European Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan...Japanese vs Domestic Followers Real Madrid Juventus...

European Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan

22 Clubs

Ranking

DataAnalysis

January2020

www.ganassa.jp

European Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan 2020

Twitter is one of the most popular social media in Japan, and surely the go-to platform for those who want to discover information about and discuss football. According to a GlobalWebIndex-Hootsuite/WeAreSocial survey published in January 2019, Twitter is visited by 49% of Japanese Internet users, meaning nearly 40 million people.

It is an ideal media for the Japanese: portable device-friendly, easy to use, and guaranteeing a high level of privacy.

Among the countless feeds dedicated to football, by the end of 2019 we counted 28 European clubs running accounts in Japanese, a number that can be rounded up to 30, if we include the two feeds managed by LaLiga and Bundesliga.

The scope of this research, the first ever on this topic, is to examine 22 European clubs’ approach to their Japanese audience through Twitter. Our final goal is to begin defining what are the elements that determine success among Japanese football fans.

Our findings confirmed most of what we have experienced since we have started to manage football-related Twitter accounts four years ago. To begin with, there are two factors that are beyond the power of those managing Twitter accounts: the presence and quality of the performance of Japanese players, and the results of the club.

Be that as it may, there are editorial practices that can result in a better performance: localization of graphics and video clips, fans engagement, and the overall creativity and quality of the feed.

The data contained in this report gives a clear idea of the variances some accounts experience depending on the arrival or the departure of a Japanese player. However, our yearly winners Real Betis showed how, despite losing both of their Japanese players in 2019, it was possible to use the opportunity of their presence for one season to create a link with Japan, fostered by a vibrant

Twitter feed and interactions with Japanese fans at several levels.

They are one of several European clubs that understand the need to cultivate the Japanese audience. It is a practice that requires consistency and patience, and is implemented by others as well, including for example runner-ups Real Madrid, or Juventus, Marseille, Schalke 04, SD Eibar, and more.

With top clubs such as AS Roma, Liverpool FC, and hopefully others joining Twitter in Japan, the presence of European clubs accounts will be even more engaging in 2020, supporting the growth of football fans in the Far East, and offering new opportunities for cooperation and monetization in Japan.

Cesare Polenghi

MD at Ganassa LLC, Tokyo.

2019, a Review

TWITTER

The Relevance of Twitter in JapanEuropean Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan 2020

Yearly Ranking

European Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan, 2020

About the RankingThis is the first survey on European Football Club's activities on Twitter in Japan.

Sample data were gathered over a period of fifteen days between November 18 and December 2, 2019. The period included one midweek round of UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

Followers' numbers, both for total and for calculations on engagement were recorded on December 1, 2019.

The survey covers 22 European football clubs that have active official Twitter accounts in Japanese. Zaragoza, Cadiz and Elche were not considered, as on December 1st they had less than 1,000 followers.

UD Almeria as well was excluded as the majority of the followers are not Japanese. Finally, AS Roma and Liverpool's opened in late November and December, respectively and did not make the cut for this survey.

There were four criteria used to rank the 22 clubs and their activity on Twitter in Japan:

1. Number of followers, (absolute total in Japan, and percentage of Japanese followers vs. native language account’s followers)

2. Localization, mostly the number of graphics and videos that are translated into Japanese, plus links to a Japanese website for extended content.

3. Engagement, the average number of comments, retweets and likes that show user's participation

4. Content evaluation, provided by Japanese freelance journalist Wataru Funaki (@watarufunaki).

All data updated through December 2, 2019.

Disclaimer: the information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we strive to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future.

No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.


Criteria’s DetailsLess than 5,000 followers = 1 point

5000-9,999 followers = 2 points 10,000-49,999 followers = 3 points 50,000-99,999 followers = 4 points

100,000 or more followers = 5 points

0-0.49% of native followers = 0 points 0.5-0.99% of native followers = 1 point 1-4.99% of native followers = 2 points

5% or more of native followers = 3 points__

Less than 0,5 localized graphic/wk = 0 points 0,5-1,99 localized graphics/wk = 1 point

2-2,99 localized graphics/wk = 2 point 3 or more localized graphics/wk = 3 pointsLess than 0,5 subtitled video/wk = 0 points

0,5-1,9 subtitled videos/wk = 1 point 2-2,9 subtitled videos/wk = 2 points

3 or more subtitled videos/wk = 3 pointsLinks to the official website in Japanese = 1 point

Followers Localization

Engagement

Maximumachievable

points: 25 Content Value

1 to 8 points

0 to 7 points

1 to 5 points

1 to 5 points

Below 0.10 = 1 point 0.10 to 0.19 = 2 points 0.20 to 0.49 = 3 points 0.50 to 0.99 = 4 points

