How Is Search Engine Optimization In Japan Different?

While many of the same techniques for a search engine campaign are the same in every country, there are specific things you need to consider if your target market is Japan. Things like keyword translation and the search engine used will make a difference in how successful you are. One of the biggest factors in a Japanese SEO campaign is understanding the language and correct translation techniques.

Language Affects Your SEO Campaign

There are a few things to consider if you are operating a SEO campaign for a Japanese website. The Japanese language is made up of four basic sets of characters or letters. There are many combinations of these letters and characters that can be used to make each word or sentence. One of the hardest parts is finding which combination is used most to search the internet. There can be over twenty ways that a single phrase is made, so you must distinguish what combination is most commonly used by the people you are trying to reach. If you are having your website translated from Japanese to English, you must consider sentence structure as well. Good search engine optimization is harder in Japan.  The Japanese language encompasses sentences in a way that is almost backwards to English. In English, your keyword may be in the front of your sentence; while in Japanese it could be placed at the end. Rather than having your sentences translated, they need to be rewritten so the keywords stay where they are supposed to be.

Consider the Search Engine You Need to Reach

In the past, Yahoo has been the most popular search engine used in Japan. This is very different than the US, where Google dominates. In recent days, this trend has begun to swing and now the split is about 50/50 for Yahoo and Google. Therefore, rather than optimizing specifically for Google, you must consider Yahoo as well. The techniques use for each search engine can vary completely, so you must consider all methods.

Consider the Platform Used

While searching from a home PC is the most common technique in Europe and the United States, mobile searching is a popular method in Japan. This is not a recent trend; it has been popular for many years. The thing to consider is that web pages display differently in a mobile browser than they do on a PC. For this reason, you need to develop a mobile site as well as a regular site on the web. This is specifically true if your target audience is under thirty years old.

Once you know the specific differences between Japanese web users and those in the US or Europe, implementing the correct techniques is simple. You will use the same methods to boost your rankings like using specific keywords, on page optimization, and link building.