こんにちは (Konnichiwa!) – Hello!
Today, we’re heading to Japan, a country where the affiliate marketing market is valued at an impressive $3.3 billion, second only to the US. However, for affiliates from the CIS, Europe, and America, this market remains an exotic and largely unexplored territory. In this case study, we’ll explore strategies for promoting eCommerce offers to Japanese audiences, touching on demographic insights, consumer preferences, and the nuances of effective ad creatives. Get ready for an exciting journey into one of the most unique and promising markets in the world! がんばる (Ganbaru!) – Let’s go!
จุดสำคัญ
เสนอ: Mainstream eCommerce
ภูมิศาสตร์: JP (Japan)
การจราจร: Mainstream High and Medium Activity
รูปแบบโฆษณา: ป๊อปอันเดอร์ โมบาย
ระบบปฏิบัติการ: iOS, Android
OS version: iOS: 15, 16, 17, 18. Android: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
ระยะเวลาการรณรงค์โฆษณา: 20 September – 3 October
รายได้: $836,68
ผลตอบแทนการลงทุน: 132%
A bit about the vertical
In our previous blog posts, we’ve already explored the eCommerce vertical and shared insights on launching AliExpress offers in markets like Israel (IL), Poland (PL), and Spain (ES). For a detailed breakdown and more tips, check out the full article here:
When it comes to the eCommerce marketing in Japan, in 2024, Japan’s e-commerce market is expected to reach $259.2 billion, reflecting a steady growth rate of 7.76%. Japan ranks as the 4th largest eCommerce market in the world, trailing only behind the U.S., China, and the UK. The market is projected to continue expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.98% through 2028, with the total value estimated to reach $339.6 billion by that time. Key factors driving this growth include Japan’s high internet penetration, advanced payment systems, and the increasing adoption of e-commerce across various sectors such as retail shopping, travel, and food services.
As of March 2024, the frequency of online shopping in Japan shows a diverse range of consumer behaviors. According to the provided chart, the largest group of respondents (28.3%) make online purchases two to three times a month, while 22.8% shop once a month. About 17.6% of people shop online once every two to three months, and 13% do so once a week. Meanwhile, less frequent shopping habits include 6.6% of respondents purchasing once in half a year, and smaller portions (around 2-6%) either shop almost daily or only once a year or less.
This data illustrates how regular online shopping is for the majority of Japanese consumers, with most engaging in online shopping at least once a month.
About Rakuten
Rakuten is one of Japan’s largest eCommerce platforms, often referred to as the “Amazon of Japan”. Founded in 1997, Rakuten has grown into a global marketplace offering a wide range of products, from electronics to fashion. It operates not only as an online retailer but also provides services like travel bookings, banking, and digital content.
For affiliate marketers and traffic arbitrage professionals, Rakuten offers lucrative opportunities through its affiliate marketing program. By promoting Rakuten products and driving traffic to their marketplace, affiliates can earn commissions on sales. Given Rakuten’s strong brand presence and diverse product offerings, it provides ample earning potential for affiliates targeting Japanese consumers or those interested in global markets where Rakuten operates.
Strategy
Few media buyers venture into Japan, which explains the low competition in this geo, despite local interest in investing being just as high as in other Tier-1 countries.
The primary challenge that holds many back from targeting Japan and other Asian markets is the language barrier. All ad materials aimed at this geo must be in Japanese. Japan, while highly developed, ranks low in English proficiency due to the vast differences in grammar, syntax, and pronunciation between English and Japanese. Currently, only about 30% of Japanese people speak English, making English-language creatives ineffective in this market.
To overcome this, it’s recommended to hire native speakers on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, or for smaller texts, use apps like HiNative to ask native speakers for help. Alternatively, you can also rely on AI tools like ChatGPT for assistance.
รูปแบบโฆษณา
We tested all ad formats offered by ฮิลล์ท็อปแอดส์, including Popunder, In-Page, Banners, and Video VAST. The testing period varied for each campaign, typically lasting at least five days. Often, we had to stop campaigns that consumed too much budget without delivering satisfactory results.
From the start, we chose mobile traffic for our campaigns since it had previously performed well for eCommerce offers. After running all these test campaigns, we can confidently say that ป๊อปอันเดอร์ โมบาย ads delivered the best conversion rates for our offer. Therefore, we decided to proceed with this ad format for further testing.
Creatives
When it comes to creatives in Japan, the visual aspect is crucial. Bright colors and eye-catching headlines are a must. In addition, Japan has a strong culture of “cuteness” or “kawaii” and it’s not just an aesthetic choice—it’s a marketing strategy. Brands often create cute, sensitive characters to build an emotional connection with their audience, which contrasts with the bold, masculine themes in many Western ads.
