Why Japan's internet is different and why it matters for your content

A few days ago, the lovely Cynthia Zhou popped up in my feed. She responded to a video essay by Answer in Progress that explored why Japan's internet looks so different to the rest of the world. Their conclusion? The rise of the smartphone.

Over fifteen years ago, Apple changed the way we browsed the internet. In 2007, they launched the iPhone and mobile phone revolution – putting the internet in everyone's back pocket and becoming the most valuable company in a world. Answer in Progress argues this shift fundamentally created the demand for minimalist web design. With smaller screens, clear and concise messaging became key. With costly data packages and spotty cellular connections, a quick load time became crucial too.

While this revolution was happening in the West, smartphone usage in Japan remained low. Most people continued to access the internet via a computer, and nothing needed to change.

Therefore, technology influenced how the internet looks. As Sabrina Cruz from Answer in Progress says, "I'm just not convinced that culture is the primary cause of Japan's unique web design." Or so the argument goes.

Lost in translation

Enter Cynthia Zhou with a rebuttal. Why is Japan's internet so cluttered, dense, and rich with information? The answer, she argues, lies in cultural psychology.

Researchers have found that there's a clear culture difference in how Western and Eastern people process information. Westerners tend to think analytically: they focus on individual objects and their details and attributes. Easterners tend to think holistically: they focus on the relationships between objects and how they contribute to the overall picture.

This leads to different views on what's the ‘optimal’ amount of information presented. As a study found, East Asians are more likely to produce information-rich sources, because their holistic way of thinking embraces the idea that everything is equally important and embedded in the whole context. They're also more likely to process information-rich products, such as webpages, faster than their European Canadian and North American counterparts.

Rethinking content

As a content specialist, I find this subject fascinating. Should we be making content differently? After all, good content design should focus on the user.

I often create written content for international companies with a presence in Asia Pacific. While the content addresses their audience's unique needs, we've never stopped to evaluate whether we should present information differently. Does the structure and design need to change?

Of course, we're sensitive to language, representation, colour psychology, and wider cultural differences in politics, society, economics, and identity – but we've never questioned how these audiences could process information differently and what we could do to serve them better. The delivery is largely the same. We've just been scratching the surface.

In these cases, international companies may have expanded into overseas waters, but their content remains a Western export. My culture also influences my work. So, how can we create content that truly reaches our target audience, builds trust, and makes them feel understood?

The new best practice?

The influences of cultural psychology stress the importance of content design. We should never take our audience's needs and preferences for granted, but continue to research, analyse, and invite feedback to deliver the best content and experiences. This is particularly important when expanding into different markets and localising content. We should never view one way of doing things as the 'best way', because it's what we know or what we’re used to.

With this in mind, I invite you to revisit the best practices for content design. In my view, there are '5 Cs' to create content that effectively serves your target audience's needs:

• Consumer: What are their problems, challenges, and desires? How can I help?

• Culture: What’s their cultural background? How does that influence the way they process information?

• Context: How much information do they need? How should I present and structure it?

• Clarity: Have I given clear and correct information? Have I communicated effectively?

• Credibility: Have I provided value and established my expertise? Am I trustworthy?

Do you write or design content for different audiences? What do you do differently? Comment below and let's keep the conversation going.