China is a leading global investment hub, with 58% of foreign companies ranking it among their top three markets.
Looking ahead to 2025, 76% of companies plan to reinvest in China, with US companies making up 74%, an 11-point increase from the previous year.
As global economic integration accelerates, entering the Chinese market has become a core growth strategy for many Japanese companies. However, China’s digital marketing environment differs significantly from that of Japan, and superficial translation alone will not produce sufficient results.
Successful digital marketing in China demands a deep understanding of strategies such as SEO, Chinese-language website construction, and adaptation to China’s unique digital ecosystem.
This article offers a systematic guide to building Chinese-language websites and selecting the right servers for Japanese companies entering the Chinese market.
Table of Contents
Language differences are the first major challenge Japanese companies face when entering the Chinese market.
Simply relying on translation tools or literal translations often leaves users feeling uneasy and unintelligible.
An effective approach is to employ native speakers to create and optimize website content. This ensures that the content is tailored to Chinese users’ habits and blends seamlessly into the local cultural context.
High-quality localized content not only improves the user experience, but also facilitates indexing and ranking in search engines like Baidu, leading to better exposure and increased conversions for your company.
In addition to language differences, China’s unique internet ecosystem cannot be ignored. Over 90% of Chinese users access the internet via smartphone, so websites must be optimized for a mobile experience.
Unlike Japan’s reliance on Google, Facebook, and Instagram, China primarily uses Baidu, Sogou, and 360 as search engines, while social media and consumption are concentrated on platforms such as WeChat, Alipay, Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo.
Furthermore, businesses can utilize new media platforms such as WeChat Official Accounts, WeChat Mini-Programs, Alipay Mini-Programs, RED, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Weibo, and Toutiao to promote their brands and sell their products.
Only by understanding these channels can you adapt to China’s internet environment and achieve true localized marketing.
China restricts the websites accessible to domestic users through a network censorship system known as the Great Firewall (GFW). As a result, international sites widely used in Japan and other countries, such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Amazon, cannot be accessed properly from mainland China.
Therefore, when Japanese companies build websites in China, they must carefully consider network regulations and the local access environment. Building a website without being familiar with the relevant policies and technologies may result in issues such as inaccessibility or slow loading.
Furthermore, since Google is not available in China, search engine optimization (SEO) strategies for domestic websites must be tailored to local search engines such as Baidu, Sogou, and 360. Specifically, keyword placement, site structure optimization, and content localization are essential to maximize exposure and access in the Chinese market.
When Japanese companies enter the Chinese market, they will first notice significant differences in website style between Chinese and Japanese users.
Japanese websites are characterized by simple, understated designs, with ample white space, small fonts, uncluttered layouts, and a calm atmosphere. They prioritize trustworthiness and professionalism, with users often taking the time to read detailed content. The design emphasizes typography and subtle details, focusing on static images and text, with minimal animations or interactions. Communicating branding and corporate culture is key, fostering a strong sense of trust.
Chinese websites, on the other hand, are characterized by high information density and strong visual impact. Home pages often integrate navigation, carousels, and promotional information, with large fonts, prominent buttons, and bright colors like red and orange to attract attention. Page content is information-rich, with ample portal sites and advertising space. Dynamic effects, carousels, and pop-up ads are also common, emphasizing the importance of providing users with information intuitively and quickly. In terms of functionality, efficiency is emphasized, e-commerce orders are typically completed in three steps or less, and interactive tools such as WeChat QR codes and online customer service are widely adopted.
In general, when Japanese companies build websites in China, it is important to maintain their brand image while incorporating design elements localized for Chinese users. This will allow them to provide a professional and reliable site while also meeting the fast and intuitive browsing experience that Chinese users demand.
| Comparison | Japanese website | Chinese Website |
| Differences in Style | – Page design trends are simple, understated, and have plenty of white space
– Attention to text layout, using small fonts and subtle details – Uses a lot of static images and text, with relatively little animation or interaction – Emphasizes brand identity and corporate culture and focuses on conveying a sense of trust |
– Page content is information-dense, with homepages often featuring numerous links and ad space.
