What is website localisation?
Website localisation is the process of adapting a website for a specific language