12/13/2023
The Ultimate Guide to iOS App Localization
James Wilson
Expanding your mobile app to a global audience is an excellent way to increase its user base and revenue generation. A key part of going global is localization, tailoring your iOS app to match the culture, language, and understanding of your target audience. iOS app localization can seem quite daunting; however, it doesn't have to be. In this ultimate guide, we'll walk you through iOS app localization and how you can use quality tools, such as Globify, to simplify this process.
## Understanding iOS App Localization
Localization is not just a simple translation of app content into multiple languages; instead, it involves adapting your iOS mobile application to meet the needs and preferences of users in different countries. Localization factors include language, cultural nuances, date and number formats, currency, and much more. If effectively done, iOS app localization can significantly broaden your app's reach, driving its visibility and downloads.
## Steps for Successful iOS App Localization
### 1. Market Research
Before embarking on localization, pinpoint the target countries or regions you want your app to serve. Research the region’s popular trends, cultural preferences, language, and the devices most commonly used.
### 2. Internationalization
Internationalization is the process of making your app readied for future localization efforts. This involves coding your app in such a way that it can handle multiple languages, currencies and time zones. In iOS apps, you can facilitate internationalization by using the NSLocalizedString() function in which you can input multiple languages.
### 3. Translation and Localization
Once your app is properly internationalized, the next step is to translate and localize all textual content and multimedia within your app. Manual translation can be quite tedious and prone to errors, subject to the fluency in the given language. This is where AI-powered tools like Globify can make a difference. With Globify, you can automatically translate your iOS app content into multiple languages in minutes, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.
### 4. User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Adaptation
Aside from swapping words from one language to another, localization also involves redefining your UI/UX design to match what locals are used to. This could range from changing colors and images to reflect the local culture, to overhauling your app's layout because of a language's reading pattern.
### 5. Testing
Once you've localized your app, you’ll need to test it to identify any inaccuracies or errors. It's essential to ensure that your content is contextually accurate and that your design layout works well with all your chosen languages.
### 6. Marketing Localization
To make your app internationally appealing, you also need to localize your marketing strategies. The promotional channels, style of communication, and even the marketing content that works in one region may not resonate in another.
### 7. Continuous Updates and Localization
The app localization process doesn't end after your first release. As you update your app, any new content you create also needs localization. Having an automated localization tool like Globify can aid in continuously keeping your app updated in all the targeted languages.
iOS app localization can be a smart strategy to drive app growth and revenue. It lets you reach a global audience and significantly improves the user experience amongst those from different regions. However, it's crucial to approach it systematically - and having a powerful localization tool like Globify on your side can make the process seamless and efficient.