Asana's Software Localization Strategy: A Blueprint For SaaS Growth

Here’s the deal – expanding your SaaS platform globally isn’t just about running a few ads and counting on everyone understanding English. If you want users in new markets to actually love your product (not just tolerate it), you need a software localization strategy that makes your platform feel like it was built just for them. Seamless, intuitive, native.

Believe it or not: companies that invest in software localization see a 20%-30% revenue boost (Nimdzi). But you can’t just shoot in the dark here. You have to scale with purpose.

Take Asana, the work management platform we all know and love. They didn’t just translate their product and call it a day – they strategically localized their content, marketing, and user experience to fuel massive global adoption and skyrocket web traffic. Their approach is a blueprint for any SaaS company looking to scale internationally without losing relevance.

In this article, we’ll break down why software localization is a game-changer for SaaS growth and how you can steal Asana’s playbook to expand your global reach.

Why Software Localization Is a SaaS Growth Engine

Let’s bust a myth: English alone isn’t enough. Sure, it’s a great starting point, but did you know that less than half of internet users speak English? That means if you’re not localizing, you’re leaving a massive audience untapped – and a lot of money on the table.

SaaS localization is a growth accelerator. When done right, it removes friction, improves engagement, and makes your software feel like it was built for every user, no matter where they are. Companies that prioritize localization reach more users, but even more importantly, they acquire and keep them at a much higher rate.

Asana’s success isn’t a fluke; it’s proof that making localization a strategic priority pays off. Here’s why you can’t afford to overlook it:

Market Penetration: Hello, New Revenue Streams

No matter how amazing your software is, if users can’t navigate it in their language, adoption will be sluggish. Research shows 76% of online consumers prefer products in their own language – and SaaS users are no different. A localized software experience removes barriers to entry, makes onboarding effortless, and boosts retention. The easier it is to use, the more likely users are to stick around, upgrade, and recommend your product.

Better Customer Experience: Trust Comes in Translation

Software localization is more than translating words on the screen – it’s about translating the whole experience. Make it effortless. No one wants to struggle through clunky translations or guess whether a price is in USD, Euros, or Yen. A well-localized SaaS product eliminates these roadblocks, making it easy and intuitive for users to engage.

Competitive Edge: Stand Out in Crowded Markets

The SaaS world is cutthroat. Localization is your secret weapon to differentiate yourself. Users will always choose software that speaks their language – literally and figuratively – over one that forces them to adapt. By localizing, you send a clear message: “You matter to us, no matter where you’re from.”

Leveraging AI Translation Technology: The Right Mix of Speed and Quality

AI-powered machine translation (MT) makes software localization faster and more accessible, but AI translation alone isn’t enough. Critical areas like UI, onboarding, and marketing need human refinement. The best SaaS companies blend AI with human oversight to ensure:

• Scalability – AI speeds up translation efforts.
• Accuracy – Human linguists maintain brand consistency.
• Efficiency – A hybrid model optimizes costs while ensuring top-notch quality.

The Numbers: Software Localization Pays Off

The financial upside of software localization is undeniable. Every dollar spent on localization has the potential to deliver massive returns.

Some studies even suggest sky-high ROI figures – like the Equipe Consortium’s 2001 report claiming 1900% ROI on software localization investments. While results vary by market and strategy, one thing is clear: localization drives real business growth.

Asana’s numbers prove it:

• Expanding into Spanish-speaking markets led to 2.2 million additional monthly web visits, fueling a 70% increase in overall web traffic over three years.
• 25% of Asana’s users now operate in languages other than English, with strong adoption in Japan, France, and Germany.

While exact ROI figures depend on your strategy, market, and execution, one fact stands: localization isn’t a cost – it’s an investment with potentially huge returns. Expanding into new markets and tailoring your product to local preferences strengthens customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and long-term success.

So, the real question isn’t if localization pays off – it’s when are you going to start?

Software Localization: A Growth Driver, Not Just a Translation Task

You can’t just run your content through an AI translator and call it a day. Unlike other industries where localization means tweaking a website or translating some marketing materials, SaaS companies need to go way deeper to penetrate markets. Localization has to be embedded into your software – from the UI and workflows to customer support and compliance policies – so everything aligns with local expectations without breaking the product experience.

And that’s where the real challenges begin.

