How Businesses Can Compete with Google's Dominance in Search Engine Market

When we think about internet searches, Google is often the first name that comes to mind. In Japan, the search engine commands over 90% of the market share, with even Yahoo! Japan relying on Google's search infrastructure. This means Google's presence is virtually monopolistic in the country. While achieving high visibility on search engines remains crucial, search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and pay-per-click ads have become fundamental to businesses. However, not all companies can easily thrive in Google's ecosystem, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing significant barriers in terms of advertising costs and competition.

In light of this situation, an emerging trend has caught the attention of many—Instagram search. Particularly among younger demographics, there is a notable tendency to use Instagram’s search bar instead of Google when looking for stores or services. Recent studies have indicated that among women in their 20s and 30s, the frequency of searching on Instagram is higher than that on Google for specific industries. This indicates that while Google maintains a stronghold in the search engine sector, Instagram is rapidly establishing itself as a new gateway to direct consumer behavior.

I Search Marketing Japan—a company focused on digital marketing—has quickly recognized this shift. They offer AI-driven Instagram search optimization services that have successfully supported over 20,000 companies in the South Korean market, generating revenues of approximately 1 billion yen. The firm is now applying a similar strategy in Japan, aiming for higher visibility via Instagram rather than Google.

The unique approach utilized by I Search Marketing Japan involves AI analyzing a vast array of posting data to extract effective hashtags and location information by industry. The AI then optimizes posts to align with search algorithms, ensuring that accounts and posts are prominently displayed for specific keyword searches. This allows businesses to effectively engage in a 'mini search engine optimization' within Instagram without solely relying on traditional SEO techniques.

For instance, if a user searches for “Izakaya in Shinjuku” on Google, major gourmet websites typically dominate the results. However, on Instagram, local business accounts and user-generated content can show up directly in the search, presenting a tremendous opportunity for SMEs. A beauty salon that implemented this system reported that their posts ranked highly for tags like “#新宿ネイル” (Shinjuku Nails) and “#渋谷まつエク” (Shibuya Eyelash Extensions), resulting in a doubling of appointment bookings.

Moreover, Instagram searches are fundamentally based on “visual discovery.” This means that images and videos serve as immediate marketing tools. Unlike Google’s text-based advertisements, Instagram promotes a more intuitive selection process for users. By combining this feature with AI optimization, businesses can effectively tap into customer segments that traditional Google searches might not attract.

While the importance of Google cannot be overlooked entirely, the realistic and strategic approach is not to compete directly with Google’s 90% market share, but rather to leverage the new terrain of Instagram search. I Search Marketing Japan advocates for winning not against Google but outside of it, thereby strongly promoting Instagram search optimization as a viable strategy.

Looking ahead, Instagram search is poised to evolve further, potentially influencing consumer behavior through AI recommendations and curated suggestions. Finding ways to navigate the search engine market dominated by Google is critical; integrating a focus on Instagram search within a social media advertising strategy may be key to success.