By, uav-jp 14/02/2023

Localization of Snapchat in Japan is perfunctory: Snapchat still has its uses

Snapchat has become almost forgotten in Japan. Even in daily life, it is rare to meet such an enthusiastic user.

DIGIDAY [Japanese version] has contacted the person in charge of Snapchat's official advertising sales agency in Japan. According to the domestic media materials of the same platform confirmed at that time, domestic DAU as of May 15, 2018 was in the low seven figures (very early stage). Regarding the publication of the specific number, there was a request to "withhold", so I will refrain from doing so.

By the way, there are few platforms that use "DAU" as the main indicator. Therefore, it is not possible to make a general comparison, but the "MAU" of the major platforms that are popular in Japan is roughly 8 digits.

Not popular in Japan due to lack of localization

Since the service was launched in 2011, Snapchat is not a latecomer as a photo/video sharing service. Even in Japan, the camera filter function has become a hot topic among influencers, and it should have a certain level of name recognition.

However, the reason for this "disastrous situation" is that the localization is neglected compared to other services. "Although the app itself is localized in Japanese, the social aspects such as Discover are not localized at all, and the region is not narrowed down. The displayed snaps are all foreign users, and it is a high hurdle to use in Japan. ”.

Japanese localization is perfunctory, Snapchat Snapchat's Domestic Circumstances: Still Not Without ``Uses''

On this point, although the agency pointed out to Snap, it seems that there was no particular reaction. Also, as far as the agency can confirm, there are no official accounts in Japanese by brands or publishers. But for Japanese marketers, Snapchat appears to be “not useless.”

Is it effective for overseas promotion?

As you can see from the fact that there are authorized distributors in Japan, there are many examples of using Snapchat, although the number is not large. This is a pattern used by companies that provide services and products for the United States and Europe for the purpose of overseas promotion. "Recently, app makers have also implemented promotions aimed at overseas users. Considering that this is a service that can carry out effective promotions specifically for overseas markets, it's not a bad option in terms of cost," the person in charge said.

Globally, Snapchat is more of an underdog. According to the company's media materials obtained by US Digiday, which was introduced in the past, the number of DAUs in North America reaches 92 million. In addition, according to Snap's financial results for the third quarter of 2019, the number of DAUs in the EU area is 65 million, which is almost the same as the total of the country-by-country figures in the domestic materials confirmed by Digiday [Japanese version].

The user composition is 20% under the age of 17, 64% between the ages of 18-34, and 17% over the age of 35. There are also features. As a major premise, it is a service or product that will be deployed globally, and although it is necessary to consider a completely different method for domestic promotion, it may be possible to reach new demographics through Snapchat depending on how it is used. do not have.

By the way, in the APAC region, Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia surpass Japan, but Singapore and Thailand are below Japan. It is undeniable that the region's total is sluggish compared to Europe and the United States.

Could it be one of the options?

Remember, Snapchat rejected an acquisition offer from Facebook three years ago. This may have been a bad move given the current situation (it was reported that Google was also trying to acquire it in the same year). Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp have continued to implement Stories features similar to Snapchat, and before you know it, the pioneers of Stories have fallen behind. The pressure from the latecomer TikTok is also increasing.

On the other hand, they are showing signs of resistance through partnerships with companies other than Facebook. In June 2018, we started offering "Snap Kit" that allows you to link and share Snapchat's filters, stories, login and other functions with other services. As of April 2019, it is said to be linked with more than 200 services, including Tinder, Netflix, and Fitbit.

Snap Kit is also working on cooperation with services in the Middle East and India. As a result, Saudi Arabia's DAU has grown to exceed the EU average. It is also gaining users in Israel, Dubai, etc., and the agency representative also says that it is growing in the Middle East.

Snap Kit includes "Ad Kit" that can distribute Snapchat ads to other apps, and we are also developing new products such as full-screen vertical video ads, commerce ads, and shopping functions. If advertising improvements progress and attempts to compensate for the number of users, which is a weakness, are successful, there is a possibility that it will become a new option, even if it is not a "third pole".

"Until recently, we weren't even allowed to sell agency-specific menus, and we've only recently begun to get serious about sales," continued the agency representative. “Considering the potential, I think that there will be some movement in Asia in the future.”

Written by Shohei Wakeshima