How to Choose a Company Capable of Doing SEO in Japan
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Achieving web marketing success in Japan is inextricably linked to SEO success. The key lies in selecting the right SEO specialist who can implement necessary SEO strategies, as previously mentioned. Next, we will introduce the types of companies that offer SEO services in Japan, helping you identify the most suitable provider and strategy for your business.
This article explains the types of companies in Japan capable of performing SEO and discusses how to select the right company for SEO services.
SEO Companies
SEO companies specialize in SEO services, yet securing a higher search ranking is not always guaranteed upon engagement. In Japan, the effectiveness of an SEO company is often uncertain until their services are actually employed.
Companies are typically chosen based on their track record and brand strength.
A prevalent issue in Japan is that larger companies tend to select SEO providers based on fame or brand power, leading to prolonged periods of stagnant search rankings.
Some SEO companies may focus more on content creation or minor site adjustments rather than comprehensive SEO strategies.
A promising choice would be an SEO company that successfully uses SEO-related keywords to rank its own site higher and drives traffic through SEO. However, a cautionary note: many such companies, especially those established during the early days of SEO, may rely heavily on external links.
A company that logically explains how it maintains its high rankings is preferable. Companies that claim to specialize in SEO but fail to appear for relevant search terms should be excluded from consideration.
The landscape of SEO companies in Japan is diverse, with different firms catering to large corporations and small to medium-sized businesses. High-range SEO companies tend to offer personalized solutions, but the market for skilled SEO consultants is limited. Firms selling packaged SEO services may struggle to provide optimal solutions for current complex algorithms.
SEO strategies vary from internal measures, external strategies, to focusing solely on content production. SEO is about improving search results via various means, and the strategy employed can significantly differ from one company to another.
Selecting a successful SEO company for market entry in Japan is challenging. It often involves obtaining multiple quotes and gradually developing an understanding of SEO, but decisions are frequently based on cost or personal rapport, independent of the company’s actual SEO capabilities.
It’s common to realize a lack of progress in search rankings after six months, leading to a renewed search for an SEO provider.
Moreover, few SEO companies in Japan have English-speaking consultants, and the technical nature of SEO can make communication through translators or interpreters challenging.
Companies capable of handling foreign corporations in Japan are rare, with only a few such firms available.
Advertising agencies
Advertising agencies tend to focus more on SEM (Search Engine Marketing) rather than SEO. This includes managing display ads, retargeting, as well as creating landing pages and banners.
SEM, primarily listing ads in this context, aims to immediately impact from the day of ad publication.
It allows for top-ranking visibility and, depending on the landing page, can achieve excellent conversion rates (CVR).
In Japan, a distinction seems to exist between SEO, which is about improving organic search results, and SEM, which is equated with paid listings. Successful SEM campaigns are highly influenced by industry types but are generally effective. A common mistake by foreign companies is directing ad traffic to their homepage instead of a conversion-optimized landing page.
Japanese users are accustomed to specific patterns and high-quality landing pages, making it challenging to achieve conversions without adhering to these established formats.
Foreign companies often fail by not integrating contact forms directly on the landing page, leading to user drop-offs with each additional click required. The best practice in Japan is to minimize clicks and incorporate forms on the same page for better conversion.
Many companies practicing SEM also simultaneously focus on SEO. As the cost of ads can escalate without guaranteeing conversions, having organic search traffic can significantly reduce advertising expenses. In the long term, SEO tends to offer better cost-effectiveness compared to SEM.
While advertising agencies naturally promote ad solutions, it’s important not to overlook the long-term benefits and necessity of SEO. SEO takes time; hence, it’s advisable to prioritize it. For SEO services, it might be more beneficial to consult with an independent, specialized SEO firm rather than an advertising agency.
marketing companies
In Japan, there is an astonishing number of web marketing companies, each offering a variety of strategies to support web traffic acquisition.
These strategies range from improving search rankings, managing listing ads, to Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). The realm of web marketing is quite extensive, and while there are many more tactics beyond these, these are generally the most cost-effective.
Notably, companies with a strong focus on SEO are relatively rare in Japan. Most web marketing firms include SEO as just one of their many services.
Some companies market themselves as providing a one-stop solution for all web marketing needs. While the convenience of a one-stop service is appealing and can be advantageous, it raises questions about the integration and effectiveness of both SEO and SEM strategies within these firms.
The key expectation from a web marketing company should be their capability in web analytics. Firms that propose strategies based on data-driven insights can be valuable partners. Additionally, some companies have a strong expertise in branding, which can be an important consideration, especially when seeking SEO services.
