To be successful in BtoB marketing in Japan, it is essential to understand the unique elements of the Japanese market that make it different from other countries and to develop an appropriate strategy. This article presents effective lead generation methods in the Japanese market, particularly in the B2B sector.
At Yakumo Marketing, we specialize in assisting overseas companies seeking to expand into the Japanese market. If you are interested in the Japanese market or are struggling to generate new leads in Japan, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will guide your project to success with our wealth of experience and smooth communication in both English & Japanese.
Google has an overwhelming share of the search engine market in Japan
In Japan, Google has an overwhelming share of the search engine market. With so many people using Google on a daily basis to search for information, focusing on SEO and content marketing on this platform is an important element of lead generation in BtoB marketing. It is also probably the most efficient platform to advertise to your target audience at the moment.
Use of LinkedIn in Japan is still limited
LinkedIn is a powerful social networking service for business, but its use in Japan is still limited compared to overseas. I have often seen overseas companies stumble when marketing in Japan, thinking that all situations are the same as in their home country. In Japan, activities on this platform are not yet common, so it is necessary to carefully evaluate whether operating and advertising on LinkedIn will be cost-effective.
Exhibitions are still the biggest channel
In BtoB marketing in Japan, exhibitions remain an important lead generation tool. In particular, in many industries, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and medical equipment, exhibitions can be said to be the biggest lead generation opportunity. At exhibitions, rather than trying to engage in specific conversations on the spot, it is recommended that you provide the collected prospects with detailed information about your services, case studies, industry-specific white papers, etc. at a later date in order to capture their interest and deepen the relationship in the middle to long term.
LINE, a messaging app unique to the Japanese market
Japan differs from other regions in that the messaging app with the largest market share is LINE. Like other SNS, it is possible to distribute promotions and announcements through official LINE accounts, but at this stage in 2024, it can be said that it is mainly a platform for toC business. Of course, as SNS, once thought to be for toC business, are now being used for BtoB business, using LINE for marketing could be a powerful competitive advantage in the middle to long term.
Conclusion
- Since Google is by far the most popular search engine, it is generally more efficient to plan your strategy based on Google
- LinkedIn is still only used to a limited extent, so it should be carefully considered as a marketing channel
- Trade shows are a powerful channel. Content distribution after the trade show is an important key to lead nurturing
- LINE is the No.1 messaging app in Japan. At the moment, it is not often used in BtoB marketing, but in the middle to long term, there is a great possibility that it will be used in BtoB business too
We will select the best lead generation method for your project and also take care of the actual implementation in Japan. Please feel free to contact us for more information.