When creating URLs for the Japanese market, it’s important to understand that there is no direct evidence suggesting that using a Japan-specific country code top-level domain (ccTLD), such as .co.jp, provides a ranking advantage in search engines like Google Japan, goo.ne.jp, or Yahoo Japan.
Instead, focusing on other aspects of URL structure can significantly enhance localization efforts and improve user experience.
Using Japanese Characters in URLs
To better localize your content for the Japanese audience, consider incorporating Japanese characters within your Uniform Resource Names (URNs).
This approach helps to create URLs that resonate more with local users, making your website more relevant and accessible. For example, a U.S. travel company targeting Japanese tourists might structure their URL as follows:
travel-usa.com/wisconsin/旅行/
In this example, “旅行” (ryokou) is the Kanji character for “travel.” Japan uses multiple writing systems, including Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana. Understanding how these are used can enhance your URL strategy.
Understanding Japanese Writing Systems
Japanese users often begin their search queries using Latin characters before converting them into their preferred writing style. The three primary writing systems in Japan are:
- Hiragana: The most commonly used alphabet in Japan, often employed for native Japanese words and grammatical elements.
- Katakana: Typically used for foreign words, technical terms, and names.
- Kanji: Logographic characters derived from Chinese, used for nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
Technical Considerations
Ensure that your URLs are UTF-8 encoded to allow Japanese characters to display correctly in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Properly formatted URLs will not only be visible in the correct script but also enhance your site’s relevance and usability for Japanese users.
By following these best practices, you can improve your site’s localization efforts, making it more appealing to the Japanese market while maintaining technical accuracy.