Including fantasy elements in your creatives also works well, influenced by Japan’s love for anime and manga. If your offer can tie into a popular anime series, definitely incorporate that into your ad. When using images of people, Japanese models are preferred, though Western models can still be effective in some contexts.
The message
In eCommerce ads targeting Japan, leveraging the country’s culture of collective thinking can be a powerful strategy. Unlike Western cultures, where individualism often drives consumer choices, Japanese consumers tend to seek products that align with societal norms and enhance their group identity. To tap into this, highlight the product’s widespread use and popularity. Phrases like “everyone is buying” or “people are lining up” can significantly boost conversions.
Japanese consumers also value both tradition and innovation, a blend seen in many aspects of their culture, from fashion to technology. Effective campaigns should emphasize this balance, appealing to both modern and traditional values.
Finally, quality is of utmost importance in Japan. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for products that showcase meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail. Highlighting quality and providing evidence to back up such claims is crucial to gaining their trust and driving success in this market.
Seasonality
When targeting Japan, it’s crucial to consider seasonality. While this may seem simple, Western marketers need to pay special attention to Japanese holidays or understand how international holidays are celebrated in Japan. For example, Christmas in the West is a family event, but in Japan, it’s more like Valentine’s Day, typically spent with a partner or friends at parties. New Year’s, on the other hand, is a family occasion, with visits to Shinto shrines. Therefore, eCom ads should align with these specific events to resonate better with the audience.
Summary
To succeed in the Japanese market, start by translating your landing page into Japanese and using the local currency, yen. A high-quality translation is essential, as 90% of Japanese people do not speak English. Additionally, adapt your creatives to align with the nuances of Japanese culture.
Page load speed is also critical—one-third of users will wait no longer than 2 seconds for a web page to load.
These adjustments can significantly impact your conversion rate and potentially boost your ROI by 50%. Based on testing, Popunder mobile ads were the most effective format for driving conversions in our campaigns.
การตั้งค่าทั่วไปสำหรับแคมเปญโฆษณาบนแพลตฟอร์ม HilltopAds
ก่อนที่จะเปิดตัวแคมเปญโฆษณาบน HilltopAds คุณต้องลงทะเบียนเป็นผู้ลงโฆษณาก่อน คุณสามารถลงทะเบียนได้โดยใช้ ลิงค์นี้.
ขั้นต่อไปในการสร้างแคมเปญโฆษณา คุณต้อง:
- ไปที่ การจัดการแคมเปญ ส่วน
- คลิกที่ เพิ่มแคมเปญ ปุ่ม
- ในส่วนการสร้างแคมเปญ ให้เลือก ป๊อปอันเดอร์ โมบาย รูปแบบโฆษณา
- ใน ช่องทางการจราจร ส่วนเลือก Mainstream High and Medium Activity
ขั้นตอนต่อไปคือการตั้งค่า Postback เพื่อติดตามผลลัพธ์ของแคมเปญโฆษณาของคุณ
หากต้องการคำอธิบายโดยละเอียดเกี่ยวกับการทำงานกับ Postback และตัวแทนที่พร้อมใช้งาน โปรดดูคู่มือของเรา
โดยสรุปแล้ว สำหรับ URL สุดท้ายของข้อเสนอ เราต้องแทรกพารามิเตอร์เพื่อส่งการแปลงและ ID แหล่งที่มา พารามิเตอร์สำหรับส่งการแปลงคือ click_id และ ID แหล่งที่มาคือ zone_id
เป็นผลให้เรา URL ปลายทางสุดท้าย ควรมีลักษณะเหมือนนี้:
- {{โทเค็น}} – พารามิเตอร์ HilltopAds สำหรับการส่งต่อการแปลง
- {{โซนไอดี}} – พารามิเตอร์ HilltopAds สำหรับการส่ง ID แหล่งที่มา
โดยทั่วไป คุณสามารถเพิ่มพารามิเตอร์ใดๆ ก็ได้จากตัวเลือกที่มีซึ่งจำเป็นสำหรับการวิเคราะห์แคมเปญเพิ่มเติม อย่างไรก็ตาม โปรดจำไว้ว่าการรวมพารามิเตอร์เหล่านี้เป็นสิ่งสำคัญ คลิก_ไอดี พารามิเตอร์ในลิงก์สุดท้ายเพื่อส่งผ่านการแปลง
ต่อไปเราจะตั้งค่าที่จำเป็น การตั้งค่าการกำหนดเป้าหมาย:
- ภูมิศาสตร์ – JP (Japan)
- อุปกรณ์ - มือถือ
- ระบบปฏิบัติการ – iOS, Android
- เวอร์ชันระบบปฏิบัติการ – iOS: 15, 16, 17, 18. Android: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
- ภาษา – Japanese
คุณสามารถกำหนดค่าตัวกรองแคมเปญและอนุญาต/ไม่อนุญาตได้ พร็อกซีและ WebView traffic from the campaign. However, in our case, for the Mainstream eCommerce offer, we have disabled all filters:
- พร็อกซี – ไม่อนุญาต
- มุมมองเว็บ – ไม่อนุญาต
Instead of setting daily budget limits, we opted to control the number of impressions for our campaign. Specifically, we set a daily limit of 25,000 impressions. This approach allowed us to maintain better control over the campaign’s performance, especially for the Japanese eCom offer. By focusing on impressions rather than budget, we ensured that the campaign reached a broad audience without overspending on any given day, which is particularly important in a market like Japan, where consumer engagement varies depending on timing and creative appeal.
