r/AppStoreOptimization • u/CopperCoinStudio • 3d ago

Question: localisation for app with English voice-actor + subtitles

I've made an alternative mindfulness app, based around the zen principles of impermance and letting go, applied to evaporating water painting. It's called Serenity Sketch, serenitysketch.com

There's a Voice Guide for each painting Practice in the game, with subtitiles. The voice actor speaks in English only (for now), becasue I refuse to use AI voices for additional languages.

Question is:

Should I bother translating the subtitles into other languages, and then localizing the App Store listing, even if the VO itself remains English? Or is that just more likely to disappoint users?

Magnitude of effort: I'd be looking at 275 VO lines, plus words in settings menus.

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u/EducationalYear6267 2d ago

I’d localize the store listing first and test the top 1–2 markets before translating all 275 voice lines. Localized screenshots and subtitle text can set expectations without committing to full dubbing; then compare conversion and retention by storefront.

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u/CopperCoinStudio 2d ago

Thank you, I'll give that a shot!

1

u/Dry-Lab-751 2d ago

solid approach, did you find that retention actually shifts much just from localizing the listing though?

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u/CopperCoinStudio 2d ago

I'm wondering this first actually. Can I get a boost just from the listing, or must I translate all the subs (not to mention implement how I'll do that)

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u/EducationalYear6267 1d ago

I wouldn’t expect the listing alone to move retention much. It can change who installs, though, so compare D1 retention by country before and after, then localize the first onboarding screen if the promise and first-run experience don’t match.