App localisation

What is app localisation?

App localisation ensures apps work across different languages, cultures and markets. It goes way beyond mere translation of content—you can’t just use an online translator to translate your app and expect it to be ready for international audiences. Rather, app localisation takes into account a number of other considerations that are vital in enhancing the experience of foreign users, like culture and aesthetics, to inform both the language and the appearance of the app itself. By localising your app, you can adapt to these particular traits and tap into new markets where there may be a significant demand for the services your app provides.

For example, certain analogies used in your app’s original language may not make sense to other cultures, whilst different colours have varying associations from country to country. Similarly, whilst certain images may be appropriate in your own culture, they could be deemed offensive or simply be misinterpreted by other app users. App localisation also takes into account dialects. For instance, this would entail customising your app to work in Mexican Spanish if launching it in Mexico. This would make sure that Mexicans could use your app just as easily as Spaniards. A business that invests in app localisation signals a commitment to catering to diverse markets. This customer-centric strategy promotes a positive brand image, demonstrating that your business values inclusiveness and understands the importance of personalisation.

Here at Global Voices, our team of translators is both linguistically and culturally impeccable. When working with a professional translation company like ours, you can be confident that our app localisation service will take into account any design changes required for a local audience. We can guarantee the highest level of accuracy in each translation we provide, our experience and understanding of the cultures we work in therefore guarantees that we will get the cultural nuances of your app right.

App localisation is a must if you’re launching your app into overseas markets, as it enables foreign audiences to properly understand your content. Users are more likely to stick with an app that they can understand and interact with comfortably. With less than one fifth of people using a new app more than twice, investing in app localisation to optimise user experience will increase engagement and give you a huge competitive advantage, reducing the likelihood of users uninstalling it due to language barriers.

Localising an app’s content, description and images significantly improves the user interface design to align with the cultural context of the target audience, further enhancing user experience and providing with greater visibility in the App Store and Google Play. This in turn will lead to more downloads and a greater ROI. Various studies can pay testament to that, including one which found localised apps have 128% more downloads than the rest.

By localising your app, you can guarantee that you provide everybody, everywhere with the same quality experience. This shows that you care about each and every one of your site users, and that can work wonders for your business. Incorporating these aspects of app localization into your business strategy can result in a more holistic approach that not only speaks the language but also resonates with the values and behaviours of your target audience. This, in turn, leads to a stronger and more sustainable market presence for your app.