Software localization is the process of changing an application or program so that it fits the needs of a certain language and culture. The user interface, which includes all text, images, and multimedia, must be changed for this process. Software that has been properly localized will have the look and feel of an application made to be used by people in any part of the world.
Why is that so important?
When you consider that 45 percent of all apps available come from China, you can see why it’s important to ensure your app is available in markets where English isn’t the only language spoken. This will also show how important localization services for mobile apps are.
What are the implications of software localization?
Changing the code, error messages, or messages is part of the localization process. You can also get help, license agreements, technical requirements, legal requirements, and other resources online. It’s also important to change the measurements, units of measure, and how numbers, times, and dates are written.
The method of payment and currency must also be changed to fit the local market. Normal business people might not care about such small things, but if you want to grow, you must consider them all. Experts recommend getting help from Professional application localization services because of this. This ensures that the fonts work well together and that you follow each region’s licensing or security rules.
6 Steps to Localize Software
For localizing software, there are six important steps:
- Find the source files that you’ll need to translate.
- Translate content
- Check for mistakes in the translations.
- Add the translated files to the structure of your code.
- The dimensions of the text boxes can be modified.
- Build, test, and compile the software for all markets.
Also, it would assist if you recalled that you have to translate this same software to languages that use different alphabets than the language in which the original document was written. The screen will look different when English software has been transcribed into Japanese or Arabic.
So, services that help localize software must be extremely careful in this area. The buttons and the things they contain must be moved the same way. This is why the user interface must be made so that it can be changed.
Materials Used
The source materials should be made (or made from scratch) so they are easy to translate. This is true for both the artistic part (the design) as well as the technical part (the codes). This process is called “internationalization.”
Taking Care of Language Variations
Last but not least, recollect that different languages take up different amounts of space. In the German dialect, for example, people often use very long words. On the other hand, English is among the languages with the fewest words.
Why is software localization so essential for international businesses?
During globalization, many new businesses started up, and those businesses quickly realized how important it was to use professional website localization services to get into different markets. But localization is very important for businesses of all sizes. If you only focus on English-speaking markets, you miss out on a big part of the world’s population.
Around the world, about 7.8 billion people, and 1.35 billion of them speak English. Also, only 360 million people speak English as their first language. This means that most people who speak English are comfortable working with people who speak other languages.
In countries where there is only one language, many possible customers speak a different dialect. If your market speaks more than one language, some people may prefer one over the other. Software localization is important for international businesses in three ways:
Get to new markets quickly.
Before you localize your goods, you need to figure out where they will sell best. Using this information to figure out where to start your localization campaign is possible.
You can get your products to market even faster when you use agile software development. It costs a lot to change your software completely. You need to hire a team of linguists, technicians, translators, and developers to get results quickly.
Grow your customer base.
Your customer base consists of regular customers who repeatedly buy your product. Localization makes it easier for your customers to like your product and be willing to tell others about it. Since your new customers are now regulars, your income will be more stable.
So, don’t be afraid to use website localization services if you need help. If your software is accessible to these groups, you’ll get a lot out of it. Your customer base can grow with the assistance of social media marketing and word-of-mouth chats.
Make the user experience better.
For every dollar you spend on UX, your business will get back between $10 and $100. When you localize your software, you make it much better for users everywhere. With the localization feature, your program can adapt to the habits and language trends of the people who use it in a certain area.
Conclusion
This article talked about how important it is to localize software. Sites, apps, and software need to be translated and localized to work in the world we live in now. No one can be successful without the benefit of translation services. So, don’t be afraid to act and put yourself in the best position.
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