How to Measure App Store Localization Success with Analytics

You Can't Improve What You Don't Measure

Localizing your App Store metadata is just the first step. Without proper measurement, you're flying blind—unable to know what's working, what's failing, and where to invest further.

This guide covers the metrics that matter, how to track them, and how to use data to optimize your localization strategy.

The Metrics That Matter

Primary KPIs

1. Impressions by Locale

Impressions measure how often your app appears in search results and browse sections.

Why it matters:

• Indicates keyword effectiveness
• Shows if you're being discovered in target markets
• First step in the conversion funnel

What to look for:

• Increase in impressions after localization
• Comparison across locales
• Correlation with keyword changes

2. Product Page Views by Locale

How many users click through to your app's page after seeing it in search or browse.

Why it matters:

• Measures title/subtitle effectiveness
• Indicates initial appeal
• Shows which markets have engaged users

What to look for:

• Impression-to-page-view ratio by locale
• Changes after title/subtitle localization
• Market comparison

3. Conversion Rate by Locale

The percentage of product page views that result in downloads.

Why it matters:

• The most important localization metric
• Directly measures localized content effectiveness
• Indicates user trust and appeal

What to look for:

• Conversion rates before vs. after localization
• Comparison to your global average
• Markets significantly above or below average

4. Downloads by Locale

Absolute download numbers per market.

Why it matters:

• Direct growth metric
• Indicates market potential
• Tracks volume, not just efficiency

What to look for:

• Download growth post-localization
• Market share by locale
• Growth trends over time

Secondary KPIs

5. Revenue by Locale

The ultimate business metric—money generated per market.

Why it matters:

• Not all downloads are equal
• Some markets monetize better than others
• Guides investment decisions

What to look for:

• Revenue per user (RPU) by market
• Conversion to paid by market
• Subscription vs. one-time purchase rates

6. Keyword Rankings

Where you rank for target keywords in each locale.

Why it matters:

• Shows SEO effectiveness
• Identifies keyword opportunities
• Validates keyword research

What to look for:

• Rankings for primary keywords per locale
• Movement after keyword optimization
• Competitive positioning

7. Re-downloads

Users who download again after previously installing and deleting.

Why it matters:

• Indicates brand recognition in market
• Shows if localization is building awareness
• Different from new user acquisition

Setting Up Tracking

App Store Connect Analytics

Your primary data source is built into App Store Connect.

Navigate to:

App Store Connect → My Apps → [Your App] → Analytics

Key Reports:

Acquisition Sources:

• Impressions, page views, downloads
• Filter by territory
• Compare time periods

App Store Search:

• Impressions by search term
• Top keywords driving traffic
• Only available for US, but useful for patterns

Sales and Trends:

• Revenue by territory
• Unit sales by territory
• Subscription metrics

Filter Usage:

Always filter by territory when analyzing localization performance. Global aggregates hide the data you need.

Third-Party ASO Tools

App Store Connect has limitations. Third-party tools fill gaps:

What they offer:

• Keyword ranking tracking per locale
• Competitor monitoring
• Historical data beyond Apple's retention
• Keyword suggestions

Popular options:

• App Annie / data.ai
• Sensor Tower
• Mobile Action
• AppTweak

Building a Tracking Dashboard

Create a simple dashboard to monitor localization performance:

Weekly tracking:

Track changes week-over-week and month-over-month.

Analyzing Your Data

Before vs. After Comparison

The clearest localization signal is before/after comparison:

Methodology:

• Establish baseline for 4+ weeks pre-localization
• Launch localized content
• Track same metrics for 4+ weeks post-localization
• Compare, accounting for seasonality

What to look for:

• Significant changes in impressions (keyword effectiveness)
• Conversion rate changes (content effectiveness)
• Download volume changes (combined effect)

Market Comparison

Compare localized markets against each other:

Identify patterns:

• Which markets convert best?
• Where is impression volume high but conversion low?
• Which markets have highest revenue per user?

