If you publish an app on the App Retailer, you may add your metadata in a couple of language. Apple helps a number of languages per territory. Which means your app itemizing can seem in numerous languages relying on the place the consumer is and what language they use.
This text explains how Apple defines App Retailer localizations, the right way to learn the official territory-language desk, and the way ASO practitioners have approached multi-locale metadata technique. All through this text, we clearly separate what Apple paperwork from what’s frequent trade follow.
Key takeaways
Cross-localization is likely one of the highest-leverage, lowest-cost methods in App Retailer optimization. The character area is already there; it simply requires a deliberate technique to fill it appropriately.
The rules to hold ahead:
- The App Retailer indexes key phrases from each major and secondary locales for every territory
- The US App Retailer has 9 secondary locales, giving well-optimized apps entry to 10x the baseline key phrase area
- Key phrases should not be duplicated throughout locales
- Phrase mixtures solely type inside a single locale, not throughout them
- Seen metadata fields (title, subtitle) needs to be localized; key phrase fields can be utilized for extra target-language key phrases
- Setting a non-standard locale as your major locale can add international key phrase protection
- Each localization resolution needs to be grounded in key phrase analysis
What’s cross-localization on the App Retailer?
Cross-localization is utilizing a couple of App Retailer localization as a part of your metadata workflow (for instance, including additional locales that Apple helps in a rustic/area).
For every App Retailer territory, Apple indexes key phrases from a couple of language locale. Each territory has a major locale, the default language for that market. Most territories even have a number of secondary locales that Apple additionally crawls and indexes for search rating in that territory.
The chance: In case your app has metadata stuffed in for a secondary locale, the key phrases in that metadata contribute to your search rankings within the major territory, even when the secondary locale isn’t the consumer’s language.
This implies a US-targeting app can rank for English key phrases positioned within the Spanish (Mexico) metadata, Russian metadata, or Korean metadata, as a result of all of these are secondary locales that the US App Retailer indexes. The consumer by no means sees the key phrase discipline. You aren’t deceiving anybody. You might be filling metadata area that Apple has already determined to index.
What fields you may localize
In App Retailer Join, the next metadata fields might be localized per language:
- App title (30 characters)
- Subtitle (30 characters)
- Key phrases (100 characters)
- Description (4,000 characters)
- Promotional textual content (170 characters)
- Screenshots and app previews
Every locale will get its personal set of those fields. You fill them in independently inside App Retailer Join.
That is App Retailer-only. Google Play indexes content material otherwise and doesn’t function on a major/secondary locale construction. Every part on this weblog applies completely to the iOS App Retailer.
How App Retailer indexing works throughout locales
Every App Retailer territory has one major locale (the default language) and, usually, a number of secondary locales (further languages which are additionally listed). Key phrases entered in each the first and secondary locale metadata contribute to the app’s search rating in that territory.
The next desk covers the major and secondary locales listed per App Retailer territory. That is the foundational reference for any cross-localization technique.
