SaaS Landing Pages in Japan
Introduction
B2B SaaS landing pages in Japan tend resemble each other. Some components of the landing page are similar to other markets while some are unique to Japan. The importance of the homepage cannot be understated, as it is frequently the first thing that buyers will look at when considering a product. The components of the landing page in Japan also give insight into what Japanese buyers find important.
CTA
Many landing pages will have a “Download Document” call-to-action (CTA), which is unique to Japan. Many companies will have this as their stand-alone CTA or will have two CTAs. Other common CTAs include “Free Trial” or “Demo Request,” but the “Download Document” CTA is almost always one of the options.
The “Download Document” CTA reflects the Japanese business culture and the buying pattern of Japanese buyers. When Japanese buyers consider a product, they tend to do research before testing out the product or opting for a demo. Japanese business culture has a highly consensual decision-making process and manifests itself as the Ringisho process. The Ringisho process is a democratic buying process conducted by a committee. The first step of the process is to make a proposal for a potential purchase or implementation of a product. Hence, the “Download Document” CTA.
The document being downloaded includes a company introduction, product overview, benefits of implementation, and case studies. This information is used as the foundation of the proposal in the Ringisho process, so creating this deck with the right information tailored to the audience is important. Once there’s interest from the committee, the buyer will test out the product and/or book a demo. Research of the product is usually the first step of the buying process for many buyers.
Above the Fold
Like most SaaS landing pages, Japanese landing pages have H1 and H2 copy with visible CTAs above the fold. In addition to the ubiquitous components, there are a few unique aspects to Japanese landing pages above the fold.
Awards
Many Japanese landing pages will have awards above the fold and provide the validity of the product. These awards show that the company has a real presence in the market. A lot of the time, companies will run independent research to show their product ranks high in certain categories. Common awards are around market share, usability, or customer satisfaction.
Japanese buyers are generally risk averse, so purchasing or implementing software with high market share, adoption, or customer satisfaction provides security and validity in their decision-making.
Images of People
Though the reason is unclear, Japanese landing pages usually include images of people in their landing pages. This may be to create an emotional connection with the potential buyer, but anecdotally, Japanese landing pages use images of people much more than US companies.
Below the Fold
The Usual Suspects
There are similarities below the fold between US company landing pages and Japanese landing pages. Below the fold, it’s common to see logos, a product overview with feature descriptions, and a few FAQs.
The difference between the US landing pages and Japanese landing pages is the number of logos. While US landing pages will have a handful of recognizable logos, Japanese landing pages will put up as many as possible. Some Japanese landing pages will have 20+ logos (or even more) right below the fold. This is likely due to the buying patterns of Japanese buyers. The more number of enterprise logos, the more security in decision making. Both the quantity and the recognition of the logos are important to provide a sense of security for the buyer.
Efficiency Gains
Though it’s common for landing pages for SaaS companies to have an efficiency or benefits section, Japanese pages will provide as much context as possible upfront. The main CTA is to get the visitor to download a document. Providing as much information, and potentially the information the visitor is looking for, may encourage the visitor to download the document for more information.
The information on the homepage needs to hook the visitor to download the document. Too much information may discourage the visitor from going through with the CTA, as they may already have all the information necessary. Not enough information may mislead the visitor to think that the solution does not provide what they’re looking for. Striking the right balance of information is key.
Case Studies
Testimonials are commonly seen on SaaS homepages, but Japanese landing pages take this to the next level. Case studies are extremely important in Japan, as they provide social proof. This social proof provides buyers with a sense of security when making a buying decision.
On a US landing page, there may be a testimonial or two throughout the page. Most Japanese SaaS landing pages will dedicate an entire section to case studies. As case studies are one of the most important sales collateral, many companies will make sure that they are very visible.
Pricing
Pricing is sometimes on the homepage for Japanese landing pages. Not all SaaS products have their pricing on their home page, but many do. In addition to the pricing page, some prefer to provide as much information on the homepage. There is a chance that the homepage is the only page visited, so some choose to have their pricing on the lower end of the page.
Conclusion
Landing pages in the US are trending towards simplicity. Landing pages in Japan are full of information and end up being much longer/larger pages. This is a result of the difference in buying patterns. Since Japanese buyers have to put a case to purchase and implement new software, having information upfront is imperative. Whereas, US buyers will get the information they need on a demo or through using the product. If you’re looking to build out a Japanese landing page and are looking for feedback, book a consultation here.
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