The rapid technological development has enabled business owners to break the barriers and reach any market in the world. Limitations to just one area have been surpassed a long time ago. However, those who want to take over the world need to think of the language barrier.
Sometimes it seems that everyone knows English but that is not the case. Providing your services in just one language can decrease your chances of success. So how can you overcome this problem? Multilingual mobile apps are definitely one of the best solutions.
Table of Contents
What are Multilingual Mobile Apps?
As the name suggests, multilingual apps are applications that are available in more than one language. They allow users to choose the preferred language within the same app.
Businesses opt for this solution to provide a better customer experience. Besides that, spreading to new markets usually demands the adoption of new languages.
For those reasons, more and more businesses are demanding multilingual functionality in their mobile apps.
Now, let’s address some of the reasons why multilingual mobile apps are so important.
The Importance of Multilingual Apps
Considering that mobile apps are projected to hit $188.9 billion in revenue by 2020, their importance in any type of business is undeniable.
Source: Statista
Multi-language aren’t important just for businesses that operate in different countries. They can actually play a crucial role for local businesses that have an audience of mixed nationalities.
Providing an app in the customer’s native language will increase the sale rate. According to the Common Sense Advisory survey, 72.4% of consumers said they would be more likely to buy a product with information in their own language.
What You Need to Consider When Developing a Multilingual App
Building a multi-language application comes with some challenges.
Knowing about those challenges before you start can be very helpful. It can stop you from making some typical mistakes and overlooking important steps.
Here are important aspects of development that need to be considered.
Conduct Market Research
Before you start with the app building, you need to know who your target audience is. In-depth market research should be the first step.
Some of the things you should research are:
- Competition in that market
- Errors that businesses in your industry usually make
- Most used languages in that area
- Customers’ purchasing habits
This will help you to aim your development in the right direction.
Translation
There is more to translation than it seems. It is not just converting words from one language to another because it should also convey the message.
When it comes to translation, you can choose between two options:
- Machine translation
- Human translation
Machine translation is done by translation software. The problem with machine translation is that it isn’t very precise since it doesn’t focus on the message but on the words.
On the other hand, human translation is more reliable since you can hire an expert who is familiar with both the source and target message. You can find these professionals by looking into the best paper writer’s services reviews and narrowing the choice to localization experts.
While machine translation is a more affordable option, human translation provides better quality.
Date, Time, and Location
If the app will be adapted for countries in different time zones, the date and time need to change accordingly.
In order to cater to the needs of locals, integration of local places is another aspect to be considered.
App Design
If the app is purposely designed just for one language, there are changes you’ll have to make.
Starting with the menu which will now offer the option to change the language, and leading to icons, symbols, and images that can have different meanings depending on the culture. Every single aspect of the design needs to be reconsidered and changed if necessary. To make decisions much easier, an Image heatmap for market research can be used to understand what customers like and dislike in the app design.
Conclusion
Great customer experience is imperative for success and multilingual apps are the way to perfect it. Not only do they allow people to understand what the service is about but they also show cultural awareness.
The requirement for multilingual mobile apps is growing so it’s better to adopt this trend as soon as possible. Keeping up to date with all the technological advances is crucial and multi-language apps are a step that deserves everyone’s attention.
About Author:
Steven is an editor at RatedByStudents. He has a long-term experience in various types of writing such as article writing, SEO writing, blog writing, copywriting, and marketing content. Due to his passion for technology, he has also been working with leading experts in app development and digital marketing. Steven wants to use his knowledge and writing expertise to help others improve their services.