インタビュー・対談シリーズ『私の哲学』
Presented by "My Philosophy®︎"
Vol.9　Hitomi Kumasaka

Recently, Facebook has seen an increase in users in Japan as well. We spoke with Ms. Hitomi Kumasaka, whose book on case studies regarding the use of this social media in business has become a bestseller, about how Facebook is expanding in Japan.

Japanese

Profile

Vol.9 Hitomi Kumasaka

Social Media Consultant | President and CEO of Social Media Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Hitomi Kumasaka graduated from the Faculty of Letters at Keio University. She conducts practical research on the use of social media, including Facebook, for business purposes. Based on her expertise in managing vibrant fan pages, she provides consulting for the development and management of fan pages for multinational corporations, among others. In addition to her consulting work, she conducts corporate training sessions and lectures nationwide on the business applications of social media. Her unique theory, the "Favorable Access Revenue Model," and her studies of international cases are compiled in her book "Using Facebook for Business (Facebook wo Business ni Tsukau Hon)" (published by Diamond Inc.), which, thanks to word of mouth on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, achieved the number one spot in its category on Amazon prior to its release and has become a bestseller with over 40,000 copies sold.
※The titles and other details are as of the time of the interview (May 2011).

Using Facebook for Business

In November 2010, I published “Using Facebook for Business.” The manuscript was completed by the end of June that year, but the publication was postponed because it was deemed too early. However, from around the autumn, as companies skilled in communication began to join Facebook, such as MUJI starting its fan page in October, the timing gradually became more appropriate. In December, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg being named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” also contributed positively, making the publication timing quite opportune in retrospect. Indeed, if it had been published as initially planned in the summer, it likely would not have sold well.

My interest in Facebook began around September 2009, initiated by my use of Twitter. I struggled to find meaning in tweeting and initially resisted it. Once I started, I liked writing, so I posted diligently but could not understand what practical use it had. While there were reports of increased sales for restaurants through social media, I thought it didn’t make much sense for corporate business. However, when I looked at websites in the United States, where Twitter originated, I saw that companies were integrating and utilizing both Twitter and Facebook, and their websites were far more advanced than those in Japan.

I think of Facebook as lying between online and offline—it combines the best aspects of both. While Facebook includes Twitter-like features, Twitter’s diffusion power is incredibly fast, whereas Facebook is slower. Additionally, users tend to spend more time on Facebook. When using it for business, it is crucial to consider these aspects and effectively utilize the distinct roles of both platforms.

Facebook in Japan

In the United States and other foreign countries, taking responsibility for one’s statements is considered important, and having a bylined article in a newspaper is highly esteemed. However, in Japan, the requirement for real names still presents a challenge. When I first started using Facebook, the necessity of registering with my real name felt very stark and somewhat incompatible with Japanese culture. While writing my book, I never imagined Facebook would become as widespread as it is today.

However, the user base surged after the earthquake, and now over three million people are using it. From my perspective, particularly older individuals are joining, broadening the demographic that was once dominated by people in their twenties and thirties. They are likely seeking connections within society. Recently, there has been a movement to introduce Facebook pages at universities as well. This seems to be an effective way to prevent mismatches between schools and students, who may realize after enrolling that the school does not match their personality. For businesses, too, the key point with Facebook pages is determining what content to share and with whom. Above all, management is crucial. Given the current trend, it is conceivable that in the future, Facebook will spread to middle and high school students, and it may become standard for universities to manage their own Facebook pages.

The appeal of content is crucial.

It seems that some companies are interested in using Facebook for marketing and analyzing consumer trends, but it’s important to remember that Facebook is primarily a communication tool. Traditional internet media has typically been about one-way dissemination of information, but Facebook enables bidirectional communication. In Japan, which was significantly behind the United States, the spread of Facebook has been remarkably rapid in recent years. One concern here is whether this trend will continue. The method of direct communication between companies and consumers is new for both parties, and frankly, many are unsure how to proceed. Often, companies only offer content akin to uninteresting press releases.

However, such content will not engage consumers. In social media, content that is interesting and share-worthy spreads incredibly fast, while boring content might as well not exist. Videos uploaded to YouTube also spread rapidly, not necessarily because of high quality but because they can be enjoyed easily and quickly. You don’t need a lot of time or money; even amateur videos can succeed if they are creative. Both YouTube and Facebook emphasize the importance of content being engaging and timely.

The “Social Plugin” that nobody thought of

Facebook, in fact, represents a very narrow world. The news feed only displays information from friends, and the scope of news sources is determined entirely by the number of friends you have approved. Therefore, managing your friendships becomes crucial. While it might seem like a disadvantage, Facebook actually recommends becoming friends only with people you have met in person. If you wish to interact with a broader array of people, “Facebook Pages” are available for that purpose.

Furthermore, Facebook offers several tools that link general websites with Facebook, collectively known as “Social Plugins,” represented prominently by the “Like” button. These social plugins are poised to integrate Facebook across the entire internet. Among the web services that have dominated the internet, like Yahoo!, AOL, and Google, only Facebook has embraced the idea of encompassing the internet with such tools.

Hope for the Emergence of a Media Service Originating from Japan

I started my professional life relatively late, after turning 40. At that age, you begin to see the approximate time limit of your life. With that deadline always in mind, I think about leaving something behind when my life ends. Continuing my research in social media is part of that, but I feel a touch of sadness that no globally competitive services have yet emerged from Japan.

Perhaps it’s the language barrier, or maybe it’s because Japan, unlike Silicon Valley where ideas scribbled on napkins can become reality, is a conservative country where innovation is less frequent. However, moving forward, I hope to see individuals who can shape their sudden inspirations into forms that astonish the world.

img

I empathize with your frequent visits to the United States, the heartland of Facebook, and your constant research into its various uses. I am very excited to see how social media will continue to evolve and be used within Japan. Congratulations on the publication of your new book, “Using Facebook for Customer Acquisition”! I hope the phrase “facebook me” will become popular in Japan as well.

Editor-in-Chief of “My Philosophy”, DK Sugiyama

May 2011 at Social Media Research Institute,Edited by: Naomi Kusuda,Photographed by: Daiki Ayuzawa