When to Update Your Localized App Store Metadata

Localization Maintenance Strategy

You've localized your App Store metadata—now what? Knowing when to update localized app store listings is essential for maintaining international performance. This guide covers the triggers, timing, and best practices for ongoing localization maintenance.

Mandatory Update Triggers

These situations require immediate localization updates:

1. Major Feature Releases

When you add significant features, update descriptions across all locales:

Action needed:

• Update description to mention new feature
• Add feature-related keywords if relevant
• Update screenshots if UI changed
• Write localized What's New

Timing: With the version release

2. App Repositioning

If you're changing your app's positioning or target audience:

Action needed:

• Rewrite core value proposition in all locales
• Update keywords to match new positioning
• Revise screenshots and preview video
• Consider subtitle changes

Timing: Coordinated across all markets

3. Removing Features

When features are removed, descriptions mentioning them become misleading:

Action needed:

• Remove references to deprecated features
• Update screenshots showing removed UI
• Avoid user confusion and negative reviews

Timing: Before or with the version removing the feature

Optimization Update Triggers

These situations suggest updates for better performance:

4. Poor Conversion Rate in Specific Markets

If a localized market shows lower conversion than others:

Signals:

• High impressions but low product page views
• High page views but low downloads
• Performance below your global average

Action needed:

• Review description quality
• Check keyword relevance
• Evaluate screenshot effectiveness
• Consider cultural alignment

Timing: As soon as data shows the issue

5. Keyword Performance Drop

When keyword rankings decline:

Signals:

• Decreased impressions over time
• Lower rankings for target keywords
• Competitors outranking you

Action needed:

• Refresh keyword research
• Update keyword field
• Consider subtitle optimization
• Analyze competitor changes

Timing: Within 2-4 weeks of noticing decline

6. Competitive Changes

When competitors localize or improve their presence:

Signals:

• New localized competitors appearing
• Existing competitors improving listings
• Market dynamics shifting

Action needed:

• Competitive analysis
• Keyword gap identification
• Description differentiation
• Consider increased localization investment

Timing: Proactive monitoring, quarterly review

Scheduled Maintenance

Regular updates regardless of specific triggers:

Quarterly Keyword Review

Why: Search trends change. Keywords lose relevance.

Action:

• Research current search trends per market
• Verify keyword rankings
• Test new keyword opportunities
• Refresh keyword field as needed

Frequency: Every 3 months

Annual Description Refresh

Why: Prevents staleness, ensures accuracy.

Action:

• Review full description per locale
• Update statistics and social proof
• Refresh value proposition
• Align with current features

Frequency: Yearly or with major releases

Seasonal Updates

Why: Some apps benefit from seasonal relevance.

Examples:

• Fitness apps before New Year
• Tax apps before filing season
• Travel apps before summer

Action:

• Update promotional text seasonally
• Adjust keywords for seasonal searches
• Consider time-limited description changes

Frequency: As relevant to your app

What's New (Release Notes)

Every Release

What's New should be updated with every release:

Action:

• Write release notes in English
• Localize for all supported languages
• Keep consistent format
• Highlight user-facing changes

Timing: With every version submission

Localization Approach

Options for What's New localization:

• Full localization each release
• Template-based with variable insertion
• Simplified notes for minor releases

Choose based on your release frequency and resources.

Promotional Text

Flexible Update Schedule

Promotional text can change without app review:

Update opportunities:

• Feature announcements
• Seasonal promotions
• Social proof updates
• A/B testing

Timing: As needed, test frequently

Per-Market Customization

Consider different promotional text per market:

• Holiday-specific promotions (different dates per country)
• Market-specific messaging
• Local event tie-ins

Screenshot Updates

When Screenshots Need Updates

Screenshots should update when:

• UI significantly changes
• New features deserve highlighting
• Design refresh occurs
• A/B testing suggests changes

Localization Implications

If screenshots have text overlays:

• All localized versions need updates
• Plan screenshot localization into design process
• Consider text-minimal screenshots for easier maintenance

Priority Framework

When resources are limited, prioritize updates:

High Priority

• Mandatory updates (feature changes, removals)
• Top 3 revenue markets with performance issues
• Severe keyword ranking drops
• What's New for releases

Medium Priority

• Quarterly keyword refresh
• Secondary market optimization
• Screenshot updates
• Promotional text experiments

Lower Priority

• Minor markets maintenance
• Perfect optimization vs. good enough
• Experimental locales

Tracking Update Need

Metrics to Monitor

Review Process

Weekly: Quick metrics check

Monthly: Performance review, identify issues

Quarterly: Comprehensive analysis, keyword refresh

Annually: Full audit, strategy review

Automation and Efficiency

Streamlining Updates

• Use localization tools that batch updates
• Create templates for common changes
• Build processes into release workflow
• Consider API integration for efficiency

When to Localize Together

Group updates when:

• Multiple locales need same change
• Releasing new version (batch changes)
• Seasonal updates across markets

When to Localize Separately

Separate updates when:

• Market-specific issues require attention
• A/B testing per market
• Different markets at different lifecycle stages

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Never Updating After Initial Localization

Localization isn't one-time. Markets evolve, competitors change, your app improves.

Fix: Schedule regular reviews

Mistake 2: Updating English Only

When English descriptions update, localized versions become stale and inconsistent.

Fix: Include localization in update process

Mistake 3: Over-Updating

Constant changes prevent meaningful performance measurement.

Fix: Allow 4-6 weeks between changes for data

Mistake 4: Ignoring Market Differences

Updating all markets identically ignores market-specific needs.

Fix: Review performance per market, customize as needed

Summary: Update Schedule

Successful localization is ongoing. Build maintenance into your workflow, monitor metrics per market, and update strategically based on data. The apps that maintain their localization consistently outperform those that treat it as a one-time project.