Guide to App Localization in 2022
As a developer, it is essential not to expect everyone can understand English. Even if your software has perfect ratings across the board and excellent testimonials from users, a person who does not speak that language as their native tongue will not download it.
It is vital to design a mobile app in the target audience’s native language to communicate effectively with them. When you do this, you are going above the obligation to provide a unique experience for your end-users by doing it in the language they are most at ease. Most businesses prefer to delegate this to app localization services to ensure the best quality of the product. If you do not localize your app for the consumers who can potentially use it, the number of potential clients will be reduced.
Since you are familiar with the term “localization”, meaning as it pertains to mobile apps, let’s go to the next step on app localization and see why it is crucial.
There are a lot of other great reasons to localize your apps. You need to localize your mobile game or application if you want it to be successful everywhere in the world in the modern day.
It can be done gradually. For example, this is precisely what Niantic achieved with their mobile game Pokemon Go. The company initially introduced this game to the public in the United States of America and other English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Australia. Later, translations were done into various languages, including French, German, and Italian.
Top 3 reasons to localize the app right now:
1. Localization-Driven Revenue Growth of Apps
In addition to expanding your application’s user base to include a wide variety of users, localizing your software may significantly increase the total amount of money you make. Curious about how?
Your app will be able to reach out to a worldwide audience since it will no longer be limited to a specific country or location; as a result, you will have more users and consumers = more revenue.
2. End Users Experience
Because translation makes your software more accessible to a broader audience, you should expect to get consistent feedback from end users. You can make the necessary adjustments and hand over the updates.
3. Reach
According to the available data, approximately 75 percent of consumers agree that most users are prone to shop for items containing information about the product in their native language. At this point, localization should be considered a key factor. You will lose out on vast markets if you launch your app in a single language. For instance, the continent of Asia is home to the vast majority of mobile app users all across the globe.
The Localization of Apps is More Than Just Translation
It is essential to consider not just the textual components of your app listing but also the aesthetic elements. When it concerns representations of individuals, nations worldwide have distinctive tastes.
The worst-case situation is that you may unknowingly offend a group by employing a color or design considered objectionable to that population. Therefore, you must study before entering any new location-based market.
What to Localize
Your listing in the app store should be completely localized. Your app’s name, the subtitle for iOS applications, clear app summary, and privacy contents must be thoroughly translated into their respective languages and contain relevant keywords.
Keep in mind that there are linguistic colloquialisms and cultural variances. Also, don’t forget to localize the text included in your software’s images and the sample or promotional video.
The Current Challenge
When taken seriously, these difficulties provide an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and put your preconceived notions to the test. And the significance of those principles extends beyond just localizing your app since variety is what makes people committed, and it is people who are your end-users.
1. Collisions of cultures
You have to be sensitive about cultures to avoid confusion and bad reviews from end users. Some emojis are considered to be insulting in other nations. Certain things are allowed in the United States of America but are not also acceptable in Egypt and China.
2. Making room for things to happen
This is both literally and metaphorically. Generally speaking, living in a global world implies providing room for various opinions and outlooks. When it comes to localization, this means that you have to take into consideration complicated languages like Arabic and Hebrew.
Practices That You Can Make Us Do
Adapting your software to the tastes of a particular market is what’s meant by the term “localization.” This covers things like different units of measurement, different currency conversions, different formats, social conventions, different laws, and different technological capabilities.
The process of localizing your app may seem to be overwhelming, but you can make it feel less overwhelming by giving priority to the following best practices:
1. Mind Your Texts After Localising Your App
Depending on the language, there is a wide range of required amounts of space. It would help if you also considered languages written from right to left, but that’s not all. Think about Chinese and Korean or other languages that don’t use the Latin alphabet.
2. Make Use of ISO codes
Always consider language alongside ISO. However, considering the location is essential for your overseas base.
3. For Brand Consistency, Develop A Dictionary and a Style Guide and Utilize Both
Build a glossary and style guide for your linguists to achieve international brand consistency regardless of whether you outsource your interpretations or translate in-house. This will allow you to save money.
The most accessible approach to ensure that your company’s name is conveyed accurately in other countries’ languages is to compile a guidebook for your company’s linguists and translators as your website’s content and audience expand.
4. Test your localization
Don’t forget to have game localization testing. Even the best teams make mistakes. And unfortunately, mistakes cost a lot. Better to spend more effort before you spoil the brand’s reputation and lose your future users.
Final Thoughts
Similar to developing an app, expanding your business locally to globally is an ongoing effort. The approach doesn’t end after your app localization services are finished; instead, it just begins. You will need to either add functionality to your app or make modifications as your app’s user base and brand expand.
