Influencer Marketing on Instagram in Japan

In Japan, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media apps, with approximately 66 million active users (according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “2023 Report on the Current State of Information and Communications”). Instagram is particularly useful for industries that rely on visual appeal, such as fashion, beauty, travel, and food, making it a powerful tool for influencer marketing. Given the increasing number of active users, Instagram has become an essential platform for influencers to reach and engage with audiences effectively.

Trends on Instagram in Japan

Now, let’s dive into the trends on Instagram in Japan.

Short Videos

With the rise of TikTok, Instagram’s Reels feature, which focuses on short videos, has seen rapid growth. Short videos allow users to quickly enjoy content, making it easy to engage. Popular genres for short videos include:

• How-to videos (makeup, fashion, cooking, etc.)
• Lifestyle content (routine, travel, food exploration)
• Before-and-after transformations (dieting, cosmetic surgery, DIY projects)

These types of content work especially well with short videos, offering bite-sized, engaging clips for the audience.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is a marketing strategy where user-posted content is utilized by businesses and brands on Instagram. For example, when a customer visits a café and posts a picture on Instagram, the café’s official account can repost the user’s photo to engage with followers.

By using user-generated content, businesses can not only increase trust but also generate word-of-mouth marketing. Moreover, when users voluntarily post about a brand, it helps spread the word naturally, saving companies the effort of preparing their own content.

However, it’s essential to ensure you get permission from users before reposting their content, as they might not always be comfortable with it.

Live Commerce

Live commerce refers to marketing through live streaming where influencers showcase products, and viewers can purchase them directly. For instance, if viewers are uncertain about the size of a product, they can ask the influencer during the live stream, resolving their concerns and potentially increasing the likelihood of a purchase.

A major benefit of live commerce is that viewers can interact with the influencer in real-time, asking questions about the product, which helps reduce buying hesitations. Additionally, special offers during live streams (such as discounts or exclusive products) can further boost purchasing intent.

One key challenge, however, is that if the influencer doesn’t have sufficient recognition or an engaging personality, viewers may lose interest in the live stream. Therefore, to ensure effective influencer marketing through Instagram’s live streaming feature, it is advisable to use influencers who are well-known and skilled at live streaming.

Stories & Highlights

One popular method is saving Instagram Stories to Highlights and organizing them by category on a profile. For example, influencers can create categories such as “Travel,” “Beauty,” or “Q&A,” allowing users to easily find and view the content they’re interested in through the Highlights feature.

By organizing Highlights, users can quickly access the information they need, and new followers can easily be exposed to products or services. To make the profile more appealing to followers, it’s recommended to standardize the design of Highlight icons and cover images, ensuring a cohesive look.

These Instagram features allow brands and influencers to create easily accessible and organized content for their followers, which can ultimately lead to more engagement and conversion.

Characteristics of Instagram Influencers in Japan

Now, let’s dive into the key characteristics of Instagram influencers in Japan.

Micro-Influencers Are Common

In Japan, micro-influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers are actively engaged in influencer marketing on Instagram. These influencers can be hired for promotions at relatively low costs, making them an attractive option for companies. Particularly, when micro-influencers specialize in specific niches, they offer high engagement rates and are able to deliver results. Another major benefit of Instagram influencers is their close relationship with their followers. Due to this close connection, their recommendations are accepted as genuine word-of-mouth, increasing the likelihood of product or service sales.

Active Fan Engagement

Japanese Instagram influencers tend to engage actively with their fans. Popular engagement methods include:

• Offline meetups/handshake events
• Live streaming
• Fan clubs
• Private or mutual follow-back accounts for sharing content
• Using Instagram features like questions and polls

By increasing fan interaction, influencers can build stronger connections with their audience, improving engagement and boosting the trustworthiness of the products and services they promote.

Embracing Vulnerabilities

Many Instagram influencers in Japan gain sympathy and support by sharing their vulnerabilities. For instance, an influencer who previously weighed 70kg but managed to lose 20kg might share their journey, attracting support from followers who are also trying to lose weight. Similarly, influencers who openly discuss overcoming financial struggles or repaying debt can appeal to those facing similar challenges. Influencers who share their vulnerabilities often have followers with similar issues, making them an excellent fit for businesses offering products or services that address those concerns. By showcasing genuine personal experiences, these influencers can enhance the trustworthiness of their product recommendations.

Natural Product Promotion

Overly obvious advertisements can cause users to disengage, so many Instagram influencers in Japan focus on promoting products naturally. For example, an influencer might include a product in a “Top 10 recommended items” Reels video, seamlessly integrating it into the content. Showing products in use during everyday situations can also provide a sense of trust, as followers feel reassured by the influencer’s authentic experience with the product. If you’re planning influencer marketing on Instagram, it’s essential to discuss ways to promote products naturally with your influencer partners.

Incorporating Global Culture

Many Instagram influencers in Japan integrate global culture into their content. For example, a Japanese influencer might share content like “Trying out Korean trending makeup” to appeal to audiences interested in Korean culture. By explaining popular Korean makeup styles in Japanese, they can attract followers who are passionate about Korean culture. Some influencers even produce content in multiple languages, gaining followers not only from Japan but also from abroad. By using influencers who share global trends, businesses can expand their brand recognition to international markets.