– Fonts are large, emphasizing intuitive and rapid delivery of important information. – Dynamic effects, carousels, and pop-ups are commonly used to attract users’ attention. Emphasis is placed on practicality and promotion, providing users with an “immediate experience.” |
| Navigation and Information | – Navigation menus have a clear hierarchy, with detailed categories that don’t dominate the main content.
– Generally, top navigation and submenus are kept to a minimum. Users tend to take their time browsing and reading the content. |
– Home pages often display many links (banners, icons, shortcut links)
– Top navigation, side navigation, and footer navigation are typically arranged to help users navigate easily. – Users are accustomed to finding their goals quickly, so information tends to be presented in a prominent manner. |
| Aesthetics / Visual Design Elements | – Light and soft colors are generally used, creating a clean and professional impression.
– Blue, gray, and white are preferred and are used to convey a sense of security and reliability. – Images often feature actual product photos or everyday scenes, with a focus on simple, natural expressions. |
– Red, orange, and bright colors are generally preferred, emphasizing promotions and campaigns.
– Contrast is emphasized, making buttons, prices, coupons, etc. easily visible. – Strong visual impact is often seen, often reflecting seasonal or event-related marketing. |
| Functional Interactions | – Fewer function buttons, and a somewhat slower user experience.
– Primarily static displays, focusing on user guides and company introductions. – The purchasing process can be somewhat lengthy, and users tend to have a high level of patience. |
– Multiple entry points, emphasizing efficiency.
– E-commerce sites are optimized for the goal of “order completion in three steps or less.” – Social interaction is emphasized, and WeChat, QR codes, and share buttons are almost mandatory. |
| Browsing habits | – They tend to read the website thoroughly and want to learn about the company culture, detailed specifications, technical documents, etc. | – They tend to quickly scan the website, checking prices, discount information, contact information, etc., and then proceed to WeChat, Taobao, JD.com, etc. to complete their purchase or inquiry. |
Furthermore, due to physical distance and the effects of China’s Great Firewall (GFW), accessing overseas servers can result in slower loading times and a poor user experience. While AWS is available in China, some services may be limited.
For this reason, when building a website in China, Japanese companies should choose a domestic Chinese server (e.g., Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud). This not only improves access speeds, but also makes it easier to register an ICP license and comply with China’s network management requirements.
In general, when Japanese companies enter the Chinese market, they can maintain their brand image while incorporating localized design elements and a domestic Chinese server strategy to build a professional and efficient Chinese website, providing Chinese customers with a smooth and intuitive user experience.
If your primary target customers are in China, we recommend that your website server be located in mainland China or Hong Kong.
Before you can publish your website on a server in mainland China, you need to complete ICP registration (website registration with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), which usually takes about 20 to 30 business days.
If you choose a server in Hong Kong or overseas, you can reduce website access delays by using a CDN (content delivery network).
Popular CDN services in China include Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud, and Baidu AI Cloud.
※ If you want to launch quickly, a Chinese theme for WordPress is generally recommended.
Unlike typical overseas markets, the Chinese market is a vast, uniquely developed digital ecosystem. For Japanese companies to succeed in China, it’s essential not only to integrate consumer insights with their digital strategies, but also to prepare for localization by building Chinese websites and selecting servers.
First, a Chinese website must be built specifically for Chinese users, with content and design tailored to local browsing habits and visual preferences, and the mobile experience and interaction must be optimized.
Second, due to physical distance and the Great Firewall of China (GFW), accessing overseas servers can result in slow loading times and a poor user experience. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing mainland China servers (such as Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud). This not only improves access speeds, but also simplifies ICP registration and network management regulations.
Furthermore, by combining product content, brand promotion, and social interaction strategies based on local consumer insights, Japanese companies can build long-term relationships of trust in the Chinese market and achieve synergistic growth between their digital marketing and website operations.
If you are interested in learning more about Chinese website construction and past success stories, please feel free to contact us. Our professional team will provide you with Chinese website construction and server construction/operation solutions.
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