Software Localization: All You Need To Know
The global software market revenue has been on an uptrend since 2016, finally hitting $507.23 billion in 2021. That means this massive industry is like a ripe peach, ready for picking. Many people recognize that and are investing time and money in software development and similar activities. If you are doing the same, here's something that will help your product stand out and garner enormous success - software localization. Keep reading to discover more about this solution and why you need it.
Fundamentals of Software Localization
Software localization, often abbreviated as L10n, refers to the process of adapting software to diverse areas:
1. Languages
There are approximately 6,500 different languages used for communication in the world today. Although English is the most widely used, there are several regions, including China, Algeria, and Tanzania, where a small chunk of the population uses it. Therefore, language localization is mandatory to target a specific audience in countries where English isn't commonplace. The same applies to a situation where your software is for an audience in English-speaking regions, but its original language is different. Simply put, language localization enables us to reach a broad audience by paying extra attention to the target's language and less emphasis on sticking with the original text.
2. Regional peculiarities
Every region has its distinct peculiarities. For instance, you are likely to find one area with cultural characteristics that differ from the others. Take Britain and India, for example. Britain is associated with the revolution of punk, British-English, and cuisines like puddings, buns, and bacon. Plus, most people residing in this country celebrate Christmas. In contrast, this holiday is a small festival in India, and most Indians speak Hindi, practice Hinduism, and revel in delicacies like Adivasi. Understanding and tailoring software to fit local peculiarities helps users identify more with your products.
Why Software Localization is Necessary
Your company needs to localize software because it's one of the best ways to penetrate a new market and increase international sales. The reason is that localizing a product makes it available in several languages, ensuring most of your target audience can use it, despite regional linguistic or cultural differences. The more localized software is, the more users find it easier to understand and operate correctly. Otherwise, selling software available in only one language limits the number of people that will utilize it, consequently cutting your customer base. Besides, localization helps you reduce support costs. Users are likely to constantly call you asking for guidance and support when navigating your software is challenging. That means you must have a standby team and the infrastructure required to offer quality support 24/7. But, software localization helps you avoid that by making it easy for users to understand product functionalities. That way, you don't have to build an enormous support team or overwork your service desk.
Learn more about localization software today.
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