Author: The Marketing Samurai

I eat fish for breakfast.

B2B vs B2C: Web Design Differences

Is your company’s website aware of the distinction between B2B vs B2C website design? And is it strategically built and operated?

A B2B business website’s goal is to acquire leads and inquiries; as such, it has a significantly different structure than a B2C business website.

At Info Cubic Japan, we collaborate with various B2B businesses in the manufacturing and IT sectors. Therefore, the crucial components of a global B2B site’s fundamental design, which are commonly absent, are valued by many B2B organizations.

As a result, we’d like to discuss the differences between B2B vs B2C website design, particularly for digital marketers and global site managers in the B2B business. Continue reading “B2B vs B2C: Web Design Differences” →

Marketing in Japan: A Digital Overview

Japan is the third-largest market in the world, representing about 10% of the world’s economy. As of March 2021, Japanese stocks have become the best-performing share market in Asia, according to Bloomberg. The country recently surpassed Taiwan as Asia’s top market for the year. The time couldn’t be any more perfect for a company to establish their efforts for digital marketing in Japan.

With 126.3 million people, Japan is lucrative for any local and international businesses looking to expand. However, many foreign companies find the challenges of marketing here to be quite intimidating. For one, there are certain complexities in traditional Japanese marketing and advertising that require solid local knowledge.

If you’re looking to gain exposure and traction in the Land of the Rising Sun— you’d better study effective market entry thoroughly. It is essential to formulate a localized marketing plan focusing on brand identity, public relations, digital or online media, and your brand value.

This article will discuss an overview of the Japanese marketing scene and effective digital marketing strategies to help you start.

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How to Win the Hearts and Trust of Hong Kongese Consumers

With an overall economic freedom score of 89.1, Hong Kong remains one of the freest economies in the world, placing 2nd in 2020 behind Singapore. The US-based Heritage Foundation explains that countries with high economic freedom have business-friendly tax codes and governments that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. The liberty granted in the business sector of Hong Kong creates more opportunities for companies to develop in the country. Additionally, foreign brands have a high chance of penetrating the local market.

Heritage Foundation studies also show that people of top-ranking countries live longer, have better health, are more educated, and have better ecological protectors. Considering these attributes for Hong Kongese consumers would indicate which businesses have the potential to flourish in this market. To set up shop in Hong Kong, marketers would have to identify what these economically free people need.

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How To Win The Hearts And Trust Of Taiwanese Consumers

Taiwan, considered as one of the four Asian Tigers, has sustained continuously high levels of economic growth since the 1960s. At present, the country is one of the most developed economies in the continent, ranking 21st worldwide

A vital market in regional and global value chains, Taiwan offers one of the most promising environments for investments in Asia. Additionally, the country is one of the driving forces of global trade and plays an essential role in the global economy: It is a crucial supplier of goods across industrial fields as well as a top player in the world’s information and communication technology industry.

A prosperous country with a population of around 23.8 million, Taiwan offers plenty of business opportunities. However, to achieve success, marketers need to understand the business realm in the country — particularly about Taiwanese consumers and how businesses can win their hearts and gain their trust.

Continue reading “How To Win The Hearts And Trust Of Taiwanese Consumers” →

How to Win the Hearts and Trust of Korean Consumers

South Korea is the 4th largest economy in Asia and the 10th largest in the world. The country boasts powerful industries in mobile, automotive, beauty, fashion, entertainment, and technology as a result of its substantial workforce that has usually put career over family. In the past, the average worker in Korea worked around 70 hours a week. However, to achieve a better work-life balance and change the Korean working culture, the national government lowered the maximum working hours to 52 hours. Consequently, Korean consumers now have more time to spend their disposable income.

In addition, South Korea is also recognized as the trendsetter for Asia. As such, the country holds a lot of potential for international brands who wish to penetrate the Asian market. If a brand is successful in the Korean market, it is most likely to succeed across the continent.