High Visual Awareness

Japanese Instagram influencers tend to place a strong emphasis on visuals. This includes:

• Maintaining a consistent aesthetic across their feed
• Paying close attention to photo editing and enhancement
• Carefully crafting short videos

For businesses offering fashionable products or services, partnering with influencers who are highly visual and stylish can be highly effective. For example, trendy cafes can collaborate with young female influencers who are passionate about fashion to expand brand recognition among style-conscious women.

Points to Consider for Instagram Influencer Marketing in Japan

Now, let’s discuss key points that businesses should keep in mind when using Instagram for influencer marketing in Japan.

1. Do Not Engage in Stealth Marketing

Stealth marketing is prohibited in Japan, and violating this can lead to penalties. Furthermore, stealth marketing can increase the risk of a public backlash. For example, after the release of an animated movie, a famous manga artist posted content praising the movie, which led to suspicions of stealth marketing and a subsequent apology from the film production company. To avoid this, make sure that influencer posts are properly labeled as advertisements.

Measures to Avoid Stealth Marketing:

• Use promotional labels for partnership posts
• Include hashtags like “#PR”, “#広告” (advertisement), “#提供” (sponsored)
• Clearly mention in the post that it’s promotional

By taking these precautions, you can prevent your influencer marketing campaigns from being mistaken for stealth marketing.

2. Don’t Choose Influencers Based Solely on Follower Count

When engaging in influencer marketing on Instagram, don’t choose influencers just because they have a large number of followers. There are several reasons why focusing solely on follower count can lead to ineffective campaigns:

• Purchased Followers: Some influencers may have purchased followers, which won’t lead to any real engagement or conversions.
• Inactive Followers: If an influencer’s followers are not active or have accumulated over time without ongoing engagement, influencer marketing campaigns will fail to have the desired impact.

For effective Instagram influencer marketing, make sure to choose influencers with active, engaged followers who align with your brand’s target audience.

3. Work with Influencers Long-Term

Simply asking an influencer to promote your product once won’t be enough to ensure that followers recognize and trust your product. Consumers are cautious when judging whether a product or service is trustworthy, so it’s important to collaborate with influencers over the long term to build credibility and increase trust.

Effective Long-Term Strategies:

• Collaborate with influencers multiple times
• Regularly feature your product or service on Instagram Stories or Reels
• Establish an ambassador contract to strengthen the connection between the brand and influencer

These methods can help build a long-term relationship with influencers, which will enhance your product’s credibility among their followers.

4. Understand the Algorithm

Instagram’s algorithm changes regularly, so you must adapt your promotional efforts to align with the latest algorithm updates. Even if you’ve previously run successful influencer marketing campaigns, the current algorithm may require a different approach.

If you’re starting Instagram influencer marketing now, make sure you stay updated on Instagram’s algorithm and adjust your strategy accordingly.

5. Minimize the Risk of Backlash

When starting Instagram influencer marketing, it’s crucial to create content while considering the risk of backlash. A backlash can tarnish your product or service’s reputation.

Key Points to Prevent Backlash:

• Avoid exaggerations or false claims
• Don’t collaborate with influencers who have had past controversies
• Always review content before posting

By keeping these points in mind, you can avoid negative reactions and safeguard your brand’s reputation.

Examples of Instagram Influencer Marketing by Japanese Companies

Now, let’s look at some examples of Instagram influencer marketing conducted by Japanese companies.

UniBeauty Co., Ltd.

UniBeauty Co., which sells contact lenses, used Instagram influencers as ambassadors for their products. One of their ambassadors, Alicia Yamagami (@aliciayamagami/), who specializes in fashion and cosmetics, helped expand the brand’s awareness among its target audience. By choosing an influencer who aligned well with their brand, UniBeauty successfully promoted its products and drove purchases through a campaign run alongside the PR effort.

Anessa

Anessa, a sunscreen brand, actively engaged beauty influencers to promote their products. Influencer Tomi (@tomilly101), who is a certified expert in Japanese beauty, helped enhance the trustworthiness of the brand. By addressing the concerns of mothers who need sun protection when playing outdoors with their children, Tomi successfully targeted the audience and increased the product’s relevance to this demographic.

Nature Conk

Nature Conk, a cosmetic company, worked with a beauty influencer to promote their products. Influencer Nako (@nako_iimonohakken) shared her own experience with Nature Conk products by posting before-and-after images, helping to convey the changes that occurred when using the products. She also engaged with followers in the comments, addressing questions and further building trust in the product.

Fashion Center Shimamura

Fashion Center Shimamura, a company that sells affordable apparel, used young influencers who were popular among the younger generation to promote their low-priced fashion products. Influencer Mahoko Seno (@mahoko.0918), a high school student, created outfit posts using Shimamura’s products, which were highly supported by her followers. By posting product catalog images, she helped provide valuable information to followers considering purchases.

Summary: Instagram Influencer Marketing in Japan

In this article, we explored Instagram influencer marketing in Japan. The number of Instagram users in Japan is growing, making it a powerful platform for expanding brand awareness and increasing sales. However, influencer marketing is not simply about choosing influencers with a large following. Businesses need to consider the relevance of influencers’ audiences, cost-effectiveness, and other strategic factors.

As you plan your influencer marketing strategy in Japan, think about which target audience your products and services appeal to and consider the best budget for a cost-effective approach. By selecting the right influencer and planning your strategy with attention to the details shared in this article, you’ll set yourself up for success.