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App Localization: Engaging Smartphones Globally

Smartphone apps are a great way for companies to engage their customers, but app localization can take both your app and your business global

Companies from all industries and of all sizes are creating apps to support their online presence. But the app marketplace is incredibly crowded and standing out can be difficult. App localization is currently one of the most sought-after translation services as it is helping companies to stand out from their competition.

Picture display different apps on an iPhone. Apps include Videos, Messenger, WhatsApp, Photos.

Popularity of Apps

When thinking about mobile apps, most people would be forgiven for assuming that they are only beneficial for the big, multi-national companies. But these days, that couldn’t be any further from the truth. More and more small and medium-size companies are discovering the benefits of building and maintaining their own app.

So how do apps help your business? Well, first we need to explore what it is about apps that makes them such a hit with customers.

Over the last decade, the use of smartphones has absolutely skyrocketed. Statista reports that in the UK alone, over 73% of the population now owns a smartphone. Globally, the number of smartphone owners reaches just over 2.3 billion people. And of those smartphone users, apps dominate smartphone usage. Various reports have been published on smartphone usage and they suggest that a person uses their phone, on average, for anything up to four hours every single day. Of that time, almost 90% of it is spent browsing apps compared to 10% on mobile-friendly web browsing.

Now, most of that time is taken up by social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. – but, nonetheless, these figures suggest that getting your app on a customer’s smartphone could be a huge coup for your business.

Apps Allow Customers Easy Access to Your Business

When a customer downloads your app, you will have gained a highly coveted space on their smartphone. Your brand is guaranteed to be seen multiple times every day and is just a single tap away.

What your app offers to customers is instant, easy access. They are a hugely convenient way for customers to interact with your business and they allow you to directly engage with your target market. Use your app to share the very latest news from your business and offer customers rewards and incentives – customize and tailor your app to your customers and make your business much more personable.

Apps are a fantastic complement to a company’s online presence. But making yourself known across the various app stores is no easy task as the battle for app recognition is played out on a global stage. As of March 2017, an estimated 2.8 million apps were available to choose from on the Google Play Store, and 2.2 million on the Apple App Store – and that figure is growing by the day. To give your app the best chance of success, you must make yourself as visible as possible. That’s where app localization comes in.

iPhone displaying an image: figures of people connected together.

App Localisation and Its Benefits

App localization is the process of tailoring your app to suit many different countries and cultures. The aim is to replicate the exact same experience customers have in US English in other languages across the world. This process goes beyond simply translating the text of your app, it takes into account the context, image use, and layout of your app. Even minimal details such as the time and date formatting, spacing for menus, and website links are updated to make them appropriate for each region.

Companies with localized smartphone apps have seen fantastic results. First and foremost, by expanding the number of languages available to customers, companies are seeing significant improvement in the number of app downloads being generated. A previous study by Distomo showed that after getting their app localized, businesses experienced a 128% increase in app downloads, and these extra downloads brought a significant increase in revenue also.

But while download numbers are important, it is critical that you hold your customer’s interest and keep them returning to your app. In 2016, Localytics reported that, on average, a smartphone user will abandon an app after the first use 23% of the time. Building a top-quality app that is user-friendly, both in the way it operates and the way it communicates with users, gives both your app and your business a wonderful platform for success.

Be A Part of the Growing Global Trend

Every day, more and more companies are realizing how important having a localized online presence is to the success of their business abroad. Wolfestone has been enhancing companies’ websites for over ten years, but app localization is quickly becoming the next must-have service. Committing time and resources to app localization shows your clients that you’re serious about delivering quality customer service, and this in turn will strengthen your customers’ loyalty and trust in your brand.

We're seeing more and more businesses take advantage of app localization to stand out in the crowded app marketplace. To see how Wolfestone can help with your localization needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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