There’s a trend where web marketing companies often consult specialized, independent SEO firms for their end clients’ SEO needs. This indicates that while these companies act as the client’s primary contact, they frequently outsource the actual SEO work to specialized firms. This approach suggests that for SEO-specific needs, partnering with a dedicated SEO company might increase the likelihood of success.
consulting firms
In Japan, many consulting firms include Digital Transformation (DX) and digital marketing in their array of services. These firms are characterized by their ability to conduct research and develop strategies that are challenging for clients to accomplish on their own, which often justifies their higher costs and recruitment of top talent.
In the realm of digital marketing, consulting firms focus on defining an overall vision, strategizing, and facilitating digitalization. While they may offer support in SEO and SEM, these are not typically their primary focus. Consulting firms are distinct from web marketing companies in that they provide broader strategic insights rather than specialized web marketing services.
Given the specialized nature of SEO, it’s generally more effective to engage a dedicated SEO company rather than a consulting firm for SEO-specific needs. This approach ensures a focused and expert handling of SEO strategies, which is essential for successful digital marketing.
Web Development Company
In Japan, most web development companies claim to create SEO-conscious websites. However, commissioning a web development company does not necessarily lead to improved search rankings. This is not to say these companies are at fault; rather, their focus on “SEO-conscious” sites primarily means they concentrate on solid coding practices.
While coding is undoubtedly important, it’s not the highest priority when focusing solely on SEO. A decently structured site can improve rankings through a combination of quality content, internal optimization, and external links.
Some companies do pay attention to structured data and page load speeds, but often these efforts are either insufficient or completely lacking. Surprisingly, many companies that claim they can execute these aspects often fail to deliver effectively.
That said, there are certainly competent web development companies with genuine expertise.
However, caution is advised as some companies may only have limited coding expertise. Given the vast number of web development companies in Japan, the reality is that most lack the capability to effectively implement SEO.
This is evident as many sites optimized by our company were initially developed by other web development firms. It’s safer to understand that for web development, one should consult a production company, and for SEO, a specialized agency is preferable.
Content production companies
Content production companies in Japan often pride themselves on their SEO-focused writing abilities, with many specializing in content SEO as their main service. “SEO writing” in Japan typically involves selecting keywords, incorporating them into titles and headings, and then elaborating on these headings. This approach is essentially no different from standard web writing, as it naturally involves keyword consideration.
However, there is indeed expertise in SEO writing that enhances ranking. It involves analyzing competitors, collecting elements necessary for higher ranking, and structuring content accordingly. Understanding user search intent and writing unique, high-quality articles are part of this skill, which improves with experience.
Authentic content must address user intent and resolve their issues. Each piece should have a distinct purpose, making it unique. Yet, in Japan, it’s common to find top-ranking articles saying the same things, leading to a prevalence of similar content.
Many articles produced by SEO and content companies are referred to as “kotatsu articles” in Japan, implying they are merely compilations of information available on the internet, lacking depth and originality.
Japanese culture often encourages emulation of successful examples, leading to a uniformity among top-ranking articles. Companies boasting about their ranking capabilities in search results may not necessarily correlate with high-quality writing.
At this point, search rankings in Japan still depend significantly on a website’s domain power. Strong sites with average-quality content can achieve high rankings if they include the necessary elements. This structure hasn’t changed much over the past decade.
Conversely, websites with less domain power but high-quality, unique content can also achieve high rankings, a trend that seems to be increasing.
In the past, regardless of content quality, sites with an abundance of external links tended to rank higher. However, this tendency has been decreasing.
Ultimately, the strength of a website (“site power”) is crucial for ranking. While it is beneficial to hire content production companies for high-quality content, if a website’s inherent SEO strength is weak, the impact of such content may be limited.
Summary
In Japan, web marketing success heavily relies on effective SEO. Choosing the right SEO specialist is crucial for implementing successful strategies. While SEO companies offer specialized services, their effectiveness varies and is often unclear until employed. Some focus more on content or minor adjustments than comprehensive SEO. The choice of an SEO provider often depends on their track record and brand strength, especially among larger companies. The Japanese market has a range of SEO firms catering to different business sizes, but finding a company with a strong focus on SEO can be challenging. Additionally, web development companies claim SEO-conscious site creation but primarily focus on coding rather than comprehensive SEO. Content companies in Japan specialize in SEO-centric writing, but actual effectiveness is influenced by the website’s inherent strength. Overall, a strategic approach combining internal optimization, content quality, and external links is key for SEO success in Japan.
Author Profile
Mr. Takeshi Amano is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Nihon University. With 12 years of experience working in the advertising agency industry, he discovered SEO and began his research during the early days of SEO. He self-taught and conducted experiments and verifications on over 100 websites. Using this expertise, he founded Admano Co., Ltd., which is currently in its 11th year of operation. Mr. Amano handles sales, SEO consulting, web analytics (holding the Google Analytics Individual Qualification certification), coding, and website development. The company has successfully managed SEO strategies for over 2000 websites to date.
