The Complete Guide To Software Localization For Your Project

What is Software Localization

Software localization refers to adjusting a web or mobile application to users’ geography, language, and culture in a particular market. It entails adjusting content’s translations, design, and UX (user experience) to make the software appear and feel as though it has been specifically designed for the target user, their language, culture, and habits. To the end user, adjusted content looks natural, clear, understandable, and easy to use, indicating that you care about and respect their culture.

Hiring an experienced professional software localization company to handle the process is the most straightforward approach to managing your software localization. These professionals use their technical and project management skills to provide software localization services that make the process painless. They are fully equipped with all the necessary tools and resources, from localization platforms to translation teams.

The software localization process includes total modification: from the user interface to documentation, as well as images, formatting, etc., thus meeting the needs of the new audience.

Software localization is a must when it comes to expanding the business, entering new markets, or attracting new customers worldwide. Adding new languages and simply translating the website and app are usually the first things we undertake. However, software localization entails much more than merely translating your app. The content adjusts to the consumer, so they feel like the product was made just for them to enhance the user experience.

The main differences between translation and localization:

• Localization is not just the translation of a text; it includes images, sounds, numbers, and every other aspect of what the recipient experiences when using your product.
• The localization process is more complicated and may require several teams, including developers, designers, marketers, and translators.
• Localization takes translation as an essential part of the process to the next level. It focuses more on the characteristics of regional languages ​​rather than a simple translation from one language to another.

From Where To Start With Software Localization

First, consider carefully which nations and target markets you want to adapt your product. Please do your research to learn about regional or dialectal differences between their language and yours. Examine how your competitors’ websites and services function in that country or language. Think about what changes you need to make to your app or website to make it feel like it was designed for the target user.

Translation

Typically, this is the first action taken before beginning software localization. Select the countries or languages you want to focus on and add them to your website or app.

● Explore different translation tools and libraries you may use to translate your product. Preparing the translation structure on the code’s side is crucial from the developer’s perspective.

● Consider employing a translation management system to speed up product delivery for particular locations by automating the translation and localization processes.

● Take into account that English texts occasionally deviate from those in other languages. Ensure that the translated text will look great and seamlessly integrate into your website or app.

● Build a glossary to ensure all terms are translated correctly and utilized in the application. It can be sent to your team and translators so that all crucial terms, such as proper names used in your product, are centralized.

Localization

The localization process involves numerous significant steps. They are:

●  Choosing a platform. Selecting the best localization platform for your needs is preferable. The software localization process can go more efficiently and comfortably with the support of the appropriate platform. Finding a platform that accepts a variety of source formats is crucial because it will provide you with flexibility. Seek out platforms made for developers because they should have more features. Additionally, a professional editor is much needed.

● Translation. You may quickly access the languages you require by using a localization platform that has one or more translation companies integrated into it. Most platforms allow you to quickly bring in your preferred translation team if you do not work with an integrated agency. The best translators will have a solid technical background and excellent linguistic skills. They should also be native speakers of the target language.

● Quality check. This will allow you to check the translations’ accuracy and make necessary corrections. It’s better not to make any changes to your code until it has been thoroughly reviewed. Now a translation project manager can be of great assistance.

● Insertion into code. It’s time to re-insert your localized strings into your code if you’re satisfied with the quality and correctness of your translations. You should be able to import and deploy them by simply pulling them from the localization platform.

● Localization testing. You must test everything often to ensure everything is operating as it should, just like with any software upgrades or modifications. Make sure to test each localized version to look for any flaws or mistakes, whether linguistic, visual or in any other aspect of the user experience. What is essential to test your program local user testing entails taking a sizable sample of the targeted area. This method has the potential to be quite beneficial.

Final Thought

To sum up, the goal of localization is to reach out and personalize content to the user. In a way, this approach benefits local communities, celebrates their linguistic and cultural diversity, and highlights the significance of these differences. Building a genuine and valuable relationship between the service provider or software developer and its user is undoubtedly tricky, but it is worth it.

Localizing your software is essential to widen your reach into unexplored countries, gain new customers, and set up your company for global growth. Translation has been a popular low-cost approach for extending the reach of software as it increasingly crosses international borders. You can give your consumers a far better experience if you do it correctly. If you succeed, your product may become the next big thing globally.