time to find fitting Japanese influencers for your campaign. A Google search in English may not yield many useful results, and doing an aimed search on the platforms themselves is also tough if you have a lot level of Japanese and don’t know which hashtags are trending in your field. 

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The second hurdle to take after you find influencers who could be a good fit would be to get a reply. In Japan, influencers are very hesitant about working with brands or companies that they are not familiar with. As a foreign brand, this hesitancy can be a real barrier as potential collaborators can’t easily research your company if they don’t understand English. Because they have their reputation to protect and Japanese followers tend to judge harshly if they deem a collaboration inappropriate, influencers tend to shy away from working with smaller foreign companies. Going through a bilingual influencer agency in Japan can bypass these issues.

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If you are interested in working with famous influencers with followings of >500.000 who are often already famous in their own right, you should come with a large budget. Furthermore, you would have to be approved by the large management agencies they are signed with, which can be notoriously difficult as they are very picky about who their artists work with.

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Design a Compelling Influencer Marketing Campaign in Japan

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The next step to tackle is coming up with a strong campaign plan that is compelling to your Japanese audience. Assuming you can navigate the language barrier, it is good to understand how commercials’ style and product/service presentation differ in Japan. Some conspicuous examples of Japanese style and design are the ubiquitous use of graphics and Japanese subtitles, a strong focus on the smallest details, and the usage of small in-video screens in the corner of the main video to show others’ reactions.

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Using the right hashtags is extremely important when you want to be found and want followers to understand what your brand is about. A simple translation of the term you would like to use is often not enough, as Japan has its own trends when it comes to hashtags and new words/word combinations pop up all the time. Following the latest trends in the Japanese social media landscape can pay off, but because trends tend to come and go quickly you need to make sure you are abreast of what is current. Influencers themselves may definitely have good ideas for you as they are experts in their area, and using an influencer agency can also provide you with extra inspiration for the making of your eventual campaign.

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Working with Japanese Influencer Agencies

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As you can see, there are plenty of challenges to overcome when you are creating a Japanese influencer marketing campaign, but you can make this task infinitely easier when you hire a Japanese influencer agency to guide you. Agencies have a portfolio with influencers across multiple platforms who are happy to work with a variety of brands including foreign and unknown brands. The bilingual agency will take care of most of the communication, so a language and cultural barrier doesn’t have to be an issue. They also know their influencers, and can advice you on who could be appropriate for your campaign.

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Once the influencer(s) have been contracted, the agency can advice you on things like campaign formats, trends, and hashtag use. Your chance of success is greatly increased with the backing of an experienced agency, and you can use your time much more efficiently by avoiding leads that don’t work out and communication barriers.

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