avoid the hidden pitfalls of app internationalization

App Store Optimization Tools

Avoid The Hidden Pitfalls of App

Internationalization

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Making your app available to people in different countries is one of the best ways to increase app downloads and revenue. However, there are several considerations that must be taken into account when marketing your app in other countries and it goes beyond just translating words. !We will first take a look at the opportunity that exists for businesses that are willing to go through the internationalization process. Then we will show you some of the pitfalls that you might encounter when internationalizing your app for the first time. !With more and more people using smartphones in other countries, the app user base continues to grow and companies that want to be competitive should expand into other countries, if possible.

The Internationalization Opportunity

According to a November 2013 report by Ericsson Mobility, they estimate that 60% or 9.4 Billion worldwide mobile subscriptions will be linked to smartphones by 2019. This is more than double the 25% of subscriptions in 2013. If data plans and devices get cheaper sooner, this will accelerate market penetration.

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Cultural Differences

but can be really confusing to users when not implemented correctly. !Then you also need to be aware of customs that could mean the difference between users falling in love with your app or getting deeply offended. !For example, in some cultures it is offensive to use your left hand for eating. There is nothing wrong with this in the US, but if your app shows a person doing this, it could turn off a lot of people in other countries. !Be sure to consult with a person from your target country or use a localization service that is aware of cultural differences.

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Besides just translating language elements in your app, there are other differences that you need to be aware of to make foreign users feel at home when using your app. !Remember things like date, temperature and distance formatting conventions. These things are easy to take for granted,

























































































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Build a Team

Once you find a service provider that knows both the language and culture, try to adopt a team mentality, where you consistently work with those people, even though you may save a few dollars with other services. !This will save you the time and headache of getting inconsistent work quality. Since ratings can determine the appeal of your app on the app store, and thus the number of downloads, it is important to put out the best product possible every time you update your app. !If you are just getting started, consult with other businesses that have internationalized their app and have a similar app or target audience and find out which service they use. This can cut down your learning curve tremendously.

It may be tempting to cut some expenses and try to use Google Translate to do all of your app localization. !While this is certainly a great way to get started and shave a few hours off the billable hours you pay for localization services, you should have everything checked out by a localization team that not only knows the language of your target country, but the customs and cultural background.!You may also want to double check your localization with a couple of different expert sources, just to get a second opinion.!It may take some time to get a feel for which service providers really know their stuff and which ones are just OK.



























































































Monetization

We hope that these slides help you avoid the common pitfalls when it comes to app internationalization. !To find out how your app is doing internationally, check out our internationalization tools.

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Finally, let’s talk about monetization models for a minute. A model that works in a country like the US or Australia may not work in other countries. !This can be due to social acceptance of certain monetization models or price sensitivity due to currency exchange rates or income level. !Be prepared to test different monetization models to see which one works best in your target country. !Free with in-app purchases may work great in the US, but you might make more money with a $0.99 app in other countries.

























































































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Sensor Tower provides businesses with powerful keyword research and tracking tools to help their apps get more downloads by ranking for important keywords.!For a free trial, visit SensorTower.com

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avoid the hidden pitfalls of app internationalization

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