Continue reading “How to Win the Hearts and Trust of Korean Consumers” →

Guide to Marketing Using Manga

In most places across the globe, comics are considered as something merely for children. However, in Japan, manga can be a brand’s key to penetrate the market. Manga are comics or graphic novels corresponding to a style developed in Japan.

Rather than being for children, manga can be for anyone. Manga is consumed by readers of any age, from elementary school students to senior citizens. In fact, a survey by Shinfield, a Japanese firm specializing in manga marketing, found that 69.7% of respondents aged 40 and up still read manga. One of manga’s greatest strengths is that it appeals to readers, whether young or old.

For a long time, manga has been a staple reading material in Japan, appealing to nearly all social classes and age groups. Even though the market for manga in Japan has been steadily declining and domestic sales of printed copies have been falling since 2002, the market has slowly started to rise once more in 2013 due to an abundance of newfound digital manga apps and services for mobile devices. In 2019,  digital sales for manga rose 29.5%, totaling 259.3 billion yen (about US$2.37 billion).

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What’s Content Marketing?

There is value in the consumers’ perception of a brand’s image, whether true or false. Thus, it’s every company’s task to maximize positive user experiences and minimize customer pain points online in today’s digitized world. One of the solutions to this challenge is content marketing.

According to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is defined as “a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” With this approach, brands provide genuinely relevant and useful content to prospects and customers to help them solve their issues rather than directly pitching products or services.

Within content marketing’s definition, the word “valuable” must be emphasized. This quality is what sets content marketing apart from other forms of advertising. Content can be identified as part of a content marketing campaign if people seek it out and want to consume it instead of avoiding it.

Continue reading “What’s Content Marketing?” →

What’s Inbound Marketing?

For years, businesses have struggled to reach consumers online using traditional advertisements such as banners and embedded videos. These businesses are often unsuccessful in making an impact due to ad-blocking software that has become widely used. Additionally, numerous Internet users may find these forms of marketing to be more annoying than engaging because these are content that they did not choose to view. Rather than interrupt a user’s content with advertising, marketers can use inbound marketing as an alternative approach.

Inbound marketing is the strategy of engaging with potential customers through content and experiences in which they find value. This method is characterized by creating entertaining and informative content, using various media, which users will willingly seek out. This more personal approach to marketing has the extra benefit of reaching those who have already taken the initial step toward a purchase. This article will discuss and elaborate on what is inbound marketing, provide several examples, as well as enumerate current trends.

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Influencer Marketing In Hong Kong

With a population of over 7 million, Hong Kong serves as a gateway to opportunities in Mainland China and also a strategic location in Southeast Asia. This city holds much potential for marketers because it is a multicultural hub wherein more than 1,500 regional headquarters of global companies are located.

Due to the rapid digital transformation across the globe, and Hong Kong, in particular, there has been an increase in demand for digital advertising and online marketing services. In fact, a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Advertisers Association (HK2A) and market analytics company Nielsen found that the region’s 100 major marketers plan to spend about 60% of their budget on digital advertising and 40% on traditional media strategies. Additionally, a survey also done by the same institutions in 2020 indicates that online advertising spending is expected to continue to rise with most respondents saying that their company will spend more money on online advertising in the upcoming years. Out of the budget allotted for digital, a substantial portion is spent on social media marketing.

Continue reading “Influencer Marketing In Hong Kong” →

Taiwanese Influencer Marketing

In today’s digital world, people are constantly being connected through the World Wide Web. The widespread use of online social media platforms has brought forth new opportunities in terms of marketing.

One of the recently emerged marketing trends is the collaboration with social media influencers. These influencers are not only exclusively celebrities since social media is accessible to almost everyone. Anyone can have a huge and loyal following by providing the right content to the right audience.

As markets continuously grow and change, people have become more particular with the products and services that they want.  The prevalent use of technology in their daily lives has also influenced their buying behavior. Furthermore, the endless influx of online content has shortened people’s attention spans.

Marketers now have to accept the challenge of creating content that stands out and engages the target audiences on a personal level. By collaborating with the right social media influencer, companies can effectively roll out their campaigns and achieve success.

Continue reading “Taiwanese Influencer Marketing” →