There are hundreds of women’s magazines to choose from in Japanese bookstores, not to mention at convenience stores and even subway station kiosks. But none of these magazines can offer what Cafeglobe.com can.
A pioneer Web site targeted at women, Cafeglobe.com, has attracted its reader base with not only fashion and beauty content, but also easy-to-understand political and financial information. The site enjoys as many as 350,000 unique users per month, according to figures from August 2005.
Behind one of the most popular sites in Japan is Yoko Aoki, Cafeglobe.com’s founder and CEO. Born in 1969, Yoko Aoki has been an editor for women’s lifestyle magazine “La Vie de 30ans” and automobile magazine “Navi.” Frustrated with the traditional business structure of the women’s magazine industry, Aoki looked to the Web, where she launched Cafeglobe.com with Kikuko Yano in 1999, intending it as a “medium truly useful for women.”
Aoki, who travels between Tokyo and London every month and a half, corresponded with Japan Media Review about the successful elements behind Cafeglobe.com and her vision for the future of the site.
Japan Media Review: What made you decide to launch Cafeglobe.com? What makes it different?
Yoko Aoki: Both Kikuko Yano, the president, and I were editors at women’s fashion magazines. We were creating different magazines, but we both felt that current women’s magazines cannot meet the needs of women, and we started planning a new medium by ourselves. In other words, I could say, we felt, “There aren’t any magazines I want to read.”
The number of women with careers has increased, and it has become more natural for them to be independent economically and mentally. However, publishers—who possess the most traditional corporate mentality—and their businessmen who make magazines were still fixated on the notion that women were only interested in fashion, beauty, cooking and travel, which no longer fit the realistic needs [of women]. We did not start with the idea of targeting women or differentiating from other [magazines]; I would say we noticed that as a user (reader) there was nothing I wanted to read.
JMR: How did you become interested in the Internet as a medium?
YA: First off, we wanted to have a medium to publish information, such as the women’s magazine we wanted to create. But, we knew too well by being editors of paper magazines that the initial investment is huge. Of course, once you work on a Web site, it will cost quite an amount, but when it comes to the paper, in addition to the cost of reporting and writing, enormous cost will be required, including that of papers, printing, and distributing throughout the country, and storing the leftovers, putting them into a shredder, creating accountd with related companies—which is quite difficult because they are a closed industry. It was around the time that the Internet became popular among the ordinary people, so we naturally thought of the possibility of Web publishing.
JMR: How many users regularly visit your site? Also, what’s their average age?
YA: As of August 2005, 7.3 million page views per month, and 350,000 unique users per month. As for the users’ average age, just under 30 is the largest audience. In a graph, it looks like Mt. Fuji with 30 at the peak.
JMR: Which section is the most popular on Cafeglobe.com?
YA: Ever since the beginning of Cafeglobe, “Gohan Nikki” (Meal Diary) by Hideko Kogure has been always popular. Also, “Nagatacho Kansatsu Nikki” (Journal of Nagatacho Observation) by Angel Atsumi and “Wakariyasui Okane no Shotai no Hanashi” (Easy-to-understand Identity of Money) by Noriko Hama are popular.
JMR: I can see quite a few sections on politics, economics, and social issues like environmental problems. Why did you decide to publish those sections?
YA: It is related to the earlier answer of mine. When women start earning income and managing it by themselves—even if they have partners—they need to know about society. To meet this need, we work hard on those pages. In my humble opinion, we aim at directing those who visit Cafeglobe.com for its fashion and beauty content toward political or social issues, and realize that women, too, should be interested in these subjects.
JMR: Where do you think women at present gain information necessary to them, as you mentioned?
YA: I think there is not much at this moment. Including myself, I think they tried their best to read the political section or finance sections of newspapers. And “AERA,” “Newsweek,” and “Shukan Bunshun,” I think. But those political sections in newspapers or weekly magazines for businessmen are mainly written on the premise that the readers know the basics, so honestly speaking, it is not easy to comprehend.
