Tokyo consultancy running SEO, content and paid search in both Japanese and English
About Zo Digital Japan
Zo Digital Japan GK is a small Tokyo consultancy that runs search and digital marketing work in English and Japanese. Its office is on the 14th floor of the Hibiya Central Building in Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku. An earlier address was in Jingumae, Shibuya. The firm has two kinds of client: overseas companies trying to win customers in Japan, and Japanese businesses targeting buyers at home or abroad.
The company in its present form dates from 1 September 2018. That year Jeff Crawford merged his JC Digital Consulting with Five Star Projects GK, run by co-founder Shinsaku 'Shin' Ohno. Some listings give 2014 as the start year, which reflects Crawford's earlier consulting. Crawford spent years in software at Apple, WebTV and Microsoft in Silicon Valley. He moved to Tokyo in 2004 and worked at Microsoft KK and Adobe Systems Japan. He also organises Tokyo Digital Marketers, a monthly meetup. Ohno lived in the United States for 12 years and works in both languages.
SEO makes up about 30% of the work. That share splits between content development, link earning, on-site fixes and multilingual SEO. A typical project starts with keyword research and a technical audit. It then moves on to content writing and outreach for backlinks. Other services include Google Ads, Yahoo Ads and YouTube campaigns, conversion rate optimisation, analytics, marketing automation (Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Mautic), social media and SEO training. The firm has no dental or healthcare page and no published medical work. For a Tokyo clinic, the relevant skill is running the same keyword and content plan in both Japanese and English for international residents.
Its results come from other sectors. A Tokyo furniture retailer saw its blog grow from about 5% to almost 15% of site traffic. A Yokohama language school saw 45% year-on-year organic growth. A private investigation agency, Japan PI, saw roughly a 400% rise in call-to-action conversions. Meltwater and Nord Security also praised its work on content, technical SEO and link acquisition. Clients include HubSpot, NordVPN, Printful, Berlitz and Smartsheet.
Clients on Clutch rate the firm 4.9 from seven reviews. They mention regular video calls, Slack or email updates, and a strong grasp of how Japanese users search. The criticisms are minor: patchy communication from one link-building team, an outdated invoicing system and the need for revisions on bilingual work. Projects start at $5,000, and rates run $100 to $149 an hour. Most projects fall between $10,000 and $49,999. In Japanese, prices are quoted on request.
Zo Digital Japan's Website
Zo Digital Japan at a Glance
| Founded | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Team size | 10-49 employees |
| Headquarters | Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Leadership | Jeff Crawford (Representative and Co-founder); Shinsaku Ohno (Co-founder) |
| Languages | Japanese, English |
| Pricing | Minimum project $5,000+, $100-$149 per hour, most projects $10,000-$49,999. One client spent $50,000-$60,000 a year. In Japanese, pricing is on request. |
| Contracts & reporting | Ongoing retainers with regular virtual meetings and Slack or email updates; no published contract length. |
| Tools & partnerships | Google Ads; Yahoo Ads; YouTube Ads; Mailchimp; ActiveCampaign; Mautic; Google Analytics; HubSpot Inbound certification (founder) |
Dental Marketing Services
- Bilingual Japanese and English SEO
- keyword research
- technical and on-site SEO audits
- content writing
- link building and digital PR
- Google Ads and Yahoo Ads
- conversion rate optimisation
- web analytics and reporting
- SEO training
Dental Clients & Results
- Furniture retailer (Tokyo): blog share of site traffic rose from about 5% to almost 15% (2024-2026)
- Language learning company (Yokohama): organic traffic up 45% year over year (2022)
- Japan PI: about 400% increase in CTA conversions (2018)
- Private investigation agency: about 10x more online outreach (2015-2021)
Why Dentists Choose Zo Digital Japan
- Helps clinics reach expat patients in Tokyo
- Content and links in one plan
- 4.9 Clutch rating for cost
- Projects from $5,000
- 4.9 from 7 Clutch reviews
Key Strengths
- Audits clinic sites for technical and content issues affecting rankings
- Localises practice websites into English for international patients
- Offers conversion rate optimisation to turn clinic site visitors into patient enquiries
- Provides marketing training and consulting for in-house clinic teams
How the DSA Score Breaks Down
Points earned: 59.9 of 100 (profile 55 × 0.8 + client feedback 15.9). DSA Score: 92/100
What Clients Say About Zo Digital Japan
- 2 on Google
- 5 on review sites
- 1 on its website
Clients Most Often Praise
- Higher Google Maps & local rankings 6
- Dental website design 3
- More new patient bookings 2
- Communication & responsiveness 2
In ShortClients praise deep knowledge of the Japanese search market, bilingual content and strong keyword ranking and traffic gains, often crediting the founder personally.
After the Japanese pages were optimized, sales-page performance improved and the client ranked #1 or #2 for its top Japanese keywords.
See it on designrush.comSeung-Hoon Lee found the website and SEO analysis detailed, with practical advice that was easy to implement.
See it on designrush.comSEO strategy grew the blog's share of site traffic from about 5% to nearly 15%, and 'mattress' reached Google's top 10; the reviewer rated the lead's expertise highly.
See it on clutch.coShow 5 more client reviews
- Upali Dasgupta, Senior Director Marketing, Meltwater: Content audits, technical SEO and backlink work improved organic traffic, rankings and backlinks, and the reviewer praised timelines and communication. Clutch, Jan 25, 2026
- Martins Groza, Head of SEO, Printful: Japanese-market audit, content strategy and blog work grew organic traffic from Japan. The reviewer valued the team's flexibility. Clutch, Feb 25, 2022
- Name not shown, Department Head, Language Learning Company: Organic traffic rose 45% year over year and the team met deadlines. Clutch, Jan 26, 2023
- Goro Koyama, CEO, Japan PI: Bilingual keyword strategy, content and backlinks increased online outreach to the investigation agency's site about tenfold. Clutch, Sep 11, 2021
- Goro Koyama, CEO, Japan PI Inc.: Homepage testimonial endorsing Crawford as a leading consultant for promoting Japanese goods and services overseas. Agency website
Where Zo Digital Japan Is Listed
Questions Dentists Ask About Zo Digital Japan
Can Zo Digital Japan market a clinic in both Japanese and English?
Yes. All of its services run in English and Japanese, and its consultants are bilingual. This suits a Tokyo practice that wants to reach both local and international patients.
Have they worked with dental or medical practices?
No dental or medical clients appear in their public reviews or press material. Their published work covers retail, education, IT, cybersecurity and a private investigation firm.
What does a project with them cost?
Projects start at $5,000, with hourly rates of $100 to $149. Most projects fall between $10,000 and $49,999. One client spends $50,000 to $60,000 a year.
Who runs the agency?
Jeff Crawford is the representative and co-founder. He worked at Apple, Microsoft and Adobe and has lived in Tokyo since 2004. Shinsaku Ohno co-founded the company in 2018.
What do clients criticise?
A few Clutch reviewers mention patchy communication from a link-building team and an outdated invoicing system. One said bilingual projects needed several revisions.
Reviews of Zo Digital Japan
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