Different cultures shape consumer behavior in various places throughout the world. Globally successful organizations attempt to launch products in other markets based on client preferences. Localization refers to adapting your products and services to market demands and regional nuances.
To tap into this extensive user base, developers often resort to app localization, which involves adapting an application to cater to multiple languages and countries. While localization can extend your user base and open up new markets, it has hurdles. In this article, we’ll look at common pitfalls to avoid when localizing your app to ensure it resonates with consumers worldwide.
The Significance of App Localization
Your app serves a similar function to your website. It symbolizes your company or brand. In some countries, it is more significant because smartphone users outnumber PC users when shopping. As a result, you should devise a strategy for app localization. However, if you make a few blunders while localizing your app, your company may miss out on the critical benefits of mobile app localization.
No brand, regardless of size, is immune to poor localization. Even well-known firms like Pepsi made a considerable localization mistake and paid the price. When translating its ‘Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation’ campaign, Pepsi created the wrong message, rubbing Chinese viewers the wrong way by promising that ‘Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead.’
The selection of the proper app localization services is vital to the success of mobile app localization operations. To get a more accurate estimate of the app localization cost, you should look at the essential services included in the process.
Most Common App Localization Mistakes
When it comes to localizing every component of the program, localization requires your attention.
Setting Unrealistic Launch Deadlines
Few languages, such as German and French, are far easier to localize than others, such as Finnish and Japanese. When starting a localization effort for your software, remember how long it could take. This will prevent you from making false promises and missing the app’s launch date.
Developing an Unsupportable Design
Another issue that happens during app development is failing to look for the script’s format and style and some other elements. For example, Arabic is read from right to left, whereas Chinese is read from top to bottom. As a result, when doing effective mobile app localization in Arabic or Chinese, your app should support such diverse scripts so that pictures and products are shown in the best way possible.
Failure to Meet Cultural Contexts
In one language, a word may sound different and be offensive or inappropriate in another. While your mobile application localization services will undoubtedly recognize such distinctions, what about your astute coders? Many companies fail to keep their experienced coders updated on such linguistic complications.
Avoiding Local Language Differences
Several brands believe everyone in the same region understands the same language when localizing. But this isn’t entirely correct. Every city, town, and state has linguistic and dialect quirks.
Using Incorrect Date and Time Formats
Different areas use different methods to show the date and time. When localizing your app, modify the date and time format to the specific location.
Avoid Providing Enough Script Space
The English letters are pretty small. Other languages, such as Korean, Hindi, and Mandarin Chinese, have much larger letters and, as a result, accents. This suggests that they demand enough space on your app’s screen. Your developers should provide enough room on your app for the script so that it doesn’t look crooked or compressed when viewed on other devices.
Coding Concatenation
Most developers enjoy stringing together statements with a single code/placeholder. Although this works well in English, it usually backfires in other languages. The comprehensive translation and localization process comprises multiple languages, most of which are written in distinct formats and follow different grammar standards. As a result, concatenating your codes can radically change the meaning of your text.
Making Use of the Same Colors
Colors have distinct connotations in different countries. In India, for example, red represents fertility, yet in Africa, it represents grief. Similarly, in Japan, pink is reserved for men and not for women. Along with text and visuals, you must also localize the color of your app, from the background to the fonts.
Neglecting Quality Assurance
Everyone, including your translators and coders, may make mistakes while localizing your app. A talented QA test can go a long way in determining faults that require rectification in the localization process, just as it does in the translating phase.
Unfortunately, many businesses rarely perform thorough inspections on their well-localized application. Ignoring this step can harm the end product’s effectiveness.
Do Not Pay Attention to Graphics
Localization errors are not restricted to text; graphics can also cause issues. For example, including images on your app that are okay in one culture but not so much in another can damage your app’s reputation.
To Summarize
App localization is a complicated but necessary process for broadening the reach of your app and making it available to a global audience. To prevent typical mistakes in app localization, keep cultural and regional peculiarities in mind at all times, collaborate with specialists, modify your UI, balance machine translation with human expertise, undertake thorough testing, and commit to continuous maintenance and marketing adaptation. By following these steps, you can ensure that your application is not lost in translation and can successfully navigate the broad global market.
To avoid repeating these mistakes, look for well-known app localization services composed of competent localization professionals who can assist you in creating a robust, culturally appropriate localized app while also allowing your app to pass the most severe quality testing, no matter what app localization price may be. It is an investment in your future!