The internet is global by its inherent nature. It is thus difficult to sometimes see the value of localization when a single person alone can reach the whole world through sophisticated mediums. The advantages of localization are less apparent when one view aims to achieve global success at the precipice of their small business venture.
This is very true for app companies as well. It is very easy these days to create a WordPress or WooCommerce app using tools like the AppMySite free app maker. While uploading the app to the Google Play or Apple App Store, users can select a whole host of countries to make their app available in. This essentially makes their mobile app a global commodity.
This one-click global availability phenomenon is the key reason app companies underestimate localization. There are some inherent advantages in making an app for a small local demographic. Global availability means global downloads, but there are drawbacks there as well.
This piece studies five ways app companies can benefit from localization.
Table of contents
- Simpler app marketing
- Higher degree of personalization
- Better feasibility
- Ideal ground for developing proof of concept
- Setting up ground for internationalization
#1 – Simpler app marketing
Mobile app marketing is very tedious on a purely tactical level. Making people download an app is almost as tough as making a sale. The added difficulty of reaching a global audience with the same app listing makes things more difficult.
Think about it. Marketers have to reach audiences across the world divided by preference in language and a range of other factors. It is naturally tedious for marketers to reach audiences globally because of these challenges.
Localization helps focus the overall marketing effort according to one key demographic. For example, assume you want to promote your pharmacy app in the United States alone. You can thus focus various parts of your app marketing plan like strategy, content, creatives, and analytics on one country alone. You can even promote country-specific deals and rewards to incentive the target audience to take an action on your pharmacy app.
Streamlining of app marketing is a by-product of localization and remains a big reason you should consider the prospect. Simple marketing also means more conversions and actionable engagement. While it is very easy to lose direction in a campaign, localization can help keep it on the right track.
#2 – Higher degree of personalization
Localization can also usher in better personalization options. Targeting a local audience simplifies app analytics to a great degree. This ends up becoming a natural advantage while working on personalization.
First, let’s understand personalization on a basic level. Assume you download a sports news app on your smartphone. Some of the stories covered on the app are happening in other countries in a different time zone. As a user, you naturally want to read the latest stories. When you see the time of publication adjusted to your specific time zone, you essentially witness a simple example of personalization.
Localization is an essential building block of personalization. You cannot serve personalized experience until you adjust app experience based on local preferences. These preferences can manifest in relation to currency choices, time zones, and even content & product preferences.
A localized mobile app helps app companies personalize app experience according to a local demographic on a deep level. This has various long-term advantages such as higher user retention and conversion.
#3 – Better feasibility
Global marketing is always going to be expensive simply because of the sheer mechanics involved. Reaching out to users across the globe requires a lot of resources. It is also fair to assume that one marketing campaign will fail in certain regions even if it succeeds in others. This is because of natural local preferences playing a role.
Localization basically helps clear up these problems. In targeting a smaller local audience, marketers do not have to spend droves of capital. They can strategically identify the core preferences of their cohorts and reduce their marketing spend while enhancing overall efficiency.
Feasibility is an important factor for fledgling app companies only at the beginning of their journey. They cannot afford to lose a ton of resources on failed marketing experiments. Localization is thus a great way to streamline marketing spend.
#4 – Ideal ground for developing proof of concept
Launching a new app is always a risky proposition. No one can ever know if a given app idea would succeed in the market. Even apps providing great experience and functionality can fail if they’re too early or too late to a particular segment.
Eliminating this risk incentivizes companies to innovate more without the fear of failure.
Localization can prove to be a great way to develop a proof of concept for a new idea. A proof of concept basically refers to data that proves the viability of an idea. This data is generally gathered from real experiments.
A localized app launch can help companies test an app’s viability while operating in a small region. This can prove to be a vital intermediary step before a complete global rollout. Localization in such a case can provide companies a great chance to test the app with real users in a small region before a global launch. Companies more importantly can gauge the viability of the app in a global setting.
#5 – Setting up ground for internationalization
Localization doesn’t always mean targeting specific regions. It can also serve as the perfect precursor for internationalization.
Let’s assume your shopping app currently caters to people in the United States alone. You plan on launching your app in other markets like India and Japan. Launching an app in these countries would require you to localize your app. Localization can thus help you take your app to a more global audience as well.
It is thus important to not view localization as a tactic to target local users. App companies can also expand their reach and footprint using the same.
In conclusion
App localization is a great tactic when used to leverage an important advantage. There is no use tweaking your app and marketing campaign for a specific cohort if it doesn’t help achieve a clear advantage.
Tools like AppMySite have already made app development easy. Anyone can create a WordPress app for Android and iOS platforms without coding. The next great challenge is app marketing and userbase expansion. App localization can play a key part in the same.
This piece provides a guide on the five main advantages of localizing your mobile app. The benefits mentioned here must provide users sufficient motivation to localize their mobile app.