More than 1.00 = 5 points

Calculated with the formula: ((Comments+Retweets+Like)/Followers)/

Average number of daily tweets over 15 days x 100

Evaluated and ranked from 1-5 by Wataru Funaki, a Portugal-based

Japanese free-lance Twitter expert who writes mostly for footballchannel.jp

Poor language/information feed = 1 point Average feed = 2 points

Good quality feed = 3 points Excellent quality feed = 4 points

Top quality feed = 5 points


100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000R

eal M

adri

d

Bar

celo

na

Man

. Cit

y

Sch

alke

04

Man

. Uni

ted

Juve

ntus

Che

lsea

1. M

ainz

05

Inte

r M

ilano

Mar

seill

e

Fran

kfur

t

PS

G

ST

VV

Gro

ning

en

Rea

l Bet

is

Bre

men

Sal

zbur

g

Eib

ar

Sev

illa

Düs

seld

orf

Hue

sca

Zen

it

Followers

Points Points Points Points Point5 4 3 2 1

100,000 or more

Followers

Between 50,000

and 99,999 Followers

Between 10,000

and 49,999 Followers

Between 5,000

and 9,999 Followers

Less than 5,000

Followers


Yearly Trends I - El Clasico on Twitter in Japan

240,000

280,000

320,000

360,000

400,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Real Madrid Barcelona

Takefusa Kubo joins Real Madrid

Barcelona play two games in

Tokyo and Kobe

Takefusa Kubo is loaned out to RCD Mallorca

Followers

News of a Takefusa Kubo transfer to Real Madrid

begin to spread in Japan

Hiroki Abe joins Barcelona B


45,000

50,000

55,000

60,000

65,000

70,000

75,000


Man City Man Utd Schalke Juventus Chelsea

Yearly Trends II - The Race to 100,000

Chelsea play two games in

Tokyo and Kobe

Man City play a match in YokohamaMan City announces

Japan summer tour

Man City completes Ko Itakura’s acquisition

Schalke have been leaking followers since Atsuto Uchida

left in August 2017

Followers


Yearly Trends III - Clubs with Japanese Players

0

2,500

5,000

7,500

10,000

12,500

15,000


Marseille Frankfurt STVV Groningnen Bremen RB Salzburg Eibar Dusseldorf HuescaFollowers