| Territory | Main Locale | Secondary Locales Listed |
| Afghanistan | English (UK) | |
| Albania | English (UK) | |
| Algeria | Arabic | French, English (UK) |
| Angola | English (UK) | |
| Anguilla | English (UK) | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | English (UK) | |
| Argentina | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Armenia | English (UK) | |
| Australia | English (Australia) | English (UK) |
| Austria | German | English (UK) |
| Azerbaijan | English (UK) | |
| Bahamas | English (UK) | |
| Bahrain | Arabic | English (UK) |
| Barbados | English (UK) | |
| Belarus | English (UK) | |
| Belgium | English (UK) | French, Dutch |
| Belize | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Benin | English (UK) | French |
| Bermuda | English (UK) | |
| Bhutan | English (UK) | |
| Bolivia | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | English (UK) | Croatian |
| Botswana | English (UK) | |
| Brazil | Portuguese (Brazil) | English (UK) |
| British Virgin Islands | English (UK) | |
| Brunei | English (UK) | |
| Bulgaria | English (UK) | |
| Burkina Faso | English (UK) | French |
| Cambodia | English (UK) | French |
| Cameroon | French | English (UK) |
| Canada | English (Canada) | French (Canada) |
| Cape Verde | English (UK) | |
| Cayman Islands | English (UK) | |
| Chad | English (UK) | French, Arabic |
| Chile | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| China | Chinese language (Simplified) | English (UK) |
| Colombia | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Congo, Democratic Republic | English (UK) | French |
| Congo, Republic | English (UK) | French |
| Costa Rica | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Cote d’Ivoire | French | English (UK) |
| Croatia | English (UK) | Croatian |
| Cyprus | English (UK) | Greek, Turkish |
| Czech Republic | English (UK) | Czech |
| Denmark | English (UK) | Danish |
| Dominica | English (UK) | |
| Dominican Republic | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Ecuador | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Egypt | Arabic | French, English (UK) |
| El Salvador | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Estonia | English (UK) | |
| Eswatini | English (UK) | |
| Fiji | English (UK) | |
| Finland | English (UK) | Finnish |
| France | French | English (UK) |
| Gabon | French | English (UK) |
| Gambia | English (UK) | |
| Germany | German | English (UK) |
| Ghana | English (UK) | |
| Greece | Greek | English (UK) |
| Grenada | English (UK) | |
| Guatemala | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Guinea-Bissau | English (UK) | French |
| Guyana | English (UK) | French |
| Honduras | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Hong Kong | Chinese language (Conventional) | English (UK), Cantonese |
| Hungary | Hungarian | English (UK) |
| Iceland | English (UK) | |
| India | Hindi | English (UK) |
| Indonesia | Indonesian | English (UK) |
| Iraq | English (UK) | Arabic |
| Eire | English (UK) | |
| Israel | Hebrew | English (UK) |
| Italy | Italian | English (UK) |
| Jamaica | English (UK) | |
| Japan | Japanese | English (US) |
| Jordan | Arabic | English (UK) |
| Kazakhstan | English (UK) | |
| Kenya | English (UK) | |
| Kosovo | English (UK) | |
| Kuwait | Arabic | English (UK) |
| Kyrgyzstan | English (UK) | |
| Laos | English (UK) | French |
| Latvia | English (UK) | |
| Lebanon | Arabic | French, English (UK) |
| Liberia | English (UK) | |
| Libya | English (UK) | Arabic |
| Lithuania | English (UK) | |
| Luxembourg | English (UK) | French, German |
| Macau | Chinese language (Conventional) | English (UK), Cantonese |
| Madagascar | English (UK) | French |
| Malawi | English (UK) | |
| Malaysia | Malay | English (UK) |
| Maldives | English (UK) | |
| Mali | English (UK) | French |
| Malta | English (UK) | |
| Mauritania | Arabic | French, English (UK) |
| Mauritius | English (UK) | French |
| Mexico | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Micronesia | English (UK) | |
| Moldova | English (UK) | |
| Mongolia | English (UK) | |
| Montenegro | English (UK) | Croatian |
| Montserrat | English (UK) | |
| Morocco | English (UK) | Arabic, French |
| Mozambique | English (UK) | |
| Myanmar | English (UK) | |
| Namibia | English (UK) | |
| Nauru | English (UK) | |
| Nepal | English (UK) | |
| Netherlands | Dutch | English (UK) |
| New Zealand | English (Australia) | English (UK) |
| Nicaragua | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Niger | English (UK) | French |
| Nigeria | English (UK) | |
| North Macedonia | English (UK) | |
