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While website localization has been familiar to many business owners, app localization might not get equal attention. Today, Apple’s App Store and Google Play are available in 155 and 137 countries respectively. Therefore, if your app is only available in one language, you would miss the chance to tap into other potential markets. Limiting your app to one country means limiting your sales growth. So do you need app localization? You will get the answer after examining its great benefits below:
The mobile economy is growing dramatically with over 342,000 apps downloaded every minute (Lori Lewis, 2017) and 25 billion app installs in the first quarter of 2017 (Techcrunch.com). With such potential, it is becoming the target business for many companies. However, to be successful in the app market, you should be well aware of your user demographics. According to GSMA Intelligence, in over 4.8 billion mobile users worldwide, native English speakers only account for 15%. Meanwhile, more than 50% of those are from Asia and Pacific regions. Therefore, if you do not localize your app, you would lose the chance to reach half of the world’s mobile users.
There is no doubt that localizing your app is the only way to make it comprehensible worldwide and reach billions of users who do not speak English. It helps you find out the best markets with the greatest demand for your business.
Read more: How To Supercharge Your Software Localization Project
An extended market means greater sales potential. When you are able to reach global mobile users, the number of downloads will also increase. By 2020, it is predicted that the number of mobile users worldwide will rise to 5.7 billion (GSMA Intelligence), making the app industry one of the most potential fields to do business. Besides, the Statistics Portal also projects that mobile apps will generate the massive revenue of 188.9 billion US dollars via app stores and in-app advertising.
The Return On Investment (ROI) of localized apps is impressive. A recent study by Distimo reveals that the localized apps for iOS got 128% more downloads. This figure is one of the most convincing proofs that show how beneficial app localization can be.
To find the information about your products, local customers tend to rely on the sources written in their own language. A careful localized app with adapted details will not only help increase the credibility of your products but also enhance user engagement levels.
As stated above, half of the mobile users are located in Asia and Pacific regions where there is a strong preference for native languages and low proficiency in English. Thus, app localization is crucial if you want to conquer these markets.
To rank higher in the app store’s search results, you need to have a wise ASO (App Store Optimization) strategy. It is worth noting that the higher your app ranks, the more visible it is to potential customers. ASO requires a thorough understanding of the keywords used by your target customers. Therefore, without a careful translation and appropriate cultural adaption, your app’s name is not likely to appear on top.
Forrester points out that 63% of apps are discovered through the app store. So if ASO is not on your checklist, you are missing out on the best channel to promote your app. Similarly, if you do not localize your app, you also miss the chance to be dominant in an international market.
Mobile app localization includes three processes which are internationalization, content localization, and app store implementation. These should be done by a professional localization agency and native speakers of the target language. So if you want to achieve significant sales growth and provide your global customers with the best user experience, start to localize your apps now!
