Contributing to Japan’s prosperity,
one website at a time
See how NTT TownPage partnered with Wix to provide its customers with the advanced digital tools they need to grow in an ever-changing world.
133+
Years in the directories industry
30K+
Websites built on wix
01
Huge step for digital transformation
NTT TownPage, a member of NTT East Japan Group creating new social values through technological innovation, wanted to provide their customers with more robust marketing services but lacked the in-house skills to build the solutions. Together with Wix, they created a new service offering custom websites and a range of advanced digital marketing products.
A mission on a national scale
At Tokyo-based NTT TownPage, Chief Digital Officer Mr. Hiroyuki Misumi is on a mission. In 2000, the company launched a digital phone book service called iTown Pages. For NTT TownPage, the initiative was a step towards digital transformation and a way to compete with online directories. For SMBs, it was a much-needed tool to show their online presence and advertise their businesses.
But over time, iTown Pages’ digital marketing capabilities fell short; ad slots were rigidly formatted and designs were too limited. NTT TownPage wanted to help business owners enhance their online presence by providing more robust digital marketing services but hesitated to develop the services in-house at NTT TownPage.
“So instead we chose to have an alliance with a SaaS player,” says Mr. Misumi, “allowing us to provide all-in-one digital marketing solutions efficiently.”
The business expansion of small and medium-size enterprises in Japan is a key factor in the overall prosperity of Japanese society. We want to be a part of this social achievement.
Hiroyuki Misumi
Chief Digital Officer, NTT TownPage
An all-in-one platform for SMBs
In September 2019, NTT TownPage partnered with Wix to launch a new digital marketing service: ‘NTT TownPage Digital Lead Powered by Wix’.
“We chose Wix because of the wide range of capabilities, such as booking and inquiry forms, in addition to website building,” says Mr. Misumi. “It’s an all-in-one platform that also offers sales and marketing tools. This is an absolute strength.”
With Digital Lead Powered by Wix, trained service agents work with business owners to understand their needs and target audience, then create customized websites and content. SMBs can choose from a variety of products and services, including site management and maintenance, inquiry forms, and SEO capabilities. NTT TownPage also provides recommendations for UI and UX, such as where to place CTA buttons. As part of the service, customers can change or update content once a month with no additional charge.
While NTT TownPage takes care of its customers, Wix takes care of the platform. The infrastructure is fully managed by Wix, delivering the enterprise-grade reliability, performance, and security that both SMBs and NTT TownPage need. Mr. Misumi was particularly impressed with Wix’s Bug Bounty program, which helps proactively identify and address vulnerabilities.
“This initiative demonstrates a strong commitment to security,” he says, “especially as a company that handles highly sensitive customer information and as part of the NTT Group. We’re confident in offering the Wix platform to our customers.”
We chose Wix because of the wide range of capabilities….It’s an all-in-one platform that offers sales and marketing tools. This is an absolute strength.
Maryam Fouad
Chief Digital Officer, NTT TownPage
30,000 customers and counting
Since its release, more than 30,000 customers have used the Digital Lead Powered by Wix service to create, publish, and manage their websites. Retention rates for one-year contracts are great, according to Mr. Misumi, which implies high customer satisfaction rates.
“Compared to our previous iTown Page, Wix allows us to create sophisticated and visually appealing websites,” he adds. “As a result, we’re able to provide more effective and attractive digital solutions, which has increased sales and the number of web pages sold.”
Working with a dedicated success manager, NTT TownPage receives top-tier technical support for customized solutions.
“Wix supports us by hearing our requests and understanding our customers’ expectations,” says Mr. Misumi. “We aim to work collaboratively to deliver exceptional value to our customers.” For instance, each website includes a contact form to help SMBs generate customer lists. NTT TownPage also uses Wix to register SMBs’ websites on Google Business Profiles to increase the likelihood of appearing in location-based searches.
“We’re confident that Wix will continue to deliver the most sophisticated technology and services, surpassing all competing players,” concludes Mr. Misumi. “We’re very grateful for this relationship.”
Compared to our iTown Page, Wix allows us to create sophisticated and visually appealing websites. As a result, we’re able to provide more effective and attractive digital solutions, which has increased sales and the number of web pages sold.
Hiroyuki Misumi
Chief Digital Officer, NTT TownPage
Wix Channels offers a trusted way for large-scale brands to maximize their offering to SMB customers: by incorporating Wix into their services. Through strategic B2B partnerships, our “Channel partners” are empowered to facilitate an online presence for customers and become a one-stop shop for their needs—fueling growth for both the SMBs and the Channel partner.
NTT TownPage is shifting from a traditional ad-focused business model to become a marketing partner that grows with its customers together. With experience and knowledge gained by creating over 210,000 websites, we aim to effectively meet customers' digital marketing needs and provide the best value as "Your Marketing Partner".