6 Smart Ways to Do Mobile App Localization

Localization is the key for the business that wants to make a good fortune in international markets. Especially the mobile app localization. We know that mobile apps are high in demand these days, but the competition between apps is even higher. It is important for businesses to personalize mobile apps in a way that users can resonate with them and keep them on their phones.

The future holds a lot of opportunities for mobile app businesses. Global app revenue is expected to reach $935 billion by 2023. Localization of apps does not just make your app available to international users, but it also increases your revenue. You can consider the language preferences and cultural values of the users and localize your app in a way that increases downloads.

Localizing your mobile is not a very hard nut to track anymore. Fortunately, technology has evolved so much, and there are a lot of tools and systems available that can allow you to efficiently localize your app in no time. You can easily get away with your app localization when you have one of the best localization management platforms and translation tools by your side.  

In this article, we’ll share with you some amazing tips that would help you throughout the localization process. Read this post till the end to make sure your app is all set to launch in the global market.

Best Mobile App Localization Tips 

Think Beyond Translations

The first thing you should bear in mind is, app localization is not just about translations. You have to think beyond it if you want to succeed in international markets. 

The translation is a major part of localization, but there is much more to it. You have to adapt your app designs, layouts, formatting, even the payment methods to the targeted users. 

From the selection of colors to the display of time, you have to keep in mind tiny details to make your targeted mobile users connect with your app. Mobile app localization would require optimization of visual elements, adjusting keywords, and considering all cultural legal nuances of the regions.

Content May Grow or Shrink

Not all languages are the same. Your translated content might need more or less space than your original text. For instance, if you want to translate your text from English to the German language, you should know that text may expand 20-35%. 

This is because the German language script generally takes more space than English. Similarly, some languages might take less space. For instance, in the case of English to Swedish translation, there would be 20-35% text contraction. So, your app design should be flexible enough to get easily modified to different text sizes.

Use Tools That Support Right to Left Languages

Some languages start from right to left, such as Arabic, Urdu, Hebrew, etc. So, you have to make sure that your CMS tool supports both types of languages.

Otherwise, it can badly affect your app design and cause bugs. It means, for every new language, you have to change your app interface to ensure an optimized user experience for all regions that you’re targeting.  

Use Glossaries 

It is important to list down all the words that define your brand, or those terminologies that would remain unchangeable throughout the translation. If you are going to work with a language service provider, you should provide them with a glossary that contains all terminologies and a style guide. 

This would assist your translation provider to keep the translations relevant to your brand persona. It also helps you have a consistent brand voice across all regions globally.

Use Appropriate File Formats

If you want your content to be easily localized to multiple regions, it is important for your app to support different file formats. Make sure your strings are stored in source files instead of code; it would help you quickly localize your content. 

Otherwise, it would be very time-consuming to modify your code for every new region.

You must ask your developers to externalize the strings. The file formats (TAML, XLIFF, ARB, JSON) being used should be suitable to your content type. It is also based on the framework or programming language that your developers are using.

Internationalization is Important

Your developers should be experienced enough to provide mobile app internationalization. It requires technical knowledge but doing this, you will not have to create multiple versions of code for different regions. 

Moreover, it will take a lot of time to update the code every time you have to enter a new marketplace.

Internationalization paves the way for better, efficient, and less time-consuming localization. In the case of internationalization, your developers are writing global code that can be easily modified for any region. 

There will be no need to write any additional code. So, your developers should internationalize your app before localizing it.

Wrapping Up!

This article covers all major aspects of mobile app localization that you should consider for a flawless and hassle-free business expansion. You must consider the above-mentioned tips and practices to enhance your mobile app downloads and enhance the overall profit ratios. 

There are tools and resources available for your app localization, make sure to use the best localization management platform that fulfills all of your business growth needs.

If you really want to expand your mobile app to a global marketplace, then you must develop a robust end-to-end app localization plan for this.