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Shreya Bose, Technical Content Writer at BrowserStack - September 30, 2022
Essentially, localization testing is a technique to verify software behavior, accuracy, and suitability for specific locations and regions. This could be anything from a particular city to an entire country. The method tests how the software would behave when used in different areas.
Localization testing intends to test globally operating software to provide linguistic and cultural relevance for different parts of the world. It is meant to customize a website or app according to the targeted language, region, audience preferences, and area-based regulations (country or state).
Localization testing checks the content, UI, functionality, and usability of software as it appears in multiple locations. This goes beyond just ensuring the app/website works as expected. It aims to serve a customized user experience by curating features and offerings for individuals according to where they are and what they might prefer.
Run Localization Tests on Real Browsers & Devices
App localization ensures that the app that you are creating appeals to the different target markets that you may have across different geographies. It plays a huge role in taking your mobile/web app to an audience across the globe. For example, if you want to launch your app in a play store listing whose preferred language is Chinese, then there would be a higher rate of conversion if the UI is in Chinese. Developer tools like Xcode allow you to internationalize your app’s UI. It enables you to change the UI text while keeping the functionalities intact. If your app involves in-app purchases, then it is also necessary to check the currency. App localization not only boosts conversion but also makes your app more appealing to audiences from different countries.
Let’s say that a website or app selling culinary products is set for global release. However, a particular country does not allow, by law, products to be sold if they are made from or contain, in any form, kiwis.
Localization testing, in this case, is required to ensure that when residents of that country open the site or app, they will not see any products containing kiwis. Additionally, the test will verify default language settings, adherence to local regulations, ad content, offers, date and time format, documentation, and the like.
Fundamentally, it will ensure that software is primed for use in that specific country.
Of course, localization testing also helps when prepping software for regional cultures and preferences. It is integral to making any software a true player on the global market.
By building in localization right from the development stage, scalability becomes part of the software’s DNA. Make the source code and UI adaptable enough to align with the preferences of different locales. This helps create, test and release localized versions to market as quickly as possible.
By taking cultural nuances and differences into account, software and the company backing it will demonstrate awareness of global diversity and attention to detail. It will also depict that the company truly cares about customers’ convenience and prioritizes their needs and preferences.
The easiest way to run localization tests is to use BrowserStack. As mentioned previously, our real device cloud allows QAs to run tests on 2000+ real browsers and devices. That includes desktop and mobile devices as well as multiple versions of major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc.)
Follow the steps below to run localization tests on a website. Let us now see how to change geolocation for Chrome.
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For successful optimization, teams must know as much as possible about their target users so as to tailor the software experience. Human testers must walk in the users’ shoes to identify what they want, and design test cases accordingly.
It will take time to ensure accurate and appropriate translation. It will also take hawk eyes to confirm that nothing remotely offensive, insensitive or unseemly makes it to the production stage. Cultural nuances take time to understand, especially when the tester is not from said culture.
Translations, text arrangement, inclusion or exclusion of products/services and other aspects of localization cannot be managed last-minute. For example, certain languages are read right to left. Certain characters may take more space than the English characters.
Don’t get caught like a deer in the headlights making frantic changes. Expect that devs will need time to edit code and check that everything is up to mark. All of this is better achieved when tests begin early in the process.
A good way to accomplish the requisite mix of speed and accuracy is to combine human testing with automation. Certain actions can be automated using frameworks like Selenium or Cypress. Additionally, all changes must be verified via cross browser testing on multiple real browser-device combinations.
BrowserStack’s real device cloud offers 3000+ real devices and browsers for manual and automation testing, including localization testing. That means users can test on multiple real devices and browsers by signing up, logging in, and selecting the required combinations. They can change a device’s IP Location to the desired country or GPS location, and then run tests to check how software appears and works in those locations.
By leveraging localization testing tools such as BrowserStack, QAs can ensure that software works as intended from different parts of the world, or even different parts of the same country. Follow the steps outlined above to effortlessly optimize websites and apps for diverse demographics, and give the software a viable chance of success in an always-connected world.