Summer transfers determine changes in most clubs trading

Japanese players


Yearly Trends IV - Clubs that lost Japanese Players

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000


Real Betis Groningnen DusseldorfTakashi Inui is

loaned to Deportivo Alaves

Takashi Inui temporarily returns

to Real Betis

Takashi Inui moves to SD Eibar

Ritsu Doan moves to PSV

Takashi Usami returns to Augsburg

Followers


11.10%

9.88%

9.24%

1.77%

2.19%

2.30% Real Betis

1st

2nd

3rd

15.05%

Japanese vs Domestic Followers

Real Madrid

Juventus

Schalke 04

Werder Bremen

1. FSV Mainz 05

STTV

Eintracht Frankfurt

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th 1.51%

1.14%

1.14%

1.30%

1.37%

1.01%

0.79%

0.98%

72.44%

0.38%

0.35%

0.26%

10th

14th

15th

16th

17th

17th

21st

20th

19th

22nd

Ranking Club Percentage Ranking Club Ranking Club

Barcelona

Eibar

Groningen

Man. City

Marseille

Chelsea

Inter Milano

PSG

Salzburg

Huesca

Man. United

Sevilla

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Zenit

0.41%

0.41%

0.14%

12th

11th

12th

Percentage Percentage

⬆Above 5% - points3

⬆Between 1% and 4.99% - points2

⬆Between 0.5% and 0.99% - point1


Localization7Points 5 4

3 2

PointsPoints

Points Points

Poi

nt1


2.41

1.871.57

0.821.361.46

Real Betis

1st

2nd

3rd

2.45

Engagement

Real Madrid

Juventus

Schalke 04

Werder Bremen

1. FSV Mainz 05STTV

Eintracht Frankfurt

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th 0.72

0.40

0.530.560.61

0.31

0.170.28

3.23

0.140.15

0.08

10th

14th

15th

16th

18th

17th

21st

20th

19th

22nd

Ranking Club Engagement Rate Ranking Club Ranking Club

Barcelona

Eibar

Groningen Man. City

Marseille

Chelsea

Inter Milano

PSG

Salzburg

Huesca

Man. United

Sevilla

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Zenit 0.16

0.12

0.02

12th

11th

13th

Engagement Rate

⬆Above 1.00 - points

⬆Between 0.50 and 0.99 - points


⬆Below 0.10 - point


5

4 2

3

1

Engagement Rate


Content5 4

3 2

PointsPoints

Points Points

Poi

nt1


The Top ThreeReal Betis

Real Madrid

Juventus


171414

141414

Real Betis1st 192nd

3rd

18Real Madrid

Juventus

Schalke 04

Werder Bremen

1. FSV Mainz 05

STTV

Eintracht Frankfurt

4th

4th

4th

4th

4th

9th 13

131313

13

12

12

11

11

12

9

99

79th

9th

9th

9th

14th

17th

14th

14th

17th

19th

19th

19th

22nd

Ranking Club Total Points Ranking Club Ranking Club

Eibar

Groningen

Man. City

Marseille

Chelsea

Inter Milano

PSG

Salzburg

Huesca

Man. United

Sevilla

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Zenit

BarcelonaTotal Points Total Points

Final RankingEuropean Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan 2020

Clubs’ Cards


4Followers in Japan Domestic Followers Localization Engagement

ContentBetis’ account features localized matchday graphics, interview clips with Japanese subtitles and multiple bespoke content posts for Japan. Interactions with Japanese fans are diligently curated. Perhaps the club could take greater advantage of their Japanese website platform.

Points RankingRatings

19/25 1st

7,493Points: 2/5

745,488Ratio: 1.01%

Points: 2/3 Points: 7/7

7 0.53Points: 4/5

Comment

Points: 4/5

4@RealBetis_jp

2018Since



ContentThe account features a lot of compelling content, such as clips and pictures, plus links directing fans to the Japanese website. Subtitles on short interviews of players and manager enable them to reach the fans directly. A master-class account.


18/25 2nd

378,665Points: 5/5

33,311,305Ratio: 1.14%


4 0.15Points: 2/5

Comment

Points: 5/5

5 2010@realmadridjapan

Since



ContentJuventus’ graphics for the squad list and starting lineups are localized. Clips are the same as the ones on the Italian account, but unfortunately not all of them feature Japanese subtitles. This account peculiarity is the interaction with local fans, which is unique in Japan, especially among big clubs.


17/25 3rd

60,116Points: 4/5

7,564,276Ratio: 0.79%


5 0.31Points: 3/5

Comment

Points: 4/5

4 2014@juventusfcjp

Since



Content


14/25 4th

28,241Points: 3/5

187,598Ratio: 15.05%


3 0.02Points: 1/5

Comment

Points: 4/5

4 Many of Mainz’ graphics are localized, and information on lineups and matches are easy to understand. The editors also actively react to Japanese fans' tweets, a feat that allowed Mainz to keep most of their Japanese audience despite the loss of Yoshinori Muto. On the downside, updates are not very frequent and there are few clips.

2014@mainz05_jp

Since



Content


14/25 4th

11,228Points: 3/5

488,378Ratio: 2.30%


2 0.61Points: 4/5

Comment

Points: 3/5

3 Eintracht Frankfurt have excellent text content on their Japanese website and Twitter is often used as a platform to smoothly directs fans there. Graphics for the starting lineup are nicely localized; however, the account overall lacks pictures and clips, and rarely interact with fans.

Since

2014@eintracht_jp



Content


14/25 4th

72,610Points: 4/5

735,291Ratio: 9.88%


1 0.08Points: 1/5

Comment

Points: 5/5

5 Even after the departure of Atsuto Uchida, Schalke’s commitment to their Japanese fans hasn’t changed. They publish updated information about press conferences and training sessions, and players' and manager's comments are often translated into Japanese. There are frequent updates, including legends' birthdays. Finally, there is good interaction with Japanese fans. A top account.

Since

2013@s04_jp



Content


14/25 4th

10,365Points: 3/5

14,309Ratio: 72.44%


1 1.46Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2 The main contents are links to the website and match information. The overall feeling is not particularly fan-friendly and has limited appeal towards new fans. However, there are several pictures and clips featuring interviews of Japanese players, a good source of information that would not be available otherwise.

Since

2018@STVV_JP



Content


14/25 4th

5,761Points: 2/5

504,542Ratio: 1.14%


2 1.87Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 3/5

3 Werder’s account does not feature many clips, but it enables fans to read players and manager's comments in Japanese. The main focus is the Japanese player Yuya Osako, who is featured in many pictures. However, the overall content is a bit shallow, and the Japanese font used to localize graphics is hard to read.

