牛津经济研究院-日本网络广告-SMB视角（英）

ONLINE ADVERTISING IN JAPAN – THE SMB PERSPECTIVE AUGUST 202523Online advertising in Japan: The SMB perspective Online advertising in Japan: The SMB perspective EXECUTIVE SUMMARYA robust online advertising industry is maturing in Japan, the world’s third largest advertising market. Japan is uniquely positioned relative to other countries, with traditional forms of advertising still accounting for around half of all advertising spend, more than other significant markets. Japan has huge potential to grow its online advertising industry, with cascading economic benefits, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), a critical segment of the economy. In partnership with Google, Oxford Economics surveyed 1,000 SMBs across nine industries in Japan to understand their online advertising strategies, growth plans, barriers to adoption, and returns on investment.KEY TAKEAWAYS1. SMBs are making the most of the diverse online advertising ecosystem. Over nine in 10 respondents use at least two ad formats and three digital ad platforms. 2. SMBs report a long list of benefits of using online advertising, including revenue growth, cost effectiveness and measurability. 2.1. 80% of SMBs believe that online advertising enables clear insights into ad effectiveness to inform key business decisions.3. Online advertising delivers strong return on investment (ROI) for SMBs, with 88% expecting it to increase the ROI of their campaigns over the next three years. 4. 87% of SMBs acknowledge AI’s potential to significantly enhance efficiency, creativity, and ROI, but only one-third of respondents are currently leveraging AI for online ads.5. Navigating the competitive online advertising landscape and developing technical skills are the top two hurdles for SMBs to unlock further returns on their online advertising investments.5.1. However, 96% believe that the challenges they face will not prevent their businesses from expanding online advertising initiatives over the next few years.6. SMBs can learn from the best practices of the top 30% of respondents. These leaders are further ahead in their use of online advertising and AI. 7. To support SMBs in successfully leveraging online advertising for their growth, we recommend the following actions for stakeholders:7.1. Increase awareness and expertise amongst SMBs. 7.2. Invest in digital tools and skills of SMBs.7.3. Support SMBs to integrate AI into advertising plans, with clear regulatory guidance from policymakers.7.4. Mobilize government and industry partnerships.45Online advertising in Japan: The SMB perspective Online advertising in Japan: The SMB perspective INTRODUCTION1 Dentsu. “2024 Advertising Expenditures in Japan,” February 27, 2025. 2 Dentsu. “Global Ad Spend Forecasts,” December, 2024. 3 Advertising Association. “Advertising Pays 2025 (Figure 17: Online ad spend as a percentage of total ad spend in the top six ad markets, 2010-2024)” 4 Oxford Economics. “Japan’s small firms’ profitability will help de