How to Localize Your App for China: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

China is the world’s biggest app market, with more than 950 million smartphone users and revenues of $544 million in 2020. However, entering this lucrative market is not easy for app developers who want to reach the Chinese audience. App localization, the process of adapting an app to a specific language and culture, is a must if you want your app to succeed in China. But app localization for China involves more than just translation. It requires a thorough understanding of the local user preferences, competitors, regulations, and cultural differences that may affect your app’s performance and acceptance. In this article, we will guide you through the steps and best practices of app localization for China, and help you avoid some common pitfalls and mistakes. Whether you have an iOS or an Android app, you will learn how to prepare your app for a global audience, choose the right app store(s), optimize your app’s design and content, and market your app effectively in China.

Consider whether your product is a good fit for China

Before you start localizing your app for China, you need to consider whether your product is a good fit for the Chinese market. China has a very different mobile landscape from the rest of the world, and not every app can succeed there. You need to analyze the local user preferences, competitors, regulations, and cultural differences that may affect your app's success. Some questions you may want to ask yourself are:

• What problem does your app solve for the Chinese users? Is there a demand or a need for your app in China?
• Who are your target users in China? What are their demographics, behaviors, and preferences? How do they differ from your current users?
• Who are your main competitors in China? How do they position themselves and market their apps? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• What are the legal and regulatory requirements for your app in China? Do you need to obtain any licenses, certifications, or permissions? Do you need to comply with any data protection or content censorship laws?
• What are the cultural and linguistic differences that may affect your app in China? Do you need to adapt your app's design, content, and tone to the local culture? Do you need to use Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese for your app's language?

By answering these questions, you can evaluate whether your app has a potential market in China, and what are the main challenges and opportunities for your app localization. You can also use market research tools, such as App Annie or Sensor Tower, to get more insights into the Chinese app market and user behavior.

Get some local infrastructure

Once you have decided that your app has a potential market in China, you need to get some local infrastructure for your app. This means finding the best options for hosting, payment, social media integration, and analytics that are compatible with the Chinese market. Hosting your app's servers from within China will ensure faster and more reliable performance for your users, as well as compliance with the local regulations. However, you will need to obtain an ICP license from the Chinese government to host your app in China, which can take several months and require a local partner. Alternatively, you can use a service like Cloudflare's China acceleration, which partners with Baidu to extend their CDN network with points inside of China. This will give you a CDN inside of China, but requests through the firewall may still potentially fail. Payment is another crucial aspect of your app's infrastructure, especially if your app involves e-commerce or in-app purchases. The Chinese users are accustomed to using mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay, which have over 86% penetration rate in China. These platforms are not only convenient and secure, but also offer various features and benefits for users and merchants, such as discounts, coupons, loyalty programs, and social sharing. To integrate these payment platforms into your app, you will need to register as a merchant and comply with their requirements and fees. Social media integration is another way to enhance your app's user experience and engagement in China. The Chinese users spend a lot of time on social media platforms like WeChat, QQ, Weibo, Douyin, and Kuaishou, where they share content, interact with friends, follow influencers, and discover new apps. By integrating your app with these platforms, you can leverage their massive user base and viral potential to increase your app's exposure and retention. You can also use these platforms to communicate with your users, provide customer service, collect feedback, and run marketing campaigns. Analytics is the last but not least component of your app's infrastructure that you need to consider for China. Analytics can help you measure and optimize your app's performance, user behavior, conversion rate, retention rate, revenue, and more. However, not all analytics tools work well in China due to the firewall and other restrictions. Some of the popular analytics tools that work in China are Umeng (owned by Alibaba), TalkingData (partnered with Tencent), App Annie (partnered with Baidu), and Adjust (partnered with Adways). These tools can provide you with valuable insights into the Chinese app market and user behavior, as well as help you improve your app's localization and monetization.

Make your app less data-hungry

Another important aspect of app localization for China is to make your app less data-hungry. China is a very tech-savvy country, with almost one billion smartphone users. However, not all of them have access to fast and reliable internet connections. Many users rely on mobile data plans, which can be expensive and limited. Therefore, you need to optimize your app's performance, loading speed, and bandwidth usage for the Chinese users who may have limited or slow internet access. Some tips to make your app less data-hungry are:

• Compress your app's size and assets. Use tools like ProGuard or DexGuard to shrink your app's size and reduce the download time. Compress your images, videos, and audio files to reduce their quality and size without compromising the user experience.
• Cache your app's data and content. Use tools like OkHttp or Retrofit to cache your app's data and content locally on the device. This will reduce the number of requests to your server and improve the loading speed and offline availability of your app.
• Reduce your app's network requests. Use tools like Stetho or Charles to monitor and debug your app's network requests. Identify and eliminate any unnecessary or redundant requests that consume bandwidth and slow down your app. Use techniques like batching, prefetching, or lazy loading to optimize your app's network requests.
• Test your app's performance on different network conditions. Use tools like Network Link Conditioner or Android Emulator to simulate different network conditions, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi. Test your app's performance on different network conditions and identify any issues or bottlenecks that affect your app's user experience.

Know your scripts: Traditional Chinese vs. Simplified Chinese

One of the most important aspects of app localization for China is to know your scripts: Traditional Chinese vs. Simplified Chinese. These are the two main writing systems for the Chinese language, and they differ significantly in their appearance and usage. Traditional Chinese characters are the original form of the Chinese script, dating back to thousands of years ago. They are more complex and have more strokes than simplified characters. Simplified Chinese characters are a newer form of the Chinese script, introduced by the Chinese government in the 1950s and 1960s. They are simpler and have fewer strokes than traditional characters. The main reason for creating simplified characters was to improve literacy and education in China by making the characters easier to read and write. The choice of script depends largely on the location and preference of your target audience. Traditional Chinese characters are used by Chinese speakers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and some overseas communities. Simplified Chinese characters are used by Chinese speakers in mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, and some overseas communities. Therefore, you need to choose the right script for your app based on where you want to launch your app and who you want to reach. You also need to make sure that your app's translation and localization are done by professional linguists who are native speakers of the chosen script. There are significant differences between traditional and simplified Chinese in terms of vocabulary, grammar, style, and tone. A simple word-for-word conversion from one script to another will not work, as it may result in errors, confusion, or even offense. You need to ensure that your app's language is accurate, natural, and culturally appropriate for your target audience.

