Are you developing a game or publishing an e-learning app? Not sure how to start localizing your mobile app for the Chinese market? Don’t worry—we’re here to help.
Starting the localization process can feel overwhelming, especially after all the hard work that’s gone into developing the English version. That’s why we’ve created this beginner’s guide to make Chinese app localization straightforward and stress-free for all types of publishers and developers.
Why Localize Your App for the Chinese Market?
China is home to one of the largest and most lucrative mobile app markets in the world. By localizing your app for Chinese users, you can:
- Tap into a massive and growing user base.
- Stand out in one of the world’s most competitive app markets.
- Increase your app’s revenue potential by aligning with local language and cultural preferences.
READ MORE >> How Much Does Chinese Mobile App Localization Cost?
“Top Foreign Websites and Apps Successfully Tailored for Chinese Users”
LinkedIn (领英): LinkedIn has a localized version for China, adapted with Simplified Chinese and tailored features for the Chinese market, including compliance with local regulations.
Amazon (亚马逊): Amazon operates in China with a localized website and app, providing Chinese language support, localized products, and payment options.
Apple App Store: Apple has a fully localized version of its app store in China, including apps, payment methods, and content tailored to Chinese users.
Coursera: This e-learning platform offers Chinese subtitles, courses in Mandarin, and localized pricing for students in China.
Airbnb (爱彼迎): Airbnb offers a Chinese-language website and app, along with features like integration with WeChat and Alipay for seamless user experiences.
TikTok (Douyin): While Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok, the global version incorporates many elements popular with Chinese users to attract cross-market audiences.
KFC and McDonald’s Apps: These apps are localized with Chinese language interfaces, mobile payment integration, and menu options tailored to local tastes.
I’m here to help you reach your full potential, so here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you started. Let’s make it happen！
1 Avoid hard-coded texts into the source code
Localization shouldn’t be your afterthought during the development of the mobile app. Developers should consider your plans in localization so that they will be aware of the practices as they develop the app.
Avoid hard-code the texts into the source code during the process. And while it will save developers more time and speed up the work, you’ll slow down the localization process. So, make sure you extract the texts from the source code and write it into a resource file that has a key/value pair.
Always create a resource file for the Chinese language to make the managing and translation of texts easier. Consider the three types of writing texts, too. Simplified Chinese (zhCN), Traditional Chinese Taiwan (zhTW), and Traditional Chinese Hong Kong (zhHK).
2 Provide context, UI/UX guide, and glossary for translators
If your mobile app consists of complex stories (for games) and instructions, it’s better to provide full context and glossary for the translators to work on. This will save you more time, and it will also help them figure out those ambiguities between the source language and Chinese.
Keep in mind that whenever you translate texts from one language to another, there will be a discrepancy in length. So, you may want to provide more details on the phrases and words, which for example, English words can take up more spaces but when translated in Chinese, the phrases or words are shorter.
Discrepancies on the length of texts may compromise the images or writings can overlap videos, boxes, and other elements. So, better have contingency plans on UI/UX for your localized apps.
3 Details and spaces matter
In connection to the previous pointer, you also have to consider that details and spaces matter in the localization process. Running out of space in your app can be a source of frustration. There will be adjustments on the design or layout.
If the texts in English barely fits into the layout or design, consider making some adjustments beforehand. Sometimes, the CTA buttons and images may have captions or characters that are just about right for the design. And then when you translate those captions into Chinese, they might be shorter than the English version.
So, you need to consider the differences and details of your design when you localize. The currencies and date formats, including weights and measurement, are relevant, too. Make sure you give an afterthought on the details and more flexibility when it comes to space.
Keep in mind when designing your app or website that approximately 1.7 English words are equivalent to one Chinese character. This difference in length is important for planning layouts and ensuring a seamless user experience across languages.
4 Regional differences of your target audience
Will you be launching your app in Mainland China, or will you also offer it in Taiwan and Hong Kong? The texts and captions of your images or videos should also be translated based on the regions where you want your app to be available. In Mainland China, they use Simplified Chinese characters. Plus, you need to match your texts to your voice-overs in Mandarin because that’s what they use for speaking.
The traditional version, The Traditional Chinese characters are preferred in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Chinese people living overseas like Singapore and Malaysia.
For your voice-overs and videos in your mobile app, make sure you hire a native Cantonese voice-over artist if you’re going to launch it in Hong Kong. Most developers would go for the Mainland users so, Simplified Chinese and Mandarin voice-overs can be prioritized. At the end of the day, you need to discuss your plans with the project managers if you want to support all Chinese languages.
5 Set your budget and expectations
One of the common mistakes app publishers do is they don’t have a budget plan for the localization process. Developing apps can exhaust the company’s pocket, so they tend to cut the cost once they turn into the localization. One of the things you need to give an afterthought while developing or even before the development phase is to allocate a budget for your multilingual projects.
Following that budget will also keep you from overspending. It will also help you decide how much you’re going to spend on each task, from translation to voice-overs and more.
Should you start right now?
Publishing apps in other languages is a huge step. Not to mention the resources, energy, efforts, and marketing that you need to do to in that specific region.
But if your app has a unique selling proposition and you’re confident that you understand what your target market needs and demands, then jumpstart the process now and discuss with us. Let us know how we can help you step-by-step until you reach your goals!