If necessary, you can also set display schedules. The final step before launching the ad is to set the cost per thousand impressions (CPM). Here, we pay attention to the Traffic Volumes graph in the top left corner, which calculates premium, minimum, and recommended CPM rates.
เราเริ่มทำแคมเปญโฆษณาแล้ว with a bid of $0.73.
Our advice: to test a new offer, start with the recommended CPM. This will show whether the offer is effective and whether the campaign needs optimization
ดังนั้นการตั้งค่าหลักของแคมเปญโฆษณาจึงเป็นดังนี้:
รูปแบบโฆษณา – Popunder มือถือ
ช่องทางการจราจร – Mainstream High and Medium Activity
จีโอ – JP (Japan)
อุปกรณ์ – mobile/tablet
ระบบปฏิบัติการ – iOS, Android
เวอร์ชันระบบปฏิบัติการ – iOS: 15, 16, 17, 18. Android: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
ภาษา – Japanese
อัตรา CPM – $0.73
Optimization and intermediate results
During the first five days of our campaign, we set a daily limit of 25,000 impressions to control traffic and spending while gathering performance data. After this period, we switched to automatic optimization settings, as shown in the image. We configured the system to take action if any zone had more than 1,500 impressions but fewer than 1 conversion within a 24-hour period. Specifically, the automatic rule blacklisted zones that met these criteria, effectively cutting off underperforming traffic sources.
This shift to automated rules resulted in a significant increase in traffic and conversions, while also increasing our overall spend. The entire campaign ran for 14 days (the statistics are shown in the screenshot below.).
ผลลัพธ์
After carefully tuning the advertising campaign for 14 days, we achieved the following results:
- Total Costs (Spent) – 360.64$
- รายได้รวม (กำไร) – 836.68$
- ROI (ผลตอบแทนจากการลงทุน) – 132%
ROI เป็นหนึ่งในตัวบ่งชี้ที่สำคัญในการตลาดดิจิทัลที่ช่วยให้คุณประเมินผลกำไรจากแคมเปญโฆษณาได้ โดยสรุปแล้ว ROI จะแสดงให้คุณเห็นเปอร์เซ็นต์ของการลงทุนโฆษณาที่คุณสามารถฟื้นคืนได้จากรายได้จากโฆษณา
สูตรคำนวณ ROI คือ:
ROI = (รายได้รวม – ต้นทุนรวม) / ต้นทุนรวม * 100%
Net Profit
The net profit derived from the Mainstream eCommerce offer launched in the HilltopAds เครือข่ายโฆษณา illustrates compelling return on investment. With a total revenue of $836.68 and advertising expenses amounting to $360.64, the campaign yielded a net profit of $476.04.
This emphasizes the effectiveness of the HilltopAds advertising network as a valuable platform for promoting offers such as Mainstream eCommerce in Tier-1 countries.
บทสรุป
Entering a new market, especially one as unique as Japan, requires careful research and analysis. If you are thinking about working with Japanese traffic, take the time to deeply understand its cultural nuances, consumer behaviors, and advertising trends. Japan is a market with low competition and a highly affluent audience, making it ripe for opportunity if approached strategically.
Our own experience proves this: patience and boldness in testing led us to a profit of $836.68, achieving an ROI of 132%. With the right approach, you can also unlock similar results in this promising market. Best of luck!
เรารู้สึกตื่นเต้นที่จะเสนอโค้ดโปรโมชั่นพิเศษให้กับคุณ: ECOMJP20. Use it when making your first deposit of $100 or more at HilltopAds, and you’ll receive an additional 10% bonus!
เราหวังว่ากรณีศึกษานี้จะเป็นประโยชน์กับคุณ หากเป็นเช่นนั้น ทำไมไม่ลงทะเบียนกับ HilltopAds และเริ่มรับผลกำไรตั้งแต่วันนี้ล่ะ