Adapt your app's design and content to the local culture

Besides choosing the right script for your app, you also need to adapt your app's design and content to the local culture. Culture is a complex and multifaceted concept that influences how people perceive, think, feel, and behave. It also affects how people interact with and respond to your app. Therefore, you need to use colors, icons, images, sounds, and text that are appealing and appropriate for the Chinese users. You also need to avoid any elements that may be offensive or confusing for them. Some tips to adapt your app's design and content to the Chinese culture are:

• Use colors that have positive connotations and meanings in China. For example, red is a lucky and auspicious color that symbolizes happiness, prosperity, and celebration. Yellow is a royal and noble color that represents power, wealth, and wisdom. Green is a fresh and natural color that signifies growth, harmony, and health. Avoid colors that have negative associations or meanings in China. For example, white is a mourning color that represents death, sadness, and misfortune. Black is a dark and evil color that signifies mystery, danger, and disaster.
• Use icons that are familiar and intuitive for the Chinese users. For example, use a magnifying glass for search, a shopping cart for e-commerce, a heart for favorites, and a star for ratings. Avoid icons that are unfamiliar or misleading for the Chinese users. For example, do not use a floppy disk for save, a hamburger menu for navigation, a thumbs up for like, or a check mark for correct.
• Use images that are relevant and respectful for the Chinese users. For example, use images that show the diversity and beauty of China's landscapes, people, culture, and history. Use images that reflect the preferences and lifestyles of your target audience. Avoid images that are irrelevant or disrespectful for the Chinese users. For example, do not use images that show political or religious symbols, controversial or sensitive topics, violence or nudity, or stereotypes or clichés.
• Use sounds that are pleasant and appropriate for the Chinese users. For example, use sounds that match the tone and mood of your app's theme and content. Use sounds that enhance the user experience and engagement. Avoid sounds that are unpleasant or inappropriate for the Chinese users. For example, do not use sounds that are too loud or annoying, too quiet or subtle, or too similar or confusing.
• Use text that is accurate and natural for the Chinese users. For example, use text that is translated and localized by professional linguists who are native speakers of the chosen script. Use text that is clear and concise, using simple words and sentences. Use text that is polite and respectful, using appropriate honorifics and titles. Avoid text that is inaccurate or unnatural for the Chinese users. For example, do not use text that is translated by machine or amateur translators who are not native speakers of the chosen script. Do not use text that is vague or verbose, using complex words and sentences. Do not use text that is rude or offensive, using inappropriate slang or jokes.

Choose the right app store(s) for your app

The last step of app localization for China is to choose the right app store(s) for your app. As we mentioned before, China has a very different app store landscape from the rest of the world. There is no Google Play in China, but there are hundreds of Android app stores available. There is also the Apple App Store for iOS users, but it has a smaller market share and stricter regulations than Android app stores. Therefore, you need to compare the pros and cons of iOS and Android platforms in China, and list the top app stores for each one. You also need to explain how to get your app certified and ranked in each store. Some tips to choose the right app store(s) for your app are:

• Consider your target audience and their preferences. Different app stores may cater to different user segments, such as age, gender, location, income, and interests. For example, Myapp is popular among young users who like games and social apps, while Huawei App Market is preferred by users who own Huawei devices and use its services. You need to research your target audience and their app store preferences, and choose the app store(s) that match your user profile and app category.
• Consider your app's features and requirements. Different app stores may have different technical and legal requirements for your app, such as size, format, content, certification, and permissions. For example, the Apple App Store requires you to obtain an ICP license from the Chinese government to host your app in China, which can take several months and require a local partner. Some Android app stores may also require you to obtain a Software Copyright Certificate (软件著作权登记证书) or a Game Approval Number (游戏版号) for your app, depending on its content and functionality. You need to check the requirements of each app store and make sure your app meets them before submitting it.
• Consider your app's monetization and marketing strategy. Different app stores may have different monetization and marketing opportunities for your app, such as payment methods, revenue share, advertising options, promotion channels, and user feedback mechanisms. For example, some Android app stores may offer more payment methods than others, such as Alipay, WeChat Pay, or carrier billing. Some app stores may also offer more advertising options than others, such as banner ads, interstitial ads, or native ads. You need to compare the monetization and marketing options of each app store and choose the one(s) that suit your app's goals and budget.

Conclusion

In this article, we have guided you through the steps and best practices of app localization for China. We have shown you how to evaluate whether your app is a good fit for the Chinese market, how to get some local infrastructure for your app, how to make your app less data-hungry, how to choose the right script for your app, how to adapt your app’s design and content to the local culture, and how to choose the right app store(s) for your app. By following these tips, you can improve your chances of success in the world’s biggest and most competitive app market. Whether you have an iOS or an Android app, you can prepare your app for a global audience, optimize your app’s performance and user experience, and market your app effectively in China. If you need any help with app localization for China, feel free to contact us. We are a professional app localization service provider with years of experience and expertise in the Chinese market. We can help you translate and localize your app’s language, design, content, and features to suit the Chinese users’ preferences and expectations. We can also help you get your app certified and ranked in the top app store(s) in China. Contact us today and get a free quote for your app localization project.

Published at October 25th, 2022