Prioritisation framework
Rank markets by category ARPU × addressable installs × competitive density. For most apps, India (volume, low ARPU) balances against Mexico or UAE (lower volume, higher ARPU). Sequence expansion by opportunity and operational readiness rather than entering every region at once.
India: script, language, review culture
Hindi metadata rarely outperforms Indian-English metadata for urban buyers, but Hindi transliterated ('katta racer') outperforms both. Regional language listings (Tamil, Telugu, Bengali) matter for category-specific apps, utility and education especially. Review culture is high-volume, low-thoughtfulness, respond with warmth.
LatAm: Spanish is not one language
Mexican Spanish, Colombian Spanish, Rioplatense (Argentina/Uruguay), and European Spanish are distinct vocabularies. 'Coche' vs 'auto' vs 'carro' is a category-signal difference. Localise per country when volume justifies (Mexico, Argentina, Colombia definitely; Chile and Peru if category is strong).
MENA: RTL, script, and Ramadan cycles
Arabic screenshot re-layout is a design deliverable. Modern Standard Arabic can support cross-country work, while local dialect may fit market-specific campaigns. Ramadan and Eid can materially change demand, so plan tests against each app's own seasonality.
Payment and price
UPI in India, PIX in Brazil, OXXO in Mexico, Fawry in Egypt. Missing familiar local payment methods can reduce trial starts. Charm-rounding varies: rupees end in 9, Egyptian pounds end in 99.
Ship cadence
Metadata quarterly per market. Screenshots twice per year per market. Review-response daily per market with a local-language responder. Editorial and category updates on the market's calendar, never HQ's.