How Cloud Computing Can Influence the Use of Social Media by Japanese Businesses
Japan has always been regarded as a slow adopter of every new, non-Japanese technology. A typical example is the unexpectedly slow acceptance of social media like Facebook, Twitter and Mixi etc. In a survey reported in Nikkei Computer, the results tabulated below indicate that Japanese businesses are cold to the idea of massively using social media in their day-to-day business activities; however, this revelation obviously points to the fact that there is a huge possibility for their usage in the near future.
|
Purpose |
|
|
Mixi |
|
Get info before Newspapers & TV |
49.3% |
31.9% |
5.8% |
|
Get info on products & services of interest |
20.6% |
12.1% |
8.6% |
|
Advertise and promote products & services |
2.7% |
3.2% |
0.5% |
Source: Nikkei Computer
The figures above show ample opportunities for future expansion in the use of social media as Japanese businesses warm to the adoption of these technologies. Foreign developers and marketers of social media applications will also have better chances of entering gallantly into Japan’s social media market.
So, how can cloud computing facilitate the use of social media in Japan? The table above indicates that a moderate number of Japanese businesses have already been utilizing social media to obtain information about products and services of interest. Large amounts of information will therefore be collected on a daily basis (price information, specifications of products and services, contact/communication information). This bulk of information requires appreciable space on servers for storage, processing and retrieval. In this case, cloud computing will offer more storage capacity for these businesses while making sure that the information obtained is protected and stored in a format that can be easily accessed in a Japanese environment.
Secondly, the results above point to future increases in the utilization of social media by Japanese businesses in advertising. The Japan social media market will be big and profitable, and potential new entrants must be ready for action.
As the volume of advertising on social media increases, companies that offer these services will gain by migrating their storage facility to the cloud when handling the huge data generated. New foreign entrants into Japan’s social media market will benefit hugely because Japanese businesses usually act in a group.
However, there will be huge demand for data storage, protection, easy accessibility and flexibility. The only way to effortlessly achieve this is for the social media companies, developers of applications and other accessories (software and hardware) to adopt the cloud. Cloud computing, tested and trusted, will offer these companies (both local and foreign) the needed storage capacity, security assurance, flexibility and scalability. The good news is that companies can scale down their storage capacity in case Japanese businesses suddenly withdraw from using social media in their advertisement and products/services promotion.
Cloud computing is the only solution for dealing with the projected demand for social media services in Japan. Without it, social media companies as well as their Japanese customers will be hamstrung in their efforts to grow in size and profitability.
Indeed, cloud technology is the next stage in the IT revolution. Looking at the capabilities of previous technologies, Cloud is truly the going trend in terms of social media. Read more about Cloud technology and its flexibility on GMO Cloud’s hosting page.
Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation
Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Guest Author:
Jerry Olasakinju, a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree holder, is a passionate researcher and writer whose interest in everything computing is unparalleled. He blogs about his literary works at http://jerryolasakinju.blogspot.jp/
