A study by Distomo found that companies that localized their apps for iOS downloads increased by 128%, more than others. Users prefer to download and use apps in their native language.
Therefore, localizing the app's listing - by changing the text in all titles, subtitles, descriptions, screenshots, keywords, etc. to the native language - will significantly increase the chances of the app being downloaded.
Even increasing the visibility of the app in the store by localizing keywords alone can increase app downloads by 767%.
Wrong or missing traslation you need to know during App localization
If you make a mistake in your localization project, it can disrupt all your hard work and damage your reputation. Worse, you could get it wrong, throw away all your hard work, and really offend a whole new audience. To avoid these pitfalls, be sure to hire a language professional with a background and experience in the languages and dialects you want to incorporate into your messaging.
Failed taco bell localization story
This is a cautionary tale about the importance of accurate translation and localization when expanding into different markets. in 2015, when Taco Bell tried again to enter the Japanese market, it had to pause shortly after launch and completely rewrite its company website due to terrible translations. Their "cheesy fries" were translated as "low quality fries" in Japanese, and their Crunchwrap Supreme Beef was hilariously translated as Supreme Court Beef. It is unclear whether they use Google Translate or a similar translation tool, but the lack of professional translators is clear.
Using automatic translation tools may be tempting at first because they are free and they can somehow understand the point with simple sentences, but app localization is not always that simple. You need to research the local culture and hire a professional translator. Cheap translations are never a good idea because the language and culture of your target market is what makes them use your app in the first place.
Incorrect/inaccurate translations can lead to misunderstandings and an overall lack of interest in your app. But more importantly, your target demographic may take it as an insult. Taco Bell's half-hearted attempts to translate its menu end up causing locals to feel unimportant and as if their language is low on the company's list of priorities. This is probably the worst customer experience you can provide to your users.
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Choose your target country to locolize
When considering app localization, it's important to first identify the target market with the greatest potential. The overall success of your app depends on it. Ask yourself: what are the most profitable markets? Look for countries that are still unfamiliar with your titles and where competition is not too strict. Analyze statistics to determine the best target language for your app localization.
According to Lovotrans, the top mobile app localization languages besides English are Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German and French. Southeast Asia is another huge emerging market. Try to get as much information as possible before going global to increase your chances of future success.
Ignore the cultural differences with your ASO
Content encompasses the entire application - images, colors, fonts, etc. Localizing an application is not just about translating text into the regional language of your audience, it's also about integrating it into a specific culture.
There is a long way to go to align with regional traditions and customs. Content that is properly translated in one region may be considered highly offensive in another.
Part of attracting new people requires attention to detail.
If you've ever traveled abroad to a country like Japan or Italy, you've probably learned the cultural subtleties that can get you into trouble. Cultural indiscretions can be anything from hand gestures, clothing choices or the use/misuse of specific terms or flags.
Learn what the cultural land looks like by conducting research and handling content sensitively. Educate your team on how your new market views business, what their triggers might be, and be sure to hire experienced translators.Pay attention to the culture of others to help reduce the chances of offending a brand new market.
Understand how your business differs from what your audience knows about business and how to bring them closer! If you want to share content with a visual of a hand making the "OK" gesture, Russian, German and Brazilian audiences will see it as completely different, even offensive. In Japan, however, it will be seen as a symbol of money. Research clearly and thoroughly!
App product page optimization - use the same design and color for all countries
Language differences can be difficult to navigate, and cultural norms add a whole new level. Basic information is presented differently around the world.
Images
Localization errors don't stop at text; images can also be a problem. For example, publishing a set of images that are acceptable in one culture but considered taboo in another can damage your application's reputation. Track the sensitivities of your target market and change the graphics accordingly.
Units format
For example, to make your application more useful to customers in different regions, you must also take into account differences in formatting conventions for writing dates, times, numbers, addresses, and currencies.
If the application was developed for English speakers in the United States, but you know you want to localize it for various European markets, you must allow for changing measurements from the U.S. standard to the metric system.
Most importantly, dates should be able to be entered using regional standards.
Think like all potential target audiences and develop your application so that it takes into account the way information is shared in these regions.
Text format
Languages often have different lengths based on features such as word size and sentence structure. When you localize content, the length of your text can be expanded or reduced by up to 40%.
On the surface, having longer text may seem like a no-brainer. However, it becomes one of the biggest localization problems when you want to put translated text into the user interface (UI) space, which is designed for text that is 40% shorter.
Consider how much the English text expands when translated.
● English to Arabic: 25% text expansion
● English to Korean: text shrinks 10-15%
● English to Spanish: 20-25% text expansion
● English to German: 10-35% text expansion
● English to French: 15-20% text expansion
Non-Western languages that use scripts such as Mandarin and Hindi can be trickier.
Mandarin does not have letters, but uses characters called glyphs. Standard Mandarin has thousands of these glyphs, which are written in a square and placed in vertical columns from top to bottom. Modern Standard Hindi uses a Sanskrit script consisting of about one hundred basic letter forms that are written from left to right. Designing your application to easily incorporate these languages is imperative, as a large population speaks both languages.
Repetitive manual tasks
A picture is worth a thousand words. And, that's a thousand words you don't need to translate. Unless, of course, you have text embedded in the image. This can be a real headache for translators who may have to rebuild graphics from scratch using localized languages.
To avoid another of the most common localization problems, if you must associate text with an image, try making the text a separate layer. It is much easier to manage the localized version when the text is its own component.
Ideally, graphics don't have any text at all, because then there's no need to translate it. Also, since not all symbols and images have the same meaning, it is important to be aware of cross-cultural differences when using graphics.
When it comes to your application localization project, would you be wise to keep up with the advanced technology. This is not to follow any hype about the trend, but simply because it works.
App localization workflow advice
From experience, our best advice is to integrate your continuous localization process into your continuous delivery workflow as much as possible. By doing so, you ensure that the two streams work independently, that localization of frequently updated strings is a continuous process, and that it is tested in the standard QA process.
When it comes to language QA, it is best to do this at the same time as functional testing. While the customer's testers are checking the translated version for errors, the localization team is checking the translation and UI or errors.
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