How mobile app localization can help your business grow

by | Dec 12, 2018

The success of your mobile app depends on many factors, for example, on the number of users that will download your app and generate revenue for your business.

But to make sure that you can reach as many potential customers as possible, your app has to be readily available to every market your business is active in.

And that’s where mobile app localization comes in.

Below you’ll see the key advantages of localizing your mobile app to the languages, cultures and markets of your target users.

1. Reaching out to more users

Once your app is localized into several languages and adapted to your target markets, you’ll be able to improve your ranking in app stores and increase download rates. The more users that can understand your app, the more revenue you can generate through your mobile sales or services.

But before you jump straight into the action and localize your product, you’ll need one more crucial ingredient for success: thorough market research.

By doing this, you’ll be able to determine the right audiences for your app and select the most suitable languages and markets. Thorough market research will help you customize your product to your target customers, for example, offer the most attractive features, choose the most appealing graphics and colors, or promote your app in the right channels.

Analyzing your target market and user behavior will also help you decide whether you should localize your app gradually (e.g. starting from localization of keywords or app description) or start at full speed.

2. Boosting your exposure

With a localized app you can create the impression that you care about the needs and preferences of your users. This in turn can help you gain their trust and loyalty, and eventually convert your users into regular customers.

Once you manage to increase the number of downloads and users, your business will be more likely to achieve a better online presence. Not only your apps, but also your website and social media channels will gain more exposure to new users and new business opportunities.

To reap these benefits, you don’t have to localize all your apps or localize your apps fully. Even with one localized app or a partially localized app (only selected products, features or services), you can still improve your online presence and keep developing your brand.

3. Improving your competitive advantage

Adding more languages, attracting more users, and ensuring more exposure will also help you improve your competitive advantage.

With consumers around the world spending twice as much time on mobile devices as on a desktop computer, it’s obvious that your brand has to embrace mobile technology. Otherwise you might miss out on the potential to become a customer-oriented business.

Localizing your business app might also be a good way to differentiate your brand, especially in a market where everyone is trying to constantly come up with new features. Sometimes all you need to do to give your mobile app a little boost is add a new language and open it to a new market. The endless race for better, more creative, and more unique design is not the only way to success.

Of course, at some point offering only one multilingual app might not be enough to keep growing your business. Then, you can invest in creating a great localized mobile product again or simply add a few unique features to your successfully localized app.

Dorota Pawlak

Translator, entrepreneur and owner of Polish Localisation

Dorota Pawlak is a translator, entrepreneur and owner of Polish Localisation, which helps businesses with successful communication across cultures. She is passionate about languages, cultures, and technology. 

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