| Norway | Norwegian | English (UK) |
| Oman | English (UK) | Arabic |
| Pakistan | English (UK) | |
| Palau | English (UK) | |
| Panama | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Papua New Guinea | English (UK) | |
| Paraguay | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Peru | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Philippines | English (UK) | |
| Poland | Polish | English (UK) |
| Portugal | Portuguese (Portugal) | English (UK) |
| Qatar | English (UK) | Arabic |
| Romania | Romanian | English (UK) |
| Russia | Russian | English (UK), Ukrainian |
| Rwanda | English (UK) | French |
| Sao Tome and Principe | English (UK) | |
| Saudi Arabia | Arabic | English (UK) |
| Senegal | English (UK) | French |
| Serbia | English (UK) | Croatian |
| Seychelles | English (UK) | French |
| Sierra Leone | English (UK) | |
| Singapore | English (UK) | Chinese language (Simplified) |
| Slovakia | English (UK) | Slovak |
| Slovenia | English (UK) | |
| Solomon Islands | English (UK) | |
| South Africa | English (UK) | |
| South Korea | Korean | English (UK) |
| Spain | Spanish (Spain) | English (UK), Catalan |
| Sri Lanka | English (UK) | |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | English (UK) | |
| St. Lucia | English (UK) | |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | English (UK) | |
| Suriname | Dutch | English (UK) |
| Sweden | Swedish | English (UK) |
| Switzerland | German | English (UK), French, Italian |
| Taiwan | Chinese language (Conventional) | English (UK) |
| Tajikistan | English (UK) | |
| Tanzania | English (UK) | |
| Thailand | Thai | English (UK) |
| Tonga | English (UK) | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | English (UK) | French |
| Tunisia | Arabic | French, English (UK) |
| Turkey | Turkish | English (UK) |
| Turkmenistan | English (UK) | |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | English (UK) | |
| Uganda | English (UK) | |
| Ukraine | Ukrainian | Russian, English (UK) |
| United Arab Emirates | Arabic | English (UK) |
| United Kingdom | English (UK) | English (Australia) |
| United States | English (US) | Spanish (MX), Russian, Chinese language (Simplified), Arabic, French, Portuguese (BR), Chinese language (Conventional), Vietnamese, Korean |
| Uruguay | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Uzbekistan | English (UK) | |
| Vanuatu | English (UK) | French |
| Venezuela | Spanish (Mexico) | English (UK) |
| Vietnam | Vietnamese | English (UK) |
| Yemen | Arabic | English (UK) |
| Zambia | English (UK) | |
| Zimbabwe | English (UK) |
For a big majority of world App Retailer territories, English (UK) is listed as a secondary locale. This implies your English (UK) metadata is quietly contributing to your key phrase attain in dozens of markets, no matter whether or not these territories are your major targets.
The actual key phrase math
Here’s what cross-localization means in character phrases for a US-targeting app:
- English (US): 30 + 30 + 100 = 160 characters
- Spanish (MX): 30 + 30 + 100 = 160 further characters
- Russian: 30 + 30 + 100 = 160 further characters
- French, Arabic, Korean, Portuguese (BR), Chinese language, Vietnamese: 160 every
An app with all 9 secondary US locales stuffed can entry as much as 1,440 characters of key phrase metadata that feeds immediately into US App Retailer rankings, in comparison with 160 for an app utilizing solely English (US).
Not each crew will use all 9. However even activating two or three secondary locales with focused English key phrases can yield a cloth enhance in key phrase protection.
The right way to configure localizations in App Retailer Join
Including a brand new language
So as to add a localization in App Retailer Join:
- Open your app document.
- Go to the model you need to edit.
- Scroll to the App Retailer Info part.
- Choose a language from the out there checklist.
- Fill within the localizable fields for that language: title, subtitle, key phrases, description, and promotional textual content.
- Add localized screenshots or previews if wanted.
You’ll be able to add as many languages as Apple helps. Every language is managed independently.
Setting your major language
Your major language in App Retailer Join is the language Apple makes use of because the fallback if a particular localization isn’t out there. Apple mentions this as one of many components that impacts which language is proven to a consumer.
To test or replace your major language, go to your app’s data web page in App Retailer Join. The first language is ready on the app degree, not the model degree.