Example analysis:

> "Germany has high impressions (5,000/week) but lower conversion (15%) compared to Japan (3,000 impressions, 30% conversion). This suggests German keywords are effective, but description may need improvement."

Cohort Analysis

Track users acquired from localized markets over time:

Questions to answer:

• Do localized-market users retain as well as US users?
• Is monetization similar across cohorts?
• Are there LTV differences by market?

This helps prioritize markets for future investment.

Identifying Problems

Low Impressions

Your app isn't being seen in target markets.

Possible causes:

• Keywords don't match local search behavior
• Category is less popular in that market
• Strong competition dominating search

Actions:

• Research local search terms and competitor keywords
• Update keyword field with locally-researched terms
• Consider app name optimization with local keywords

Low Conversion Rate

Users see your page but don't download.

Possible causes:

• Description isn't compelling in local language
• Screenshots have English text
• Poor localization quality visible
• Value proposition doesn't resonate locally

Actions:

• Review localized description for quality
• Localize screenshots if not done
• Adjust messaging for local market expectations
• A/B test different approaches

High Downloads, Low Revenue

Users download but don't pay.

Possible causes:

• Market has lower purchasing power
• Monetization doesn't fit local preferences
• Paywall messaging doesn't convert locally

Actions:

• Analyze whether issue is market-wide or app-specific
• Consider localized pricing
• Adapt paywall copy for local conversion

Optimization Workflow

The Continuous Improvement Cycle

Localization isn't done after initial deployment. Use data to continuously improve:

Monthly cycle:

• **Review metrics** - Check dashboard for all locales
• **Identify underperformers** - Which markets are below expectations?
• **Diagnose issues** - Why is performance lagging?
• **Implement improvements** - Update content, keywords, or screenshots
• **Monitor results** - Track changes for 4 weeks
• **Iterate** - Repeat the cycle

Prioritization Framework

When resources are limited, prioritize optimizations by impact:

High priority:

• Top 5 revenue markets with performance issues
• Markets with high impressions but low conversion
• Quick wins (keyword updates, easy fixes)

Medium priority:

• Growing markets with potential
• Secondary markets showing issues
• Screenshot localization for top markets

Lower priority:

• Small markets with minimal revenue impact
• Markets performing well (maintain, don't over-optimize)
• Perfect localization vs. good enough

Reporting to Stakeholders

If you need to demonstrate localization ROI to stakeholders:

Key Metrics to Share

• **Downloads growth by market** - Clear volume increase
• **Revenue attribution** - New revenue from localized markets
• **ROI calculation** - Investment vs. return
• **Market expansion** - New markets generating meaningful traffic

Visualization Tips

• Show before/after comparisons clearly
• Use geographic maps for impact visualization
• Track cumulative revenue from localization investment
• Compare localized vs. non-localized market performance

Sample Report Format

`

Localization Performance Report - Q1 2025

Summary:

• 5 markets localized (de-DE, ja, fr-FR, es-ES, pt-BR)
• Total investment: $800
• Q1 revenue from localized markets: $4,200
• ROI: 425%

Key Wins:

• Germany: +65% downloads, +70% revenue
• Japan: +80% downloads, 30% conversion rate

Areas for Improvement:

• France: High impressions, low conversion (20% vs 25% target)
• Action: Update description with more compelling copy

Next Quarter Goals:

• Expand to 3 additional markets
• Improve France conversion to 25%
• Localize screenshots for top 5 markets

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The Bottom Line

Measurement transforms localization from guesswork into strategy.

Essential tracking:

• Set up locale-filtered dashboards in App Store Connect
• Establish baselines before any localization
• Track primary KPIs weekly (impressions, conversion, downloads)
• Review and optimize monthly

Key principle:

The markets you measure are the markets you improve. Make data-driven decisions about where to invest localization effort, and you'll maximize your international ROI.