The number of YouTube users and their attributes
According to data from Google Brandcast, the number of YouTube users in Japan increased dramatically in 2020, and 74% of users said viewing time has also increased.
The biggest reason for this is COVID-19 as people tended to watch YouTube to kill time while staying at home. Another reason is that their popularity could be attributed to a cultural shift from blogging to vlogging.
Breaking down users by age group: the age group of 10s to 29 are at over 90%, 30s at 85%, 40s at 80%, 50s at 75% and 60s at 45%. From this data, it is clear that YouTube is a great platform to reach a wide range of generations.
According to a survey by Trenders, which interviewed 800 Japanese social media users aged from 15 to 49, 62% of them use YouTube to kill time, 40.7% to gain updates on topics of interest, and 39.8% for discovering something new.
What kind of channels are the most popular in Japan?
There are many kinds of channels on YouTube recently, but what is the most popular topic on YouTube in Japan?
Usually, entertainment channels take up most of the top YouTubers chart every year and gameplay videos are also enjoyed by all generations. Most YouTube users don’t have their own channel.They log in to it just for watching videos and to deepen their understanding of what they like such as topics and hobbies they are interested in.
That’s why YouTube is easier to reach core fans and business targets than other social media platforms. Moreover, young people are likely to use YouTube instead of watching traditional TV.
What products and businesses are great for using YouTube in Japan?
According to data from Cyber Agent, one of Japan’s biggest online advertising companies, the YouTube advertising market will be expand more in the future.
The biggest strength is that videos can show content with voice and movement which is effective for products such as cosmetics, skincare, games, and many other genres that need explanation and practice.
Recently, many companies also started their own YouTtube channels to promote their products to make a great impression of their company. For example, Japanese the variety store , “Hokuohkurashi no Dogutenn” has their official channel which is very popular among people aged 30 to 40. It provides not only product introductionsand company informationbut also documentaries and dramas. Creating interesting content for their core target is also great for making loyal customers for their stores.
Furthermore, the funeral company’s official YouTube channel, “Sougi Channel” has 910,000 subscribers, despite the fact that funerals are a very niche subject.
They provide useful information about funerals which increases their popularity.
The style differences between Japan and other countries
There is no big difference about the content but regarding the visuals, Japanese YouTube channels tend to be more complicated than other countries. It is because Japanese YouTube channels use subtitles more often. This culture came from Japanese television.
Also compared to the other countries, Japanese people have a tendency to prefer colorful thumbnails.
Concluding remarks
As a result, YouTube has gained a lot of popularity as a platform for personal video viewing, but it has also been a valuable tool for businesses.
YouTube also gives brands the possibility to customize how their channel looks, so it is important for any kind of marketer to update their YouTube channel to reflect their brand identity in order to stand out among the competition.