Since

2018@werderbremen_jp



Content


13/25 9th

282,729Points: 5/5

20,613,050Ratio: 1.37%


1 0.14Points: 2/5

Comment

Points: 3/5

3 Despite their top domestic editorial quality, sadly Barcelona do not produce Japanese contents specifically for this account. The feed is updated quite often and has a lot of compelling clips but they don't have Japanese subtitles. The highlight are possibly trivia tweets about the club's history, which are both interesting and informative.

Since

2012@fcbarcelona_jp



Content


13/25 9th

4,803Points: 1/5

219,130Ratio: 2.19%


1 2.45Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 4/5

4 Faithful to their ideals of equality, SD Eibar’s Twitter account promotes not only Takashi Inui but also Japanese players in their women's team. Not many clips are published, but they are often of top quality and subbed. The website is often linked to the Twitter account, and provides information otherwise unavailable to Japanese fans.

Since

2017@sdeibar_jp



Content


13/25 9th

7,496Points: 2/5

187,598Ratio: 15.05%


1 2.41Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2 The main contents are only match highlights and interviews with Japanese player Ko Itakura, However, the feed is not often updated, there is scant information on the matches and in general. It's also not impressive that every highlight clip prominently features the sponsor logo. Overall, not very fan-friendly.

Since

2017@fcgroningen_jp



ContentManchester City Twitter’s feed features plenty of information about matches; however, live tweets are limited to big games. Since there is no running Japanese language website, the total amount of information is limited. As a side note, Japanese fans were impressed by City Football Group's support for Yokohama F. Marinos ahead of their historical 2019 J1 League Championship.


13/25 9th

72,923Points: 4/5

7,451,149Ratio: 0.98%


1 0.56Points: 4/5

Comment

Points: 3/5

3Since

2013@ManCityJP



ContentMarseille’s Japanese editors provide great interaction with the fans, and of course publish plenty of compelling content around Hiroki Sakai - they even produced a regular manga series about him! The club also actively promote articles about the club on other Japanese media, that are linked via Twitter. Overall, good care and creativity.


13/25 9th

13,317Points: 3/5

3,243,783Ratio: 0.41%


1 1,57Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 4/5

4Since

2015@OM_Japanese



ContentChelsea fans often complain about their Japanese Twitter account. Mostly, they are disappointed by the lack of interaction and the several links to articles written in English. Often the tone is detached, and tweets are likely written by somebody who does not know much about football. The localized graphics are the only positive aspect.


12/25 14th

56,428Points: 4/5

13,650,457Ratio: 0.41%


5 0.16Points: 2/5

Comment

Points: 1/5

1Since

2012@ChelseaFC_Japan



ContentPSG’s Japanese timeline is updated often, but most tweets are flat boring. Attempts to interact with fans so far haven’t been very successful. Considering the effort the club is putting into pushing the brand in Japan, they should take better care of their Twitter account as well, by developing a specific strategy to support their vision.


12/25 14th

10,748Points: 3/5

7,443,521Ratio: 0.14%


3 0.82Points: 4/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2Since

2019@PSGJapan



ContentHuesca's Twitter account in Japanese hasn’t been very successful despite the presence of Shinji Okazaki. There is potentially interesting content, but lacks of translation into Japanese makes it useless for the fans. The feed needs to provide more information, for example to help those interested in visiting a practice session.

Points Ranking

12/25

2,336Points: 1/5

131,949Ratio: 1.77%


1 1.36Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 3/5

3Since

2019@SDHuesca_jp


Ratings

14th

Followers in Japan Domestic Followers Localization Engagement

ContentMost of Inter Japanese Twitter’s content is focused on matches. There are clips; however, the audio is often in Italian and subtitle are in English, resulting in a frustrating user experience for Japanese fans. Redirection to the Japanese website could be curated better. Overall, the feed needs more care, passion and interaction with the fans.

Points Ranking

11/25 17th

25,927Points: 3/5

1,995,026Ratio: 1.30%


1 0.40Points: 3/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2Since

2014@Inter_jp


2Ratings

1/2


ContentExclusive interviews with Takumi Minamino and Masaya Okugawa make for good content, but there are few tweets on non-match days, and basically no other content specifically for Japan, nor interaction with the fans. The complete lack of localization makes Salzburg’s account one of the less friendly for Japanese users.


11/25 17th

4,935Points: 1/5

44,462Ratio: 11.10%


0 3.23Points: 5/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2

1/2

Since

2018@FCRBS_JP



ContentDespite their popularity in Japan, Manchester United basically provide no specific or localized content on their Twitter account. Live tweets and links to the Japanese website lack enthusiasm. Clips would be of interest, but as they feature no Japanese subtitles, they leave most users puzzled.


