Decide what local expertise needs to cover
A provider’s location alone does not establish its experience with your audience. Ask for relevant store and language examples, the people responsible for the work and the local review process. If your business is based in Japan but targets other markets, make those target markets explicit in the brief.
Questions for an ASO provider in Japan
- Is this localisation or optimisation? Who decides what our Japanese first screenshot claims?
- Which Japanese apps have you ranked for a competitive term with organic changes only, and what changed?
- How is the keyword field built: translated from English, or from Japanese search behaviour with native input?
- Who are our Japanese competitors, and which of them have brand demand we cannot compete with?
- Will the screenshots follow Japanese conventions, or be the Western set translated?
- When the engagement ends, what does our team understand about the Japanese storefront?
Open the printable question card for Japan. Use it during the call and record the actual answers.
Compare the price against the work
Ask for a current scoped quote with the currency, taxes, stores, markets and outputs specified. Fees depend on the research, copy, design, translation, advertising and ongoing operations included. Separate those tasks before comparing proposals.
The ASO pricing guide explains total commitment, and the proposal checklist helps identify missing responsibilities.
When a local team may be useful
Look for a local team when language review, production coordination, relevant market knowledge or your procurement needs make that support valuable. Ask what is actually included and inspect a work sample for a comparable task.
When to compare a direct consultant
If you need a listing diagnosis, keyword decisions, a rewrite or training, a defined project with me may fit. We agree the target market and any native-language or production responsibilities before starting. The work is delivered directly, with any market-specific review assigned in the scope.
See how I work at ASO Agency, the ASO services, market and localization planning and agency-versus-consultant comparison.
Questions before choosing
Must the provider be based in Japan?
That depends on the work. Relevant market experience, native review where needed, clear communication and named responsibilities matter more than a location label alone.
Can one scope cover several countries?
Yes, when the proposal names the markets, language work, approval process and maintenance responsibilities. Start with the markets your product can serve well.
What if I only need a second opinion?
Start with the listing and a specific question. You can request a review without deciding to replace your existing team.
Compare nearby markets
- ASO provider questions for India
- ASO provider questions for Hong Kong
- ASO provider questions for China
- ASO provider questions for Singapore
- ASO provider questions for South Korea
Read the editorial methodology for the distinction between public observations, opinion and private results.