Best practices: Localization & translation of your web apps

Localization is more than translation. In terms of localizing web apps, it means going beyond translating your app into different languages and onto full-on adaptation to a country or region. The goal is to provide local users with a custom-made user experience.

Why localize your web apps?

Because English is still just another language.

Because huge non-English markets, such as China, are teeming with potential, and the key to unlocking them - is web app localization. Localizing your app allows you to enter a new market, gain visibility exposure, and thrive.

Gold standards

• UTF-8. Everywhere. Having UTF-8 will save you a lot of trouble.
• Avoid adding text to images. Opt instead to use CSS and simply overlap the text.
• Adding a class name that relates to the locale in the body tag of the document can help you specify a layout for a specific locale in the CSS file easily.
• Geolocation is an easy solution but not always the right fit for detecting a user’s locale. Don’t forget to provide users with an option to switch between languages easily.
• Do not hardcode your content.

Plan the localization of your web apps

Before localization - there is internationalization. Internationalization is the process of making sure your app is localization-friendly. This means it is not hard-coded, that the source code is separated from the actual dynamic content, which will be translated and localized. Internationalization done well and timely will save you time and money once the localization process starts.

1. Select target markets. One of the first questions that obviously comes to mind when localizing your web apps is, “Which languages and which countries?”.
2. Focus your resources: the best localization is smart, well-thought-out localization. Just because there are thousands of languages available, it doesn’t mean all will work for your app and your overall market expansion goals. Choose your markets carefully. If your app is already published, checking the current stats will help you see where there might be untapped potential.
3. Analytics. If you already have a web or mobile app, check your app analytics to identify countries and markets that are already using your product. If you don’t have an app, you might be able to do some competitive research to see which apps are localized to which markets.
4. Market research. Keep in mind that different countries have different popularity in browsers and customized versions of operating systems. You need to know those details before getting started with your actual localization project.

Choosing a translation management system

Managing app localization & translation projects for web apps used to be a messy topic. Files were sent between translators, developers, and product people, resulting in outdated translations and poor quality. An online translation management tool - such as Lingohub - takes care of this process and manages all translations in one place, making it easy for everyone involved to collect, translate, and review content

Some features & benefits of a translation management system:

• Integration in development workflow: It allows seamless integration and sync between the development process and the translation work. Meaning: The translation is a continuous effort, and as soon as new features are programmed, the copy is made available for translation.
• Editing & Review: It allows translators to do the translation job and review existing translations easily.
• Quality control tools ensure that all translations are correct and in the right place.
• Automation with Translation Memory & Machine Translation: speed up the process and ensure consistency throughout all phases of the project.

Managing translators

When translating your app, you most likely rely on human resources that can help you with your localization efforts. This means hiring professional translators or finding people on your team who speak the local language and are able to help with the translation efforts.

Great translation management systems also allow you to hire professional translators for various languages directly through their system. This takes away the hassle of manually researching, hiring, and managing them, as everything is done through one system.

Whether you opt for hiring external translators or bringing one on your team, think about the translators in time. Be sure to provide them with enough context so that they can provide you with the best possible service. Translating text segments will go faster and easier if the translators understand the context of the text, where it will be positioned, and what outcomes actions will deliver. Consider providing the translators with either access to the source app or at least visual cues and explanations.

Localizing text & non-string content

Text localization comes into play once internationalization is done and once you have selected your preferred locales. The locale will then influence beyond the text, such as currencies, time and date layout, measurements, numbers, etc. This is where good internationalization pays off big time. One of the main challenges of text localization is certainly pluralization. Make sure your text segments are pluralization-friendly and that there’s enough space in the layout for all variants.

Localizing visual content

App development and design should be done with localization in mind. Since different languages require different spacing and layout, be sure your app’s interface will be localization-friendly from the visual point of view as well. For example, your app localized to right-to-left languages might require a completely different user interface from your original one. While some languages have larger font sizes, the words are usually shorter. On the other hand, some languages have many compounds that take more space than typical English words do.

Visual localization of your web app can include changes in navigation elements, color schemes, pictures, videos, etc. Different countries and cultures have different understandings of colors, and understanding that can be crucial. For example, the red color in some countries is used to signal danger, while in other cultures, it’s considered the bringer of good luck.

Beyond basics

How localized your app (and how successful it is) will depend greatly on how well you have researched your desired market. For example, while you might translate the sign-up page of your app into Mandarin, it might not generate as much visibility and use as you have desired. Why? Because the sign-up page offers a Facebook or Google sign-in option but not a WeChat account, which dominates the Chinese app market.

Don’t forget!

Localization of the Privacy guidelines and In-app purchases is a must, especially if the market you have your eyes set on has strict legal provisions for user privacy protection. Know your audience and deliver accordingly.

Testing your localized web apps

Test, test, test - before releasing your app to the new market, ensure you have it checked, used, and reviewed by native speakers.

There are various web app testing approaches available. Functional testing, for example, ensures that the web app’s functionality and performance aren’t affected by the localization done. At this point, the person running the test doesn’t necessarily need to understand the localized languages. Don’t forget to test for different browsers - Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari - whatever your future users will be using, you need to be sure it has been checked.

In addition, conducting user tests (such as alpha or beta tests) will ensure that the app is working properly while all translations are correct. This test needs to be done by native speakers that understand the translated languages. Lastly, stay open to feedback. Even the best localization can be improved upon. Listen to your users and provide them with an opportunity to share their feedback - and then evolve further.