9/25 19th

72,075Points: 4/5

20,640,958Ratio: 0.35%


1 0.12Points: 2/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2Since

2013@ManUtd_JP



ContentSevilla Twitter's Japanese account is very average. It features basic content, such as match-day information, a few comments from press conferences, promotion of the club, retweets of players, etc. It is not a bad feed, but it lacks the warmth needed to engage the fans.


9/25 19th

3,654Points: 1/5

954,936Ratio: 0.38%


2 0.28Points: 3/5

Comment

Points: 3/5

3Since

2015@SevillaFC_JA



ContentThere is very little of interest for fans in Dusseldorf’s Japanese Twitter feed. With very basic coverage of matches and news, the account might be as well ran by automation, and it is no surprise that it is not quite popular.


9/25 19th

2,464Points: 1/5

163,359Ratio: 1.51%


2 0.17Points: 2/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2Since

2014@F95_jp



ContentThere are not many pictures or clips on Zenit’s Japanese account; however, fans can feel that the person in charge is very passionate. Updates are irregular, and no graphics are localized, but there are original ideas, such as the "Zenit Girls" series, that featured beautiful female supporters at the stadium.


7/25 22nd

1,976Points: 1/5

764,969Ratio: 0.26%


0 0.72Points: 4/5

Comment

Points: 2/5

2Since

2014@zenitjapan


Appendixes


Notable Bespoke Content (I)Marseille’s CartoonsThe French side hired a cartoonist to provide their fans in Japan with a digest of news about the team in manga format. It was a brilliant way to summarize the most important events at the club, achieved through a very popular medium among Japanese fans. In fact, the cartoons were received positively not only by Marseille and Hiroki Sakai’s supporters, but also by Japanese football fans at large, giving OM an edge in popularity over other Ligue 1 clubs.


Notable Bespoke Content (II)Real Betis Ad-hoc Video Output for JapanFrom the very first day they opened their Japanese Twitter account, Real Betis have set the standard for clubs aiming to provide a highly localized feed. For example, “Learn Spanish with Betis” is an ongoing series in which players take turns in teaching fans words related to football. Other features saw the Erina Yamane of the women's team talking about the town of Seville, and major Japanese holidays and festivities were celebrated with a video clip featuring the club’s stars.


Notable Bespoke Content (III)Juventus’ Interaction with Fans in JapanThe Turin giants have showed great care in developing a positive synergy with their Japanese fan club, and regularly publish content about their activities. Each of the many events across Japan is documented with bespoke pictures, clips and commentary. On several occasions, the posts showcased the interactions of Japanese fans with Juventus supporters from other Asian countries, an impressive display of the black-and-white community in the Far East.


Notable Bespoke Content (IV)STVV’s Video Content on Japanese PlayersSint-Truiden have strong ties with Japan: a Japanese ownership group, several Japanese players in their roster, and Japanese sponsors as well. Notably, their Twitter account offers fans selected highlights focusing on the Japanese players, that would otherwise be difficult to find. Most of the video clips are watched by over 10,000 users.


European Clubs’ Activity in JapanReal Betis

Real Madrid

Juventus

Schalke 04

Werder Bremen

1. FSV Mainz 05

STTV

Eintracht Frankfurt

Barcelona

Eibar

Groningen

Man. City

Marseille

Chelsea

Inter Milano

PSG

Salzburg

Huesca

Man. United

Sevilla

Fortuna Düsseldorf

ZenitHave at least a Japanese Player in their men's team

Had a Japanese Player in their men's team

Have played a match in Japan in the last 20 years

Have a Japanese- language website

Have an account on LINE, the most popular Social Media in Japan


See You in 2020?Clubs that opened their Twitter account in Japanese in late 2019 Clubs that used to have a Twitter account in Japanese, but discontinued it

Major European Clubs that still do not have a Twitter account in Japanese European Clubs that have a Japanese player in their team, but do not have a Twitter account in Japan.

November 2019 December 2019


Copyright and Disclaimer: Logos are protected by copyright that belongs to the respective owners. We believe that the use of low-resolution images in this report may qualify as fair use under the Japan law.Use of the logos here does not imply endorsement of the organization by Ganassa LLC, nor vice versa. This is a non-profit, freely distributed document. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do

not necessarily reflect the official position of Ganassa LLC. Data contained in this document can freely be reproduced, by quoting the full name of the report: “European Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan, 2020 - Compiled by Ganassa”.Version 1.0.3 @Ganassa LLC 2020

European Football Clubs on Twitter in Japan

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