Translation vs. Localization
Translation converts words from one language to another; localization adapts the message, keyword choices, and cultural framing for how people in that specific market actually search and read.
A word-for-word translation of an English App Store listing produces grammatically correct but often unnatural metadata, because it reflects English search behavior and phrasing patterns rather than local ones. Localization means researching what people in that market actually type into search, which can differ substantially from a direct translation of your English keywords.
Cultural framing extends beyond keywords into tone: reporting on regional App Store copy patterns notes that Japanese listings tend toward detailed, feature-focused descriptions, American listings toward concise, benefit-focused copy, and Brazilian listings toward a more conversational, enthusiastic register. Applying one market's tone to another's storefront can read as off, even when every word is technically correct.
The practical workflow is running keyword research separately for each target storefront, rather than translating one master list, and having local-language input review the resulting metadata for naturalness before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
- Is machine translation ever good enough for App Store metadata?
- It's a reasonable starting draft, but not a finished product. Run the translated keywords back through popularity scoring for that storefront, and have a native speaker check the title and subtitle for natural phrasing before publishing.
Related terms
- Localization (ASO)ASO localization is the process of writing separate app metadata (name, subtitle, keyword field) in the local language of each target App Store storefront to capture search demand that English-only metadata misses.
- Cross-LocalizationCross-localization means targeting a keyword's real demand from a storefront where it isn't the dominant language — for example, capturing English-language searches inside a bilingual or English-fluent non-English-primary market.
- RTL (Right-to-Left) Language ASORight-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew require App Store metadata, screenshots, and layout consideration adapted for RTL reading direction, not just word-for-word translation.
Browse the glossary
Put this into practice
Score App Store keywords by popularity and difficulty across 109 storefronts — the numbers behind translation vs. localization.
Start keyword research