Game Localization · Glossary
What is App Store Localization?
App Store localization is the adaptation of a mobile game’s store listing — title, subtitle, description, keywords, screenshots, and preview videos — for each target market language. It is distinct from in-game localization: a game can be fully localized in-game but have an English-only App Store listing, losing organic discoverability in non-English markets.
What App Store Localization Covers
iOS App Store: app name (30 characters), subtitle (30 characters), promotional text (170 characters, shown on product page), description (4,000 characters), and keywords field (100 characters, not shown to users but indexed for search). Google Play Store: title (30 characters), short description (80 characters), full description (4,000 characters), and additional notes about Google’s algorithm indexing more of the long description for keyword ranking. Both stores: screenshot copy (text overlaid on screenshots shown in the store listing), preview video text and metadata.
App Store SEO: Why Localization Affects Rankings
The iOS App Store and Google Play both use their own search algorithms that are influenced by localized metadata. An English-only listing is invisible in non-English App Store search. A German-localized listing appears in German App Store searches — but the keywords included in the metadata determine which searches it appears for. Simply translating your English description is rarely optimal: top German App Store keywords may not be literal translations of your English keywords. Effective App Store localization requires keyword research per market.
Screenshot Copy: The Conversion Layer
App Store screenshots with localized text overlays are the most visible localization element to browsing players. A player scrolling through the App Store sees screenshots before they read a description. Screenshot text must be both localized and conversion-optimized — it needs to communicate the game’s value in the target language in a way that drives the install. Translating English screenshot copy literally often produces flat, unconvincing results. Transcreation for screenshot copy is common best practice.
App Store Localization and Revenue Impact
A/B testing data from app publishers consistently shows that localized store listings outperform English-only listings in non-English markets — in some cases by 30–80% improvement in conversion rate from store visit to install. For games spending on user acquisition (UA) in non-English markets, this is a direct revenue multiplier: UA spend goes further when the landing page (the store listing) converts at a higher rate.
SandVox and App Store Localization
SandVox provides App Store localization with keyword research per target market — not just translation of English metadata. We research top-performing App Store keywords in each language and adapt metadata to maximize organic search ranking, not just linguistic accuracy.
Related terms: Game Localization · Transcreation · Cultural Localization · Subtitle Localization
Frequently Asked Questions
Should App Store metadata be translated or transcreated?
Transcreated for high-visibility copy (title, subtitle, screenshot text), translated for description body. The title and screenshot copy are conversion-critical — they need to be compelling in the target language, not just accurate. A literal translation of an English game title or slogan often loses its hook. Description body can be translated with adaptation for tone.
How do I localize the keyword field in the iOS App Store?
The iOS keyword field (100 characters, comma-separated) is not visible to users but is indexed by Apple’s search algorithm. Effective keyword selection requires research into what players in your target market are actually searching for — which may differ substantially from the English keyword strategy. We conduct keyword research per market as part of our App Store localization service.
Does Google Play index more keywords than the iOS App Store?
Yes. Google Play indexes the full long description for keyword ranking, in addition to the title and short description. This means Google Play SEO benefits from more detailed, keyword-rich localized descriptions. iOS App Store ranking depends more heavily on the dedicated keyword field (100 characters) and title/subtitle.
How often should App Store metadata be updated?
After major updates (new content, new features, new languages), after A/B testing reveals better-performing copy variants, and seasonally for games with seasonal content. Live-service games benefit from quarterly metadata reviews. Outdated descriptions that don’t reflect current game content hurt conversion.
Need Expert Game Localization?
SandVox provides end-to-end game localization including app store localization — for narrative games, mobile titles, webtoons, and interactive fiction.