Your application needs to be able to reach a large number of people while still delivering an outstanding experience to each and every one of those people.
When designing a new application, you need a strategy for how to expand it globally, determine who the application is intended for, and design something that is applicable to all users who might download it.
Since apps are designed to be accessible to everyone and simple to use, there is no reason why they should be limited to a single language or geographical region. Because of this, it is impossible to consider “translating” apps into something that users will invariably consider to be a version that is inferior to the original.
Instead, you develop programmes for native users in many languages, which means that every aspect, from the monetary system to the intricacies of cultural norms, the metrics to the friendliness of the interface, feels as if it was designed specifically for them.
What is the most effective strategy for capitalizing on this expansion, given the fast adoption of smartphones and the accompanying rise in the use of mobile applications all over the world? Utilize app localization to make the most of this opportunity.
Simply translating and localizing your mobile app so that it works in a variety of nations and languages is a quick and straightforward approach to increase its worldwide visibility and the number of downloads it receives. The localization of your mobile software can improve its rankings in the App Store, raise the number of downloads it receives, and expand its earnings from overseas sales.
What is App localization?
The process of changing the user interface and performance of a mobile application so that it is suitable for users in various target markets is referred to as mobile app localization.
The process of localizing mobile applications involves a lot more than simple translation:
Localization, on the other hand, ensures that every resource of your app—whether it be user interface (UI) components, particular characteristics, in-app copy, graphic elements, or mobile app descriptions—is tailored to the priorities, habits, or expectations of users from their respective cultural backgrounds.
Translation tends to focus on the figurative transfer of textual information through one language to another. We believe that hiring a top-notch firm who provides a wide range of services as a language translation agency can assist thoroughly..
Types Of Mobile App Localization
You can either create a “minimum viable product,” also known as an MVP, for your app by developing only the most essential features in order to solve a specific problem and fulfill the requirements of a specific market segment, or you can go all-in with the development of your app. Either way, the process of application localization can be performed on multiple levels.
According to the scope of the app, there are two primary forms of localization that should be considered.
Minimum viable localization (MVL)
The purpose of MVL is to solely localize the app’s most important features or content, as well as the app store descriptions and play store metadata.
Because it requires less time, effort, and money than comprehensive app localization, this sort of application localization is perfect for early-stage software firms that place a high priority on reducing speed to market and increasing return on investment.
Evernote, which is a popular programme for capturing notes, became available in China in 2012 besides a streamlined commodity, a regional brand name (Yinxiang Biji, which translates as “memory notes”), and a minimal language pack.
This serves as a solid example of how to launch a product in a foreign market.
After another year, when Evernote had already asserted that it had 4 million users in China, the company introduced Yinxiang Biji Business.
The Platform is an entirely Chinese creation, and it overcomes difficulties with internet access by hosting app data domestically within China. These difficulties were caused by the extremely limited network bandwidth that exists between China and other nations.
Full App Localization
Consider comprehensive app localization if you are a global app company that is dedicated to generating a fully localized app and to maximizing the reach of your app as well as its user base, income potential, and return on investment.
This requires modifying every component of the app for each specific target area, which also includes localizing the app store. A fully localized software ensures that consumers in every market feel as though they are using something familiar while they are interacting with it.
Airbnb is a great example of localization that has been carried out at the complete app level. The Airbnb app has translated everything from the app’s user interface (UI) and content to the various payment options for each of its more than 220 regions and more than 60 languages. Ge Zhongjun, who formerly served as Language Director at Airbnb, provides the following description of how this seemed to consumers in the Chinese market:
“Enabling Alipay and WeChat Pay, introducing WeChat micro, using Chinese maps, adopting the most up-to-date marketing strategies in China, making it more convenient for Chinese hosts and guests to seek hosting and listing opportunities, setting up servers in China… The internationalization of Airbnb in China is extremely complete, encompassing localized product design, local hiring, local administration, public decision, exchanges of data and technology between the HQ and the local office, etc.
Benefits of Localize Your App
Research has shown that consumers prefer content that is written in their local language, despite the fact that English is commonly regarded as a “lingua franca,” or universal language that makes communication between speakers of different native languages easier.
Statista estimates 237.72 million consumers of mobile phones in the US in 2017 and 4.93 billion worldwide. App Annie reported that China has the most time and income spent on mobile apps, followed behind India and the U.S.
For companies that want to compete on a worldwide scale, it is imperative that they localize their mobile applications. Localization enables you to target a user base in every region of the world, maximizing your app’s visibility and coverage in the process.
There have been billions of application users around the world who cannot be targeted with software that has not been localized.
The following is a list of some of the commercial benefits that come from localizing apps:
Market Expansion
The expansion of the app market is dependent on proper app localization. Consider the case of Airbnb, a company that started out in the apartment of its founders but has now expanded to over 220 countries and gone from having no value to having around $75 billion in worth today.
App Engagement
App content that caters to the users’ individual tastes and requirements is much more enjoyable for those users. It has a significant impact on the whole user experience and has the potential to help you increase engagement and loyalty.
App Exposure and Downloads
According to a number of studies, having app store specific details written in the native language can boost software sales by as much as 38 percent.
Sales Growth
When you make an investment in localization, it implies that your portion of the market and the revenue streams you can tap into in each region you enter will drastically rise.
It’s possible that there’s no single ROI model for localization that works for every situation, however it has been stated that Fortune 500 organizations see an increase in revenue when they make investments in localization.
Globalize User Experience
Apps, rather than web browsers, are responsible for ninety percent of the activity taking place on mobile devices these days. The vast majority of apps, however, are downloaded and then removed within minutes of being installed.
Because of this, it is more crucial than ever to ensure that your app is properly localized. An app that has been correctly translated has the potential to increase brand value and produce interactions that are meaningful in the native language of your target clients.
Strategy for App Localization
Let’s put together a list of the best practices for app localization now that we’ve discussed strategic considerations and addressed some of the issues associated with app localization.
On the one hand, the following information will assist you avoid mistakes that might end up costing you a significant amount of money, and on the other, it will assist you in establishing a localization strategy that is integrated into the workflow of your app development.
Maintain Ground Contact
If you want to find potential new markets, one effective strategy is to always keep one ear to the ground. Maintain a regular presence in online discussion communities and sites that offer product recommendations to determine whether or not users from other regions are discussing your company’s offering.
Don’t Neglect Local Interests
You should also consider the areas in which your app does have the prospects to become popular due to the interests of the local population.
For instance, if you’ve developed an app that is solely devoted to reporting the latest news regarding soccer, there’s a good chance that it will be of importance to consumers in countries like Brazil and Argentina, where soccer serves as a cultural cornerstone.
Always Test
When you have settled on a market, the next step in ensuring that your app is effectively localized is to put into action the testing methodologies that have been explained in the previous section. Get people engaged who are familiar with the culture and the lifestyle, and talk to fans or consumers in your prospective market to discover what they consider to be the most significant aspects of your product.
Final Word:
When you have made the decision to move forward with it, whatever action you take to optimize the workflow of the app localization process can help you save a significant amount of manpower. AfroLingo as an experienced service provider understands this responsibility.
This will, in the long run, have an effect on how successful your localization efforts are. After all, the more quickly you can launch your app in the target audience and the more precisely you can localize it, with more app consumers you are more likely to attract and the more pleased they will be.