If you have an online store, you must know that this is the perfect moment to go international. Mobile commerce is the method of electronic commerce with the best prospects for development and, for this reason, e-commerce applications and their translations are essential elements in this trend.
What should I bear in mind when translating an app?
Mobile applications are the fastest way to shop, as well as the perfect way to advertise and, above all, interact with the customer. They grant the user immediate access to your product catalog, without needing to search too much. What’s more, an app will allow you to build a loyal customer base with a personalised profile. If you get customers to download your app, you’ll be multiplying your sales possibilities.
Keep in mind that our phone is with us every day at all times, meaning that a downloaded app will, sooner or later, lead to a purchase. For this reason, a well-translated app is an essential tool to meet your goals and internationalise your brand.
In order to translate an application properly, you need to keep several aspects in mind. It is necessary to be able to count on qualified professionals who are linguistic experts, but who are also well-versed in the cultural aspects of each country. The aim should be to make using the app as easy as possible for the customer.
It is also very important that the content of the app is sales-focused, adapting to the characteristics of mobile devices, such as, for example, the number of characters used or the buttons for interacting with the application.
Another factor which you should be very aware of is the currency for each market. You need to specify it clearly, and the same goes for the date and time format, as well as the particular characteristics of the products being sold, etc. The legal aspect should also be considered.
In terms of design, you must already know how important it can be. It should be reviewed down to the smallest detail (characters, colours…), since one mistake can put potential customers off.
The importance of a high-quality translation
A high-quality translation makes all the difference, and it can help you to level up your business and gain a significant advantage against the competition. Don’t fall into the trap of creating a monolingual app or, worse still, of using an automatic translator with the aim of reducing costs. In the same way that a good translation can drive your business forward, a bad one will give you a bad image and, consequently, you’ll lose potential customers.
Advantages for customers
At some point, you must have wanted to download an app but, on seeing that it wasn’t available in your native language, you ruled it out. Right? Well, you should consider that, just like you, there are millions of people in the world who are looking for an application they can understand. Using a service you don’t fully understand can be very inconvenient, and most people simply wouldn’t bother.
Therefore, it’s logical to assume that if potential customers are trying to decide between your app, which has not been translated, and another one that has been, they’ll go for the second one without a doubt. Today, people are looking for convenience in everything they do, since we’re always on the go. For this reason, if users don’t understand your app, they’ll rule it out.
Another very important aspect when translating applications is localisation. The translation of your content, post-sale service chats, payment systems, etc., need to be perfectly adjusted to the culture and vernacular of each place. Any mistakes in this area may also cause you to lose customers.
Translation and localisation should always go hand in hand, given that it’s the only way to avoid textual errors and poor designs, as well as to ensure a proper adaptation to the idiosyncrasies of each market. This is why you should keep in mind that the translation and localisation of the application will need to go through a revision phase before being launched onto the market.
This analysis will allow you to check whether the application’s functionalities are working properly in all the languages to which it has been translated. The possible errors will need to be identified so that they can be escalated and solved before the service is made available.
As you can see, translating e-commerce applications can open many doors in different markets. However, it is essential that you spare no expense when it comes to achieving a high-quality translation. Therefore, it is necessary to count on the help of qualified professionals who can provide an error-free translation. Here at Blarlo, we have the best translators for any language, and we’d love to help you out.
