New Online Store for a Japanese Beauty Brand
Many Japanese companies who were satisfied with domestic success in their home country now want to sell internationally as their domestic market shrinks due to demographic challenges. However, adapting a website for a new audience can be challenging, particularly when translating and localizing content.
In this case study, we'll explore how I helped a local agency position a well-established Japanese brand of natural skin hydration supplements for D2C ecommerce success in the US.
The Challenge
The original website was designed with the Japanese market in mind, featuring a long, text-heavy landing page with small, detailed images. Although they had a few pages in English, the content failed to effectively convey the product's value, making it difficult for non-Japanese speakers to connect with the brand. It was a direct translation from Japanese and failed to resonate with Western consumers' mindset.
Our Approach
To address these challenges, we took a multi-faceted approach to revamp the website:
Modern Design: We redesigned the website using a modern aesthetic, focusing on a clean layout and visually appealing images to showcase the products. Since I'm primarily a copywriter, the bulk of this was done by the local agency's team, but since none of them are native English speakers, I supervised to ensure no cultural quirks crept in.
Improved Navigation: Instead of a single, lengthy landing page, we divided the content into separate pages to enhance navigation and user experience. This broadened the appeal to a broader range of potential customers because they could quickly move around the site to find information that was a high priority for their personal needs.
Localized Content: Rather than simply rewriting the existing English content, we revisited and carefully localized the original Japanese text to capture the brand's voice and intentions. The founder's personal, vulnerable, and sincere story, combined with his obsession with quality and customer satisfaction, set the tone.
Benefit-Oriented Copy: We crafted the copy to highlight the benefits of the supplements in promoting skin health and combating signs of aging. We also incorporated testimonials and clinical trial results to build credibility and trust among potential customers.
Writing Examples
Below, I’ll share an excerpt from their About Us page demonstrating my conversion copywriting approach.
The Direct Translation from Japanese
Why Does Our Skin Sag as We Get Older?
Sagging and dry skin are significant issues for women as they age, but why does this phenomenon occur when we age in the first place?
According to research conducted by major cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturers, aging is a drying process.
In other words, as we age, our body's water content decreases, similar to how plants wither and die.
Aging leads to dryness, loss of skin tension, and sagging skin.
My Rewrite
Why Our Skin Sags as We Age
According to research conducted by major cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturers, a significant cause of aging symptoms is skin dehydration. This dryness leads to symptoms of aging, including loss of skin elasticity, and results in sagging.
My Logic
The rewritten version is better than the direct translation for several reasons:
Concise Title: The rewritten title is more concise and directly addresses the main topic without unnecessary phrases like "in the first place."
Removal of Gender-Specific Language: The original text specifies that sagging skin is a significant issue for women, while the rewritten version removes this gender-specific language, making the information more inclusive and applicable to a broader audience.
Concise Explanation: The rewritten version condenses why skin sags as we age into one clear, concise sentence. It eliminates the unnecessary analogy about plants withering and dying, which doesn't directly contribute to understanding the topic.
Clearer Cause and Effect: The rewritten text more clearly establishes the cause-and-effect relationship between skin dehydration and the symptoms of aging, such as loss of skin elasticity and sagging.
Removal of Redundancy: The original text mentions "sagging" or "sagging skin" twice, which is redundant. The rewritten version mentions sagging only once, making the text more concise and easier to read.
Better Flow: The rewritten version has a better flow and structure, presenting the information more logically and organized. It starts with the main cause (skin dehydration) and then lists the effects (loss of skin elasticity and sagging).
The Results
Their old English website poorly communicated the company's products' incredible quality, technical innovation, and track record. Combining modern design, improved navigation, localized content, and benefit-oriented copy, we successfully transformed it into a compelling and engaging platform for Western consumers.
Now, they can run ads to get traffic without worrying that visitors will be confused or turned off. The new site serves as an excellent foundation for building their brand globally, and I’m excited to see what the future brings them.
