Live Issue... Twitter Japan strikes out on its own to suit local tastes

A little over a year-and-a-half since it launched in Japan under an ad-funded model, the site recently distanced itself further from its parent by unveiling a video-sharing service .

The application enables Japanese users - who currently number around two million - to upload video and photo content via computer and mobile. While similar applications created by outside suppliers exist in other markets, Japan’s TwitVideo was developed by DG Mobile, a subsidiary of Digital Garage, which operates the Japan-specific version of Twitter.

Given Twitter.jp’s free rein for experimentation, observers have noted its potential as a testing ground for techniques that may later come to be applied in other markets. Japan is currently the only country in which Twitter has shown signs of profitability, with ad rates ranging from US$5,500 to $33,000 for a customised page and banner. In addition to the initial fees, the site charges advertisers for targeted exposure to relevant groups.

Adrian Roche, digital lead at OgilvyOne Japan, says TwitVideo is as an attempt to “take Twitter to the next level” and sees the service as having “interesting potential”.

However, Roche also acknowledges that the Japanese Twitter is in some ways a unique case. For a start, there is an emphasis on communities rather than individuals.

“In other countries it’s all about ‘me’. But in Japan we are seeing an adaptation based on the idea of communities,” says Roche, pointing out that many users have multiple identities and switch between them for different communities.

“There is a lot of conversation between users. But people don’t stay for a sustained period in a community that follows a certain interest. This is an aspect that is remarkable about Japan.”

With this in mind, Twitter.jp operates Twinavi, a navigation tool that aims to offer direction to groups relevant to users’ interests.

Another quirk, according to Tetsuya Honda, managing director of Blue Current Japan, is that the majority of users are over 35. The user base is also male-dominated and still largely early adopters.

Despite the Japan-only services, as in other markets, anything resembling best practice is a long way from being established. The immediate priority, says Honda, is helping companies understand the difference between Twitter and the blog media they have only recently become accustomed to. He points to the need for “a system to monitor the flow of influence” to provide an incentive for adoption.

In the meantime, Twitter.jp is likely to continue to evolve to its own rhythm. “Whether or not that evolution proves applicable elsewhere remains to be seen,” says Thomas Crampton, regional digital influence director at Ogilvy PR.

Crampton believes the ad service could take off elsewhere. “It’s a delicate task to change a social property, but it’s entirely feasible if the advertising is unobtrusive and something users appreciate. Japan has a robust history of providing digital platforms that the world loves. For ideas generated in Japan to take on a more global span is entirely credible.”

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This article was originally published in 19 November 2009 issue of Media.