TikTok has reached 1 billion monthly active users and is ranked No. 1 in downloads worldwide in the first quarter of 2022, becoming one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. Also, more than half of TikTok users watch gaming-related videos every day. Needless to say, TikTok has become one of the most important platforms for gaming companies looking to acquire new users. However, many gaming companies have found it challenging to leverage TikTok as an ad platform. TikTok’s unique content format makes regular creatives that are efficient in other media not perform well on its platform, and companies often find it hard to effectively localize their ads for the Japanese market. In this article, we will provide tips for creating successful Tiktok ads for user acquisition in Japan.
Tip 1: Selecting the right music
The immersive format of Tiktok, which features short full-screen videos with audio on, makes it important to select the right music for your ad. According to TikTok's latest report, regardless of the generation, the percentage of users who turn audio on on TikTok is overwhelmingly higher than the average of the other three major platforms.
Watching with full attention | Audio on | Full screen | Watching while doing other things |
231% | 176% | 33% | |
(born between 1965 and 1980) | 199% | 187% | 51% |
152% | 156% | 62% | |
(born after 1996) | 139% | 109% | 46% |
By adding music that expresses the worldview of the game and impactful sound sources that attract people to the creatives, viewers will be able to easily imagine the game’s universe. However, cultural and generational differences in musical taste in Japan mean that gaming companies need to choose music that caters to the local culture. Music over 120 BPM is generally recommended for any genres and generations.
Tip 2: Add Japanese narration
Additionally, adding Japanese narration in addition to music can make your creative more effective, as many TikTok users in Japan watch videos with audio on. It is also important to create multiple versions of narrations and verify their effectiveness.
※Septeni Global has more than 100 narrators in the network.
Tip 3: Use appropriate Japanese language and select texts that resonate with Japanese users, incorporating slang if necessary.
Translating content into Japanese is not enough to engage Japanese users. It is crucial to create content that resonates with them on an emotional level. Depending on the age of the target audience, using slang may be necessary to establish a sense of relatability and connect with them effectively.
Example:
Internet slang | Meaning | Descriptions |
www | Laugh, funny | Short for warau (to laugh in Japanese) |
垢 (Aka) | Account | 垢 means grime, but borrowed for its sound only. Pronounced aka and it is the same pronounciation as the beginning of the word “account” (akaunto). |
無理ゲー (Murigee) | Almost impossible to achieve | Murigee is an abbreviation of “Muri na Game (the video game that is too hard to clear)”. In turn, it is used as a metaphor when we feel “something is too hard to do.” |
Tip 4: Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds to keep their attention
On TikTok, viewers can easily skip ads, so it's crucial to grab their attention with a catchy phrase within the first three seconds of your video. Use engaging text and video content that will make them want to watch the rest of your ad.
For example, the videos above use different texts to hook viewers: 1) "It is worth 2800 Japanese yen now", 2) "Stop at just the right timing", and 3) "The game streamer is the blue mushroom". Although they all convey the same message, their contents are different. To maximize your creative’s potential and test effectiveness, we recommend creating at least three different patterns for each script.
Tip 5: Create a video that resembles user-generated content. ※especially for gaming companies
To make your video ad more relatable to users, it's recommended to simplify its structure and make it look like a piece of user-generated content (UGC). This approach can potentially increase the number of impressions and conversions.
Here are some tips for the structure of the video:
Use a simple horizontal layout with black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.
Display game player's comments in a plain white font to make it look like UGC.
Make the video more locally relevant by using spoken language, including slang, by Japanese narrators.
Tip 6: Utilize Casting to Enhance Appeal
By utilizing Japanese actors/actresses to convey the appeal of your products or content in a way that resonates with Japanese culture, you can create a sense of personal relevance for the viewer. Septeni Global has a proven track record of producing user-generated content-style casting videos that are optimized for TikTok. We can provide a wide range of casting options to suit your specific needs and goals.
After outlining the characteristics of TikTok ads in Japan, let us present an example of UA creatives and their validation results. Which of the two creatives do you think is more effective?
Video Creative A
Video Creative B
The answer is A, with a 0.01% higher CTR and about 1.2% higher CVR than B.
The reasons for A's higher effectiveness are
A catchy copy and casting lines added at the beginning
A longer video that covers more of the game features and appeals
The action element appealing to flying in the sky, which seemed to resonate with the TikTok user base.
These are the tips for creating effective TikTok ads. Thank you for reading.
In addition to creative production, we also excel in ad optimization and recently won the Platinum Award in General Category, the highest rank at the TikTok For Business Japan Agency Award 2023.
If you encounter challenges with Japanese localization, please feel free to contact us at hello@septeniamerica.com today! We will support your localization needs for the Japanese market as your one-stop destination.
KOJI TAKI
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Septeni Global has welcomed Koji as a creative director, responsible for producing innovative and effective creatives with his knowledge of both domestic and overseas markets. Prior to joining Septeni Global, Koji served as a producer at a company that assisted major Japanese companies with their overseas public relations. He also worked for five years at a company that facilitated Japanese localization for a major US tech firm and developed its own AI technology. With his diverse background and expertise, Koji is an excellent addition to the creative team at Septeni Global.
ABOUT SEPTENI GLOBAL
Septeni Global is a global organization that specializes in digital marketing. With end-to-end services, we are committed to providing solutions from strategic planning to creative production that centers on brand awareness and user growth in the digital domain.