This post was last Updated on by Himanshu Tyagi to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.
Even though so many people worldwide speak English, many apps are still only available in one language, which may limit their overall satisfaction with the app.
They’d instead use it if it were available in their native language. This is one of the reasons why people delete apps soon after downloading them, even if they feel they would be helpful to them.
The process of adapting every element of your app to suit not only the language of a new audience you are trying to conquer but also their habits, culture, technical requirements, and so on is called app localization.
This is one of the processes app developers trying to reach global audiences must have to be equipped for a successful global expansion.
A robust localization strategy will help you offer a great customer experience across borders, languages, and cultures and make your app relevant internationally.
Also Read: 5 Best Ways to Promote Your App in 2023
1. Choose an appropriate localization tool
Before releasing your app, you must choose a competent localization tool to ensure smooth translation integration into your app’s architecture.
Determine which can help you be more efficient, suit your needs, simplifies the translation process, and has a user-friendly interface.
It should provide features to help you streamline each segment of the translation and localization processes by reducing repetitive and tedious tasks and providing excellent solutions for better organization of the employees working on them.
Also Read: 12 Best Free Mouse Mover Software For Windows [2023]
2. Choose the target languages
Several factors can help you choose the languages you want to localize your app. First, to decide which language to translate your app into, you must identify where your target audience resides geographically and what languages they use.
To achieve this, you should monitor your app’s stats and identify the regions where it receives the most downloads. Based on this and other indicators, you can choose the markets you should focus on.
Additionally, please pay close attention to what users from different regions have said about their experience with your app since feedback can help you respond adequately and meet their needs.
Also Read: How to Get User Input in Python
3. Prepare the app for localization
It’s best to keep localization in mind from the beginning of the development process to ensure that your application can easily be converted to the linguistic rules of a different language.
You can use machine translation for pseudo-localization testing to check the ability of your user interface to handle the length of the words and sentences across languages.
The app’s content should be accessible for any language you want to include and be legible to humans and translation software.
A resource file containing all strings should be made and used as the starting point for internationalization. Text expansion is one of the things you should account for before creating an app.
In other words, when designing apps for mobile devices, it’s essential to consider the varying amounts of text space required by different languages.
Also Read: 10 Best Free AI Avatar Generator Online Websites [Updated]
4. Gradually localize different elements of the app
Localization can’t be done simultaneously, and no method will work for everyone. The best way to do it is to focus on the specific parts that need to be localized.
Taking it easy and learning as you go will yield better outcomes, but it will also open up new avenues of exploration and knowledge.
Many people across the globe use the software in English, even if it’s not their native language and even if they don’t speak it, primarily if the app doesn’t rely overly on language.
However, to make your app discoverable in the regions where your new target audience is located or to test if it can be successful in a new market, you should translate its description and store content.
5. Adapt the app to the culture
The actual point and ultimate goal of localization, regardless of the type of product you are trying to launch in a new market, is to make it feel as if it were created for the local audience.
This is one of the most efficient ways to maximize user experience. To adapt your app to the new audience, your localization team must understand its culture, including important dates, customs, religion, etc.
Also Read: 5 Best Cloud-Based Screenwriting Software
In short
More than half of the world’s population uses smartphones, so it’s a missed opportunity to limit your app only to users who speak your language.
You can gain economically if you learn how to adapt your app for international audiences. By localizing an app for a specific region or group of people, you can replicate its success elsewhere and increase the likelihood of it catching on.
