by JapanBuzz, a Japanese influencer marketing agency.
Today, there are more than 33 million Instagram users in Japan. According to a survey conducted on Japanese women in their teens to 30s, 70% answered that one motivation to purchase was seeing products on Instagram. They bought or searched products after seeing them on instagram, or they have checked out the products in store. Instagram has been the best platform for brand growth in Japan for many brands. This time, we’ll introduce 6 tips for successful product sales on Instagram.
1. Create an Instagram business account
Business accounts are free and are used not only by brands but also by influencers. When you create a profile, it’s recommended to mention your brand briefly and attractively in Japanese. It helps for Japanese users to understand what your brand concept is. Instagram can also auto translate your business profile for Japanese users. By using a business account, you will be able to do three things: “business profile”, “insight”, and “ad placement”.
2. Make sure images work for the Japanese market
Make sure to post photos that convey your brands selling points. Also, try to unify the photos and video so they feel part of the same family. The account below is a good example what a Japanese audience generally like. All the photos are simple, good colour balance and well focused on the brand’s products.
3. Captions that attract Japanese users
Users who like photos on Instagram see the caption of the next post. It’s an important element that can lead to purchase. @twotreesjp is a brand born from the nature of New Zealand and sustainable living. They sell eco-friendly, zero-waste items. This post shows how soap is made of the Rimu tree which grows throughout New Zealand. The caption also explains that the product is made recycled floorboards!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBuLl8lFl3b
4. Choose the right hashtags
Choosing the right Japanese hashtags cannot be underestimated because users search for things that they are interested in by using hashtags. For instance, if you’re selling makeup products, make sure to put popular hashtags in Japanese such as #夏メイク(summermakeup), #ビーガンコスメ(vegancosmetic). By setting an appropriate hashtag in Japanese, you can make the post visible to Japanese users, even those who are not followers.
5. Take advantage of IGTV
IGTV is a function that allows you to post up to 10 to 60 minutes of video in users feed or stories. Instagram Japan also has smart integration with the shopping site Base. If your product is cosmetic, you can post a make-up video, or if it is clothes, you can post recommended items by the staff. Japanese users usually want to know the size and texture, so make good use of IGTV and explain those details like an account below. https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-6-j1vg67M/
6. Add “Shop now”function
The “Shop now” function allows you to tag product names, prices, and links in a single tag, just like tags for people or things. As a result, when users want to purchase products that they find on Instagram, they can be smoothly guided to the online shopping sites.
In case you do not have your own online shopping site
In Japan you can sell your products through BASE, a Japanese app which provides users an easy-to-implement e-commerce platform. It teamed up with Instagram so it’s easy to set up and approximately 800,000 stores have opened their EC sites with this app.
Instagram is now establishing itself as a business tool in Japan, not just social media. In this article, we have introduced some tips to sell products successfully in Japan utilising Instagram. We’re an influencer marketing agency with expertise in Japanese market. Please feel free to check out other articles on our site.