Tackling localization isn’t for the faint of heart, especially in SaaS. Making your entire platform feel native to users across different markets is a daunting task. It means rethinking interfaces, workflows, user prompts, customer support content, and even legal agreements to fit seamlessly into each region.

A simple translation won’t cut it. Users should feel like the product was built for them, not just retrofitted after the fact. Here’s why localization is so tricky for SaaS companies – and why a solid strategy is a must-have:

Cultural Adaptation

A direct translation might be technically accurate, but that doesn’t mean it will resonate. The way people interact with software varies wildly across cultures – design choices, color psychology, date formats, and workflow structures can be completely different. What feels intuitive in the U.S. might feel clunky in Japan, Germany, or Brazil.

Solution: Conduct in-depth cultural research before launching in a new market. Work with local experts to refine UX/UI elements, adapt tone and messaging, and ensure your software aligns with regional norms and expectations. Prioritize user testing with native speakers to avoid cultural missteps and create a more intuitive, localized experience.

Technical Headaches

Before you even think about localization, your software needs to be internationalization-ready. That means your code must support multiple languages, scripts, currencies, right-to-left (RTL) text, etc. Formatting, UI responsiveness, and integrations need to function smoothly across languages – a nightmare if you didn’t plan for it from the start.

Solution: Bake localization into your growth strategy from day one. Start with internationalization – structuring your code to support multiple languages, scripts, currencies, and right-to-left (RTL) text ensures expansion won’t break the user experience.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Guesswork won’t get you far. SaaS companies need to analyze real-world data – traffic trends, user demand, revenue potential, and SaaS adoption rates by region – to prioritize high-impact markets. Without clear localization KPIs, you risk wasting resources on low-priority regions while ignoring real revenue opportunities.

Solution: Use data, not gut feelings. Analyze user engagement, organic traffic, and demand signals to determine where localization will have the biggest impact. Start small, optimize, and scale strategically.

Balancing Human and Machine Translation

AI-powered machine translation (MT) can handle volume, but it misses nuance – brand tone, context, and cultural sensitivities. Human translators bring quality, but they’re expensive and time-consuming.

Solution: Adopt a hybrid translation model through Taia’s Translation Management System. AI works well for large-scale content (FAQs, knowledge bases), but customer-facing and UX-critical content needs human oversight to ensure clarity, brand consistency, and cultural relevance.

Stakeholder Alignment

Software localization touches multiple teams – engineering, marketing, product, and customer support. If there’s no clear alignment on goals, budgets, and timelines, you’ll end up with delays, inconsistent messaging, and mismatched priorities.

Solution: Encourage cross-team collaboration. Localization isn’t just a marketing project – it requires tight coordination across departments to ensure a smooth, consistent user experience.

Market Research and Prioritization

Not every market deserves equal attention from day one. Expanding too fast, too soon can spread your resources thin and limit your success everywhere. A data-driven globalization strategy is essential to identify high-potential markets and focus your efforts where they’ll drive real traction.

Solution: Test, iterate, and improve continuously. Launching a localized software is just the beginning. Gather user feedback, run A/B tests, analyze engagement data, and tweak your approach to maximize impact.

How Asana Scaled Globally Through Strategic Localization

Asana is built to simplify workflows with automation, project timelines, and third-party integrations. Sounds like a winning formula, right? Not quite. Product features alone don’t guarantee global adoption. A truly successful SaaS product isn’t just functional – it’s accessible, culturally relevant, and intuitive in every language.

Recognizing this, Asana took a strategic, phased approach to localization, and it shows.

Asana’s Phased Approach to Global Localization (a.k.a Glocalization)

2017: Breaking into the Japanese Market

Japan was Asana’s first major localization push – and for good reason. It’s a high-demand market with low English adoption but strong SaaS penetration. To succeed, Asana went beyond translation, adapting their UI, messaging, and onboarding flows to give the Japanese business what they wanted. They prioritized cultural adaptation and in-depth user research, which helped them build trust and gain traction in a competitive, tech-savvy market.

2018: Expanding to Europe & Latin America

With momentum from Japan, Asana set its sights on Europe and Latin America, introducing French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese versions. But they didn’t stop at translating the interface – they localized marketing campaigns, customer support, and in-product messaging to provide a native-feeling experience for users in each region.

2021: Scaling with Eight More Languages & Content Localization

By 2021, Asana was ready to level up. They expanded into eight additional languages – Chinese, Russian, Swedish, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Polish, and Dutch – using data-driven insights to identify high-growth regions.

At this stage, they realized that software localization wasn’t just about the product. Users needed to find and engage with Asana in their own language. The team shifted its focus to SEO-driven content localization, adapting long-form blog posts, marketing materials, and landing pages to boost search rankings and audience engagement. They managed to strengthen their inbound marketing reach and drive higher conversions by tailoring their content strategy to each region.

2022-2023: Investing in AI-Powered Content Localization

To keep up with demand, Asana integrated AI-powered translation tools, allowing them to scale content localization efficiently. However, they didn’t rely on automation alone – human oversight was still needed for brand consistency and UX quality, especially for critical content like UI, onboarding, and support documentation.

2023-2024: Regional Product Adaptation

Asana moved beyond just translating and localizing – they started customizing their product for different regions. This meant:

• In Asia, deeper integrations with popular local tools like WeChat Work and LINE.
• In Europe, a stronger focus on GDPR compliance and enterprise security.
• In Latin America, adjustments to pricing models and onboarding flows to cater to SMBs.

2024-2025: Expanding into New High-Growth Markets

By 2025, Asana continues its data-driven localization strategy and fine-tuning its regional approach. Key priorities include:

• AI-assisted content adaptation, ensuring translations stay true to Asana’s brand voice.
• Stronger regional partnerships, helping local businesses integrate Asana more seamlessly.
• Localized community building and fostering regional user groups and customer success programs to encourage long-term adoption in non-English-speaking markets.

The Software Localization Blueprint for SaaS Companies Looking to Scale Globally

Too many SaaS companies treat localization as a cost instead of a growth driver, rolling it out reactively rather than integrating it into their core expansion strategy. That’s a mistake. Localization, when done right, isn’t just about translating content – it’s about unlocking new markets, driving adoption, and boosting revenue.

While many SaaS companies struggle with rushed or fragmented localization efforts, Asana took a measured, data-driven approach, allowing them to expand strategically without sacrificing quality. Every localization investment had a clear, measurable impact – and that’s exactly how you should approach it.

Here’s what you can steal from Asana’s playbook to scale your SaaS globally:

1. Start Small, Then Scale - Take a Phased Market Entry Approach

Don’t localize everything at once. Prioritize high-growth markets based on user demand and performance data. Asana did it right by first focusing on Japan, then expanding to Europe and Latin America. This phased approach lets you optimize resources, refine processes, and build momentum from early successes.

2. Let Data Drive Every Localization Decision

Software localization is as much about hard numbers as it is about language. Asana doesn’t localize based on assumptions; they rely on analytics, market research, and A/B testing to determine:

• Which regions to enter first based on traffic and demand.
• What content needs localization first (UI vs. marketing materials).
• How to refine translations based on real user engagement.

3. Make Software Localization a Core Part of Product Growth

Localization is more than a marketing initiative. It should be embedded in your product development. Build localization workflows into your product design, onboarding, and user experience from the start. That means:

• UI adaptation that feels natural to each region.
• Multilingual support that scales as you grow.
• Localized SEO & marketing strategies that drive real organic traffic.

4. Use Machine Translation (MT) for Scalability - But Be Smart About It

You don’t need human translators for everything. High-touch content like UI and onboarding flows should have human oversight, while AI-powered translation can scale support content efficiently. Balance speed with accuracy.

5. Go Beyond Translation - Embrace Cultural Adaptation

Asana doesn’t just translate words, and neither should you. To connect with users properly, tailor your messaging, UX, and visuals to fit local expectations.

• Adapt language nuances to sound natural.
• Customize design and layouts for each region.
• Make sure your software feels native, not translated.

The takeaway is clear: software localization isn’t a one-time effort – it’s a long-term strategy that pays off. The sooner you make it a priority, the bigger the rewards.

Never Stop Improving: Use Customer Feedback to Refine Software Localization

One of the biggest reasons Asana’s localization strategy works? They listen to their users. SaaS localization isn’t a one-and-done project, but an ongoing process that thrives on real customer input. The best SaaS companies iterate and make sure their localized content stays relevant, intuitive, and growth-driven.

So, how do you get the right insights? Here are three of the most effective ways to collect localization feedback:

In-App Feedback Tools

Pop-ups, rating prompts, and surveys let users flag translation errors, unclear instructions, or UX/UI issues in real time.

Customer Support Insights

Support tickets and chatbot interactions reveal common localization pain points – confusing terminology, unclear error messages, or missing language support.

Social Media & Community Monitoring

Users openly discuss product frustrations on platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter). Monitoring these conversations can help uncover language inconsistencies, UI complaints, and cultural adaptation gaps.

By actively listening to global users and iterating based on their feedback, you make your localized experiences not only functional but also engaging, intuitive, and built for long-term success in every market.

Final Thoughts: Scale Like Asana - Localize for Growth

Asana’s success proves that SaaS localization isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a growth engine. By localizing not just their product, but also their website and marketing, they boosted adoption rates, improved engagement, and built stronger customer relationships worldwide.

For SaaS companies eyeing international growth, the message is clear: localization is an investment in long-term success. It fuels higher customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and revenue growth in competitive global markets.

Ready to take your software across the borders? Taia’s Translation Management System can help you develop a tailored software localization strategy and help your SaaS product succeed in new markets.

Book a demo or talk to our team today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is software localization?

Software localization is the process of adapting your software product (including UI, content, and user experience) to meet the linguistic, cultural, and technical requirements of a specific target market. It goes beyond simple translation to ensure your software feels native to users in different regions.

Why is software localization important for SaaS companies?

Software localization is critical for SaaS growth because 76% of consumers prefer products in their own language. Localization removes language barriers, improves user adoption, increases retention rates, and opens up new revenue streams in international markets. Companies that invest in localization see 20-30% revenue boosts.

What’s the best tool for software localization?

Taia’s Translation Management System is purpose-built for SaaS localization. It combines AI-powered translation for scalability with human oversight for quality, includes automatic Translation Memory to reduce costs over time, supports 65+ file formats, and provides custom glossaries to maintain brand consistency across all languages.

How do you build an effective software localization strategy?

An effective software localization strategy includes: (1) Start with data-driven market research to identify high-priority regions, (2) Take a phased approach - localize one market at a time, (3) Internationalize your code from day one to support multiple languages, (4) Use a hybrid approach combining AI translation for scale and human review for quality, (5) Continuously collect user feedback and iterate based on real-world performance.

What are some great examples of software localization?

Asana is a prime example of successful software localization. They started with Japan in 2017, expanded to Europe and Latin America in 2018, added 8 more languages by 2021, and saw a 70% increase in web traffic over three years. 25% of their users now operate in non-English languages, with strong adoption in Japan, France, and Germany.

How does the software localization process work?

The software localization process involves: (1) Internationalization - preparing your codebase to support multiple languages, (2) Translation - converting UI text, content, and documentation, (3) Cultural adaptation - adjusting design, workflows, and messaging for local markets, (4) Quality assurance - testing with native speakers, (5) Deployment - launching localized versions, (6) Iteration - continuous improvement based on user feedback and analytics.

How do you effectively manage a software localization project?

Effective software localization project management requires: cross-team collaboration between engineering, product, marketing, and support; clear KPIs and success metrics; a Translation Management System to centralize workflows; Translation Memory to maintain consistency; and custom glossaries for technical terms and brand voice.

What are the biggest challenges in software localization?

The biggest software localization challenges include: cultural adaptation (ensuring your product resonates locally), technical complexity (supporting different scripts, currencies, and RTL text), balancing quality and cost (choosing between AI and human translation), stakeholder alignment across multiple teams, and maintaining consistency as you scale to more languages.

How can I collect user feedback in software localization?

Collect software localization feedback through: in-app feedback tools (pop-ups and surveys), customer support insights (analyzing support tickets for language issues), social media monitoring (tracking user discussions on Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter), A/B testing localized content, and user testing with native speakers in target markets.

What’s the difference between software localization and translation?

Translation is converting text from one language to another. Software localization is much broader - it includes translation plus cultural adaptation, technical adjustments (currencies, date formats, RTL text), UX/UI modifications, regional compliance, and market-specific customization. Translation is a component of localization, not a replacement for it.

What’s the difference between software internationalization, localization, and globalization?

Internationalization (i18n) is designing your software architecture to support multiple languages and regions. Localization (l10n) is adapting your software for a specific locale. Globalization (g11n) is your overall business strategy for international expansion, which includes both internationalization and localization.