Software app developers who plan to market their creations globally often make one key mistake. They assume that they can deal with the localization process after the fact. So, they make a product that is entirely focused on a single market. Later, when they decide to sell their app in other countries, they realize that the localization process is much more complex than it ever needed to be.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s so important to consider localization from day one. Ideally, you\u2019ll do this by bringing localization pros on board from the design phase forward. Then, you can make the entire process work even better by following these seven best practices.<\/p>\n
Consider Whether Translated Text Would Take up More or Less Screen Space<\/strong><\/p>\n This alone is why it\u2019s such a good idea to think about localization and translation<\/a> at the ground level. As you localize your content, you\u2019re going to find that in many cases your new text takes up significantly more or less real estate on your screen.<\/p>\n That can make a big difference in any case. On mobile, the usability of your app could be at stake. This issue is especially problematic when it comes to pulling down menus, icon text, and other places where you simply don\u2019t have a lot of real estate to play with.<\/p>\n Manage Strings with Localization in Mind<\/strong><\/p>\n The way that you handle your text strings can make a big difference when it comes to localization. If you hard code your strings, and you use string concatenation, that will make things much more difficult going forward. Every time you want to localize a text string, you\u2019ll have to find it and make the change. Instead, declare your strings as resources<\/a>. This way you can find them, and modify them easily all from a single location.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Forget Promotional Materials<\/strong><\/p>\n As you consider what needs to be localized, it\u2019s important that you think beyond the content your users see on the screen. For example, if you place your app on the App Store, or Google Play, your descriptions, update text, and other content will need to be localized. The same applies to:<\/p>\n Localize Your Keywords<\/strong><\/p>\n Hopefully, as you\u2019ve created content around your app, you\u2019ve optimized it for relevant short and long tail keywords. This is something that you\u2019re going to have to revisit when you localize that same content. You can\u2019t simply translate keyword phrases from one language to another.<\/p>\n The reason for this is that people often use entirely different words and phrases to search for the same things. One example is the word mobile phone. The direct translation of mobile phone in English to German is Mobiltelefon. The problem is that this isn\u2019t the word that German\u2019s commonly use when they\u2019re referring to their mobile devices. Instead, they use the word \u2018handy\u2019, as Stephen Fry pointed out in an episode of Quite Interesting. That would be the keyword you\u2019d want to focus on.<\/p>\n Think Beyond Text<\/strong><\/p>\n Most people consider texts, units of measurement, and symbols as they begin to address the issue of software localization. That\u2019s good, but it\u2019s incomplete. There are other things to consider when it comes to creating software that works for people in other locations and cultures.<\/p>\n One of these is color. Different cultures use colors in varying ways to express or incite a variety of emotions and sentiments. For example, Western culture often sees the color white and associates purity, innocence, and cleanliness. In Eastern culture it can mean mourning or death. Red can symbolize passion, anger, or warning. In India, red is purity.<\/p>\n There are also images, icons, and emojis to consider. All of these things could potentially communicate something that you don\u2019t intend to when shown to people in another location. This can lead to confusion at best, and cause offense at worst.<\/p>\n Use a Trusted Localization Pro with Cultural Insights and Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n