Launching a new app in multiple languages is a great way to reach a global audience and increase your user base. But how can you ensure that your translations are top-notch and convey your message accurately and effectively? Here are some tips to help you achieve high-quality localization for your mobile app.
Before you start translating your app, you need to decide which languages you want to target and prioritize. You can use market research, user feedback, analytics, and other sources to identify the most relevant and profitable languages for your app. You should also consider the cultural and linguistic differences between regions and countries that speak the same language, such as Spanish in Spain and Latin America, or English in the UK and the US.
When you're getting ready to launch your app globally, picking the right languages is like setting the destination for a world tour. You want to go where your fans are! So, start with some detective work: dive into market research, listen to what users are saying, and check out those analytics. This helps you figure out which languages will bring the most bang for your buck. But here's a pro tip: don't forget the local flavors. Languages can have different vibes in different places. Think about how Spanish varies between Spain and Latin America or the subtle twists in English between the UK and the US. It's like how the same song can hit differently in different countries.
Pro Tip 1.0 look at a similar respected mobile game and read their release notes 1.1 their “languages supported” or ones being rolled out are on the release notes 1.2 don’t Re-invent the wheel
The next step is to hire professional translators who have experience and expertise in your app's domain, genre, and tone. You should avoid using machine translation or amateur translators, as they can result in errors, inconsistencies, and misunderstandings that can harm your app's reputation and user experience. You should also provide your translators with clear guidelines, context, and feedback to ensure that they understand your app's purpose, features, and voice.
If your app is specific to a particular industry or demographic, look for translators with the same profile / industry experience. Jargon needs specialty translation. But these days there is lots of freelance talent available - Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal. I also wouldn't ignore the explosion of capability with "free" translation tools - google, chatgpt, and others have come a long way and provide a good starting point if properly used (get your prompts right!). Just don't assume they are good enough...
I love crowd sourcing for a few reasons: 1.0 the more you include community the better 1.1 community will tell friends which is viral marketing 1.2 languages you hadn’t thought of supporting can pop up unexpectedly Obviously QA becomes important, but much like LLM’s using data annotation - crowd sourcing can serve multiple functions
Supporting multiple languages in a mobile app is crucial, as it allows users from various language backgrounds to access the application. Currently, my app caters to over 40 markets with different languages. I consistently adhere to the following guidelines to ensure top-notch translations for a multilingual app * Professional Translators: Hire experts fluent in target languages and Don’t use google or other translation tool. * Localization Testing: Test translations for UI fit and cultural appropriateness. * Native Speaker Collaboration: Involve locals for accuracy and authenticity. * In-App Feedback: Allow users to report translation issues within the app. * Quality Assurance: Thoroughly test each language for errors and consistency.
Once you have your translations ready, you need to test them on different devices, platforms, and screen sizes to check for any issues or glitches. You should look for problems such as text truncation, layout distortion, alignment errors, font compatibility, and readability. You should also test your translations for functionality, usability, and accessibility, and make sure that they work well with your app's navigation, buttons, icons, images, and audio.
Setup User Acceptance Testing (UAT) groups. This takes the app further from QA and internal stakeholder hands. Get the app into your customers hands early and often. Make sure you identify the early adopters in your UAT groups that drive feedback and constructive criticism.
Localization is not a one-time process, but an ongoing one. You need to update your translations whenever you make changes to your app's content, design, or features. You should also monitor your app's performance, ratings, reviews, and feedback in different languages and markets, and use them to improve your translations and localization strategy. You should also keep an eye on the latest trends, preferences, and expectations of your target users and adapt your translations accordingly.
To make your localization process easier and faster, you can use various tools and services that can help you manage your translations, quality assurance, testing, and updates. For example, you can use localization platforms that allow you to upload your app's source files, select your target languages, assign your translators, and download your localized files. You can also use localization testing tools that allow you to simulate your app's appearance and behavior on different devices and platforms. You can also use localization analytics tools that allow you to track and measure your app's performance and user satisfaction in different languages and markets.
With lack of resources, you can always consider AIs (like ChatGPT or Bard) among with regular translators to translate your app. It doesn't guarantee that you won't have weird translation, but improves your chances to not see it if you don't have professional translators or native speakers in the team.
Finally, you can learn from other successful apps that have launched in multiple languages and see how they have handled their localization challenges and opportunities. You can look for best practices, tips, examples, and case studies that can inspire you and guide you in your localization journey. You can also join online communities and forums where you can network with other app developers and translators, exchange ideas, ask questions, and get feedback.
De forma resumida: N?o fa?a tradu??es automáticas. Disponibilize as tradu??es nas APIs que s?o consumidas pelo APP. Crie uma base de dados local no APP para armazenar os textos em diferentes linguagens e apresente de acordo com a linguagem do sistema operacional.