For example, it is not appealing to learn about Mr. [Seiji] Maehara, a new representative of Minshatou, without any knowledge of him,. But when you read an article in “Nagatacho Kansatsu Nikki” by Angel Atsumi [about his personality], it will help you be more interested in him. We, Cafeglobe, are aiming at building a bridge [between the users and the political sections in newspapers and magazines].
JMR: Which medium do you consider to be a competitor to your site? A magazine, newspaper or another Internet site?
YA: I do not really think of it as a competitor, but if I have to point one out, I would say it is a personal blog. While the amount of information on an individual blog is limited, there are valuable blogs, such as ones with access to information sources, or one that investigates a certain topic. So, I would say each individual blog is our competitor. As for existing magazines and newspapers, because their market share will not be bigger, I do not consider them competitors. Regarding other Web sites, I would rather welcome a competitor. No, I am not saying that we are the best; I mean that there is no site similar to us. This can be applied to magazines, but when several similar media emerge later, the pioneer and the followers will be acknowledged as a new media genre—just like when women’s magazines for 30-year olds appeared. So, I think if we have a company, more advertisers will approach us, and we will gain more potential users.
JMR: In what way do you create an interactive relationship with the readers? How do you promote the interaction?
YA: I cannot think of anything that we pay special attention to. I think it could apply to any Web site, but in a forum, some eccentric opinions or mean opinions tend to leave a strong impression, which we are a little bit concerned about. But we are blessed to have kind and nice users at our site and have not had many [discussion board] quarrels.
JMR: How do you manage your business on Cafeglobe.com? Have you ever considered making Cafeglobe.com a pay site?
YA: One-third of our income comes from advertising, another one-third is from site production (as a production company, we create and maintain other companies’ sites), and the other one-third is from merchandising. Basically, gaining profit all from advertising would be ideal, but the reality is that we have not reached there yet. I believe making the site a pay site is what we wish and what it should be. This is because as a medium depending on advertising fees, we cannot always convey the information that users need. Realistically speaking, however, it is impossible under the current circumstances. I would like to keep checking up on the industry’s trend.
JMR: Ever since its foundation in 1999, your site has been supported by many users. What’s the secret of your popularity?
YA: I think it is all because we have created the site with sincerity. Our editorial policy is that we write any article, even a small one, that will make [the users] feel grateful that they have accessed. The other secret, I believe, is that we show our faces as creators in the anonymous Internet environment.
JMR: What is the toughest thing you have encountered since the site’s foundation?
YA: For the first two years, we worked so hard to create the site that we did not take weekends off or sleep enough. The physical hardship was the hardest thing (laugh). Also, we lacked a common language between editors and writers who created the content and those who made the system and HTML coding, which produced some trouble. In addition—now that we do not have this problem any more—around 1999, the number of savvy Web designers was extremely low, and it was difficult.
JMR: What is the best thing about being the editor-in-chief of Cafeglobe.com?
YA: That definitely lies in not being bothered by an “oyaji jyoushi” (middle-aged male boss) who does not understand current women’s needs, like [I was] in a publishing company (laugh). While I was working there, I proposed an article on social issues for women or on environment, but whatever I proposed was turned down by [the boss] saying “women aren’t interested in those issues, are they?”
JMR: You stepped down as the editor-in-chief on Sept. 1 and became CEO. How are you planning to contribute to Cafeglobe.com in your new position?
YA: I will continue to contribute to the content development and the service improvement of Cafeglobe.com, both as a company executive and as a member of the editorial staff. Since the Web always requires something new, I would like to watch the overseas trends involving the Web and women, so that we could follow [the trend] as soon as possible.
JMR: What is Cafeglobe.com is planning for the future?
YA: We have just opened a new service, “Oshigoto no Chienowa” (Career Insight), in which users can exchange the situation job according to the job category and the wisdom of their work. So, we will develop further the career-related content. Moreover, although I cannot tell you in a concrete way, we are preparing for a new service involving a community that will be launched next year. The quality of the users at Cafeglobe.com is very high, so I believe by making a community more convenient and improved, this will become an invaluable space for women to gain vital information.
