In Japan, social media—especially Facebook—has traditionally been viewed as a platform mainly for personal hobbies, not for work or B2B business. It was generally thought to be effective for promoting consumer products but less suitable for marketing large-scale services or industrial equipment for companies.
However, the reality is that many B2B companies in Japan are successfully using Facebook for business purposes and have achieved measurable results.
Examples:
DENSO Corporation: 21,000 followers
Shimadzu Corporation: 28,000 followers
NEC Corporation: 100,000 followers
GMO Internet (“Onamae.com”): 15,000 followers
NTT Data: 24,000 followers
These are some of Japan’s top B2B companies, and each has attracted significant followings on Facebook. For example, if you have 20,000 followers, a simple post—like a new product announcement—reaches 20,000 people. This level of reach is comparable to advertising in industry magazines, yet Facebook is free (unless you choose paid ads).
Of course, building such a following takes time and effort, and it’s easier for well-known companies, but there are also small and medium-sized businesses that have gained unexpected success on Facebook by engaging with the platform strategically. (Continued)
