Contents
Introduction
As a global marketer, it is no secret that the Japanese market is one of the most challenging markets to break into. This is due to the language barrier, unique cultural backgrounds, and Japan’s strong loyalty to domestic products. Read more about what you need to know about Japan’s mobile market in our previous article. And to help you out on understanding the Japanese market more, we’ll give you a peek at the keywords on the Discover panel on Apple’s App Store Discover panel this week!
Discover Section on the Search Page of App Store
Search on the App Store allows customers to find apps, games, stories, categories, in-app purchases, and developers. Searches use app and in-app purchase metadata from your product page to deliver the most relevant results. They can also view Trending Searches to see what other customers in their region are interested in. (Source: developer.apple.com)
On the upper part of the Search Page, just below the Search Bar, you’ll see the Discover panel where there are 6 keywords suggested by the App Store.
From our observation, these keywords are most probably the most searched keywords, relevant in real-time, based on Apple’s algorithm. Considering that these keywords are the initial keywords users see when they go to the Search page, it’s reasonable to suggest that these keywords are worth paying attention to when trying to penetrate the Japanese mobile market.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the top 6 keywords that appeared in the Discover panel from September 11, 2023 to September 15, 2023.
Keywords This Week on “Discover”
What keywords are in the Discover suggestions of the App Store in Japan this week?
2023-09-11
- iq (IQ): Users were searching for apps related to intelligence and IQ testing.
- おせろ (Othello): This keyword refers to the game “Othello,” a strategy board game.
- 脳トレ (Brain Training): People were looking for brain training apps to enhance cognitive skills.
- 画像加工 (Image Editing): Users sought apps for image editing and manipulation.
- バスケ (Basketball): This keyword indicates an interest in basketball-related apps.
- 百人一首 (Hyakunin Isshu): People were searching for apps related to the classical Japanese card game “Hyakunin Isshu.”
2023-09-12
- ドラム (Drum): Users were likely searching for drumming-related apps or drum machine apps.
- 勉強アプリ (Study App): People were looking for apps to aid in their studies.
- 脱出ゲーム 新作 (Escape Game New Releases): This suggests an interest in newly released escape room games.
- ディズニー (Disney): Users were likely searching for Disney-related apps, such as games or streaming services.
- asmr (ASMR): ASMR-related apps or content were in demand.
- 顔診断 (Face Diagnosis): People may have been searching for apps that analyze and diagnose facial features.
2023-09-13
- 筋トレ (Muscle Training): Users were interested in apps for muscle training and fitness.
- 目覚まし (Alarm Clock): This keyword suggests a search for alarm clock apps.
- pay (Payment): People may have been looking for payment and mobile wallet apps.
- 旅行 (Travel): Users likely sought apps related to travel planning and booking.
- レース (Racing): This keyword indicates an interest in racing-related games or apps.
- 画面録画 (Screen Recording): Users may have been searching for apps to record their device screens.
2023-09-14
- 乗り換え案内 (Transit Information): Users were likely looking for apps to help with public transportation navigation.
- 花粉 (Pollen): People may have been searching for apps related to pollen forecasts or allergies.
- 英語 リスニング (English Listening): Users may have been looking for apps to improve their English listening skills.
- 脱出ゲーム 新作 (Escape Game New Releases): Similar to the previous day, there was interest in new escape room games.
- 目覚まし (Alarm Clock): This keyword suggests continued interest in alarm clock apps.
- みゅーじっく (Music): People may have been searching for music-related apps or services.
2023-09-15
- パズルゲーム (Puzzle Game): Users were interested in puzzle game apps.
- rpg (RPG): This keyword indicates an interest in role-playing games.
- 世界史 (World History): Users may have been searching for educational apps related to world history.
- ポイントカード (Point Card): People may have been looking for apps that manage loyalty or rewards cards.
- みゅーじっく (Music): Similar to previous days, there was continued interest in music-related apps.
- 飛行機 (Airplane): Users may have been searching for apps related to air travel or flight booking.
Keyword Analysis and Findings
Dividing into Categories
Dividing the keywords into categories and relevant themes based on App store categories, we came up with 8 divisions – games, education, photo and video, sports and fitness, entertainment, productivity, lifestyle, and travel and navigation.
Repeated Keywords
Some keywords were also repeated twice this week. It’s safe to assume that this keywords are more popular and gains more attention among users:
- 脱出ゲーム 新作 (Escape Game New Releases): 2 times (Sept 12th and 14th)
- みゅーじっく (Music): 2 times (Sept 14th and 15th)
- 目覚まし (Alarm Clock): 2 times (Sept 13th and 14th)
Season and Events Relevancy
We also wanted to see if the keywords are showing relevance based on Japan’s season or specific events, and we found out that some keywords are showing up because of seasonal changes, or trending topics that influence user search behavior.
Here’s a list:
- ディズニー (Disney) on Sept 12th: We found out that on that day 9/12, was the start of an official member sale for disney store.
- 旅行 (Travel) on Sept 13th and 飛行機 (Airplane) on Sept 15th: This weekend in Japan is what they call 3連休 (3-day weekend), since it’s going to be a holiday on Monday Sept 18th as well. Japan App Store users are probably searching these keywords more to prepare for their trips on the upcoming long weekend.
- 花粉 (Pollen) on Sept 14th: You might think that pollen is only during spring, but apparently, there are also a list of plants that causes pollen allergy during autumn! Based on the graph below, it shows that it pollen is high during September (９月). So it’s probably the reason why the keyword 花粉 (Pollen) showed up on the suggestions.
Conclusion
Effective localization is paramount for app marketers seeking to penetrate the Japanese mobile market, and keyword analysis plays a pivotal role in this process. By discerning the language nuances, cultural preferences, and regional variations reflected in user search queries, marketers can craft meticulously tailored app descriptions, titles, and content that resonate with Japanese users on a deeper level. Furthermore, keyword analysis aids in adapting content to seasonal trends, holidays, and regional differences, promoting engagement and relevancy.
We hope this article has helped you gain a better understanding of the Japanese mobile market. Stay tuned for next week’s trending keywords list!
