Overture finally coming to Japan!

PPC in Asia seems set to get a boost in the first quarter of 2003.

[keikei]

I've heard a rumor that Overture is finally coming to Asia, starting their new office in Tokyo, Japan. Well it's not a rumor but the truth we our Japanese SEO experts have to face at:)

With Yahoo and Goole dominating the search market I wonder how they'll do. Everyone here knows being successful in the US does not make any guarantee their success in Japan :p Yesterday EBay Japan just announced they'd close down their Japan office.

I mean, there would be no success for Overture, without partnering with a major portal in Japan to make a kicj start for their business. I do know a primary candidate but maybe I should not write it down here.

Anyhow I'll keep my eyes on them!

[Mike_Mackin]

Seen it on the radar

Current Jobs:
International Client Service/Content Specialist (Fluent in Japanese and English)

Product Manager, International Products - Japan

Web Developer (Fluent in Japanese and English)

[bill]

keikei we've been watching that since the beginning of the year. I think Mike_Mackin was the first to point out the Japanese skill requirements for jobs [overture.com] over on the Overture site...but I can't seem to find the original post I think it was Dec. or Jan..

I wonder if they'll do an April 1 start...looking at the jobs page it seems they are still building their staff. Tell us if you notice anything new.

[bill]

It looks like Overture Japan just picked up their domain name the other day...

from JPNIC Whois
Domain Name [url=www.overture.co.jp]OVERTURE.CO.JP[/url]
Organization Overture International Inc
Registered Date 2002/02/27

[keikei]

Thanx Mike and Bill.

Hey that's a good way to watch the new development :)

I'll post a note again when I hear anything new.

[bill]

With Google AdWords [google.com] coming to Japan, and LookSmart PPC just around the corner, the chances that Overture Japan will make a big splash here seem to be getting slimmer. Unless they find some way to partner with Yahoo Japan it's going to be very difficult for them in the Japan market. The big players, Google and LookSmart just seem to have too big a lead in terms of their customer bases...

Any hints at when Overture Japan is launching? It looks like the only job they haven't filled yet is International Web Designer...

[daikon]

The rumor I heard is that Overture Japan was hoping to start in April, but have pushed back to June.

So my guess is November. :)

[SEfun]

Kei Kei
Are you Japanese?
Overture Japan just opened it's office in Otemachi, Tokyo on 4/17/2002. They are planning to start service in Fall, 2002. Overture France will launch before Japan. See their job opportunity. That the only way to oversee their strategies. I applied for all positions since they started posted job positions last Nov. However, they didn't reply anything. Thus I quite my job and moved to L.A. from New York this month. Can you believe? I'm in LA now. Anyway, I will visit at Overture's headquater in Pasadena on next Monday, and will sell myself. I can see their success in Japan, too. And I will deliver it. Does anyone have any suggestion or question?

[bill]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld SEfun.

According to Overture's job listing page there is an opening for International Communications Consultant that requires Japanese language skills. If you have experience in the areas they've listed in the Skills/Qualifications requirements you will probably have a good shot. Overture has been advertising for Japanese positions for about 6 months now, so it is possible that a lot of them have been filled already...however, you never know what they may not be advertising ;)

Good luck, and please update us on any Overture Japan news.

[bill]

Well...according to an Overture newsletter Overture Japan should be opening this year! How's that for vague? ;) I have heard that previously Overture had said they were looking for a 2003 Q1 opening.

[rubble88]

A small story about Overture moved on Dow Jones this morning. It reported that Overture-Japan will be formally announced on Thursday, June 27th.

[asia.news.yahoo.com ]

[Woz]

Thanks Rubble, interesting news indeed.

Onya
Woz

[keikei]

BT Looksmart has been trying to sell their Subsite Listing menu hard lately in Japan. Currently they're covering those spaces where portals & ISPs cannot sell by themselves. I just wonder where else left for Overture... :)

[bill]

I heard rumblings about LookSmart Japan offering PPC in Japan, but it's still business as usual on their site (still a directory). I don't think Japanese customers will be very happy if they pull a switch like they did in the US. Hopefully they've learned something from that experience.

keikei you're right. It's hard to find a portal now that doesn't have LookSmart listings ;)

new wildly unsubstantiated rumor (i.e., I just made it up)

Overture Japan will provide PPC results to LookSmart's directory listings...that would be interesting

[bill]

[big]Hot off the presses :)[/big]

[big]Overture Japan[/big] to supply PPC for Goo and Lycos. It looks like full scale operations will commence in the first quarter of 2003. Minimum bids will be ¥25 (about US $0.21).

CNet article [japan.cnet.com]
BizTech article [biztech.nikkeibp.co.jp]
ASCII24 article [ascii24.com]

Overture Japan: [jp.overture.com...]

[Woz]

Thanks for the news Bill,

(I might just mention to members the links Bill provides are all in Japanese)

I imagine this will have a great impact on the Japanese Market in general. Interesting that Overture are using a shot of a Gentleman using a PDA on the page you mentioned. Do you see mobile net users as being a big target market for PPC or is this just a coincidence their part?

Onya
Woz

[bill]

Interesting that Overture are using a shot of a Gentleman using a PDA on the page you mentioned. Do you see mobile net users as being a big target market for PPC or is this just a coincidence their part?

I'm not sure if that is a PDA, calculator or phone...I really doubt that Overture is going after that market. goo and Lycos aren't really known for their i-Mode (wireless/mobile) search sites...InfoSeek and Google were the forerunners in that area...even so, the volume of searches from wireless/mobile still pales in comparison to the regular search site's volume.

I'm really hoping that this will put some life back into goo and Lycos. In particular, I really like the Lycos Japan use of WiseNut and think that their results are pretty good...their interface is very usable...they just lack the traffic of Google.

[daikon]

I agree with bill's comments on lycos.co.jp: it's a solid effort, but it just doesn't provide the referrals that the JP versions of google.yahoo and google do. Adding Overture will surely increase it's traffic from webmasters, but will it be any sort of draw for straight up users? "Better advertising!" seems an odd pitch.

If Overture JP does not tie up with yahoo.co.jp and/or msn.co.jp do you think they can survive?

[bill]

daikon:
Adding Overture will surely increase it's traffic from webmasters, but will it be any sort of draw for straight up users? "Better advertising!" seems an odd pitch.

True, true...I think this is just the beginning of the PPC announcements in the Japanese SE market...whether or not anyone here will actually use these options is still an unknown. I'm sure all of the SEO-types in Japan will give it a whirl (All 3 of us right ;))

As far as the limited SE coverage, I'm sure that will expand. I wouldn't be surprised to see Overture ride the Yahoo coattails in before too long. Also, as they have already landed goo, wouldn't it be a natural progression to go after the other Inktomi family, MSN and AOL (although neither MSN or AOL Japan are really big traffic drivers for me)? The biggest barrier here would be LookSmart, which already has its fingers in MSN, but seems to be stronger in the portal arena.

[bill]

Neat Overture News
I've been chatting with Overture people a lot and they told me that their DirecTraffic Center will be in all languages of all the markets they support. (Currently, US English, UK English, German, French and Japanese.) You will be able to toggle between them, and set your preference for support. That's really good news for those who work in more than one language!

[lgn]

Im surprized that Overture does not have a site
for Canada. After all, Canada & USA are each
others largest trading partners.

I guess Overture treats Canada as the 51st state.
At least I don't get any listing rejections, for
having a Canadian Address.