Locale fallback conduct (trade remark)
ASO practitioners have additionally famous a fallback conduct: if a particular locale isn’t energetic, a associated locale could also be used as a substitute. For instance, if French (Canada) isn’t enabled however French (France) is, the French (France) metadata might serve French-speaking customers in Canada till a French (Canada) localization is explicitly activated.
Cross-localization technique that works (guidelines + step-by-step workflow)
Step 1: Map your precedence territories
Begin with the territories the place your app has essentially the most installs or essentially the most potential. Open Apple’s territory desk. For every territory, observe the default language and any further supported languages.
Step 2: Audit your present locale protection
Verify which locales you presently have energetic in App Retailer Join. Examine this in opposition to the supported languages to your key territories. You might discover supported languages that you haven’t but activated.
Step 3: Plan your key phrase allocation
Every locale has its personal 30-character title discipline, 30-character subtitle, and 100-character key phrase discipline. That’s as much as 160 characters of indexable metadata per locale.
To keep away from waste, don’t repeat the identical key phrase throughout the first and secondary locale, until you particularly want it to type key phrase mixtures inside a single locale. Use every locale’s fields for distinct phrases.
Step 4: Hold seen metadata readable
The app title and subtitle are proven on to customers. If customers in a territory see your itemizing, they may learn these fields. Ensure the title and subtitle are in a language they will perceive.
Mixing languages within the key phrase discipline isn’t seen to customers, they by no means see that discipline. Mixing languages within the title is seen and may have an effect on consumer belief. Localize seen fields to your viewers; use the key phrase discipline extra flexibly.
Step 5: Keep away from precise duplication throughout locales
Duplicating your major locale’s metadata right into a secondary locale wastes your out there character area. Every locale ought to contribute distinctive content material, not repeat what you could have already submitted elsewhere.
Widespread cross-localization errors
Activating a locale however leaving fields empty. An empty locale doesn’t assist. In the event you add a language, fill within the fields with intention.
Duplicating your major locale into each secondary locale. This wastes your out there area. Every locale ought to include distinct content material.
Repeating each key phrase throughout all locales. Repetition reduces the full variety of distinctive key phrases you may probably attain. Use every locale to increase your protection, not duplicate it.
Ignoring the seen metadata fields. Titles and subtitles are seen by customers. Even when your major aim is key phrase protection, don’t neglect how these fields seem to actual folks.
How MobileAction helps cross-localization technique
The execution of a powerful cross-localization technique is determined by the standard of the key phrase information it’s constructed on. Guessing which phrases to position in secondary locale fields isn’t a method. It’s a metadata filler.
MobileAction’s ASO Intelligence offers groups the info infrastructure to make cross-localization choices with precision.
For groups managing apps throughout a number of markets concurrently, the dimensions of MobileAction’s information infrastructure (6M+ key phrases, 5M+ apps tracked throughout the App Retailer and Play Retailer) makes it potential to construct localization methods grounded in actual search conduct slightly than assumptions.
Begin your cross-localization technique with a data-backed basis. Discover MobileAction’s ASO Intelligence instruments and see the key phrase alternatives your present metadata is leaving on the desk.
Regularly requested questions
Does Apple verify that secondary language metadata impacts key phrase indexing in the identical territory?
Apple doesn’t describe key phrase indexing conduct within the documentation cited on this article. Apple paperwork which languages are supported per territory, however doesn’t clarify how its algorithm processes metadata throughout locales. The indexing conduct described on this article is predicated on trade remark.
Do I must translate my full app so as to add a secondary locale?
No. App Retailer Join metadata localization is separate from the app’s content material or interface. You’ll be able to add a localized metadata entry with out altering something in your app binary.
How a lot character area is offered per discipline?
- App title: 30 characters
- Subtitle: 30 characters
- Key phrases: 100 characters
- Description: 4,000 characters
- Promotional textual content: 170 characters
These limits apply per locale.
