How to translate your texts, keywords, and titles for your app descriptions? How to deal with localization for your app listing?
The major app stores list your apps in many languages. The Apple App Store in 37 languages. Google Play Store (Play Console) in more than 49 languages.

App developers and publishers have to decide how to proceed with these localization options. Not translating is not completing a critical App Store Optimization topic. Human-based translations are expensive. Are machine-based ones a valid alternative? In other words which one is the better option? App Store localization, machine or human-based?

Applying translations to Google Play Console and Apple iTunes Connect

Each language has to be added manually to the stores. Above all, this is time-consuming. Many repetitious steps:

  1. Write your descriptions (long, short, promo), search for keywords, and write titles
  2. Translate everything into as many languages as possible
  3. Ask professional translators, friends, and family to cover the missing translations
  4. Collect the whole results in sheets or other files
  5. Take a deep breath – and start to copy and paste everything to the stores:
    1. Set the first language
    2. Select the text in your source file
    3. Copy
    4. Pick the corresponding form field in the store
    5. Paste
    6. Select the following description in your source
    7. Copy and paste again
    8. Repeat 6 + 7 until you are done
    9. Now – select the following language

You got the point. Not only is translating an effort, but provisioning also takes hours, too.

Localization options for app listings

Some developers translate their keywords, titles, and descriptions themselves. At least a couple of them. Or hire professional translators or use – translation services or software. Large businesses, of course, have the budget to go only the professional human-based way.

Decide what you can afford. Check our calculator to get an idea about translation costs. By today, human-based translations always beat machine-based ones. But, to start with at least something, why not use a machine-based description to open or test a new market? If it kicks, go for a professional one.

Here are a couple of opinions about human-based vs machine-based translations:

Which machine-based services

Of course, machine-based translation will grow and will get better. That’s just a matter of time. There are already some specialized translation services with decent results available:

Service NameProvider
Amazon TranslateAmazon AWS
Google TranslateGoogle
Microsoft TranslateMicrosoft
Watson Language Translator IBM
Deepl DeepL GmbH
MyMemorytranslated Labs

Human-based translation services

If you look around, you’ll find the following cloud-based translation solutions. All of them offer possibilities to translate your words or texts for free. For professional use, they supplement APIs or other professional features:

Service NameProvider
Translate by HumansTranslate By Humans [Innovative Humans Limited]
Gengo Gengo, Inc
Tomedes Tomedes Ltd
Lingy lingy Ltd

Our conclusion for your localization

No doubt, a professional human translator is ahead of any machine-based translation by the date. In some scenarios, automated translations might be a good alternative.
As I WANT AN ELEPHANT services user, you have the freedom of choice. Optimize the localization for your app listing with our App Store Localizer.

Of course, you can apply human-based translations. Or use our automated translation feature. Both automatic and human-based texts can be transferred automatically.
We integrate automated translations to start your App Store Optimization quickly. Translate what you can by yourself.

Use automated translation to test new markets. Adjust your budget to optimize your translations after you have gained users.
Want to read more? You can also check out Desygner DAM.

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