Know the top 5 tips and tricks for localization success. Localization means adjusting your web or mobile app to the language and culture of users in all your target markets. People from different cultural backgrounds are more eager to buy from a business that speaks their native language. Your software or website is the front door of your business, so it needs to make everyone feel welcome.
It may sound a bit complicated, but website localization doesn’t have to give you a headache. Follow these five tips and tricks to launch your multilingual app or website fast and provide an outstanding customer experience for all your international customers.
The importance of localization
Since most of the content on the internet is in English, it’s natural to assume that most people are fluent in it. However, only about 360 million people use it as their first language, and it’s spoken only by 17% of the world’s population. In other words, without localizing your web or mobile app, you leave over 80% of people struggling to use them.
Here are some benefits of a localization success that will help you decide whether to implement it:
- It improves credibility.
- You will reach a bigger audience.
- It decreases churn.
The best way to improve your international web or mobile app is to speak to people in their native language. In addition, localization success improves credibility by showing that you’re making an effort to modify your product for your potential customers.
Also, by implementing localization, you can expand your potential user base and reach a bigger audience. Gaining a broader audience also improves your credibility and helps your business grow.
For best results, consider investing in a localization software solution for streamlining your localization process for the best results. This will allow you to consolidate and automate all aspects of your localization workflows.
Success localization: Local market research
The first tip and a great trick that is an essential part of your localization strategy are making sure that you understand the market your app needs to target. Your web or mobile app is your most powerful tool to attract potential clients and generate leads. Therefore, identify and research your target market before implementing a localization success.
Think about the product or service you sell and research the trends. Start with a detailed analysis to see if your product has sufficient market demand. And once you determine your target markets, it is time for in-depth research to understand the customers in each one.
Generic data about the entire continent is not good enough. For example, Italians are way different from the French. French don’t share the same values as the Germans, and most importantly, they don’t share the same language.
Also, you need to analyze the demand for your products in targeted markets for localization success. For example, if something you sell is popular in one region, you can start from there and slowly expand.
Try asking specific questions for each target market when conducting research:
- What is the growth rate in this target market?
- Is there a lot of competition?
- Are people interested in your product?
- Can locals afford your product?
- How much will customer support and transportation cost your company?
It’s essential to reach the highest number of potential customers without spending more than you can afford. So consider all these indicators when deciding on which market to approach first.
Pricing
You must remember to convert prices into currencies your buyers are using. The payment method and shipping are also necessary factors that you should consider while localizing your app. Many places in the world prefer credit cards, but there are also some that prefer PayPal.
Make sure you allow your buyers to purchase in a way that’s easy and convenient for them. Many people will abandon the purchase if they are unsatisfied with payment methods.
Success localization: Hire professionals
Another tip and a great trick to have a localization success is generally a complicated process. It may require changing the entire layout, translating all legal terms precisely, and localizing to a specific language and culture. You need to hire professionals (local professionals are the best option) familiar with the local target markets and different writing styles.
By working with professional translators, you’ll be able to go global and share your product with the world. Localization professionals are fluent in multiple languages. They are experts in manual translation as well as the culture and jargon of your targeted market. In addition, they will make sure that you get accurate translations.
Quality assurance
The last step before the final version of your multilingual app goes live should be a detailed quality assurance process. First, proofread and remove any grammatical or spelling errors. Ensure that images are top quality and displayed accurately and that every information you have is correct.
Quality content is a must, but if your app isn’t easy to use, people won’t read it. Everything has to load quickly and be easy to navigate, or you risk losing your visitors. You can use quality assurance tools to help you check your content before it goes live. These tools can help you identify any errors automatically, so you’ll save time on this process and know what to improve.
Final thoughts
Localization success takes time and effort. It involves detailed research and excellent local knowledge to connect with targeted customers.
You may think you can master this process yourself, but it’s always better to hire professionals to ensure there are no mistakes. So follow these tips, be careful about cultural differences and purchasing habits, and prepare for going global.