I almost translated my product. The demand was 90.6% English, and most of it wasn't from English-speaking countries

A software developer recently shared their experience regarding product localization, revealing that data-driven insights led them to reconsider their roadmap. Initially planning to translate their application into Italian, the developer analyzed their user base and discovered that 90.6% of the demand was for the English version. Notably, a significant portion of this English-language traffic originated from non-English-speaking countries. This finding highlights a common trend in the digital product space where English serves as a global lingua franca for technology users, regardless of their native language. The developer's experience serves as a cautionary tale for product teams, suggesting that localization efforts should be strictly guided by actual user data rather than assumptions about regional preferences. By prioritizing the English interface, the developer was able to optimize their resources and focus on features that provide the most value to their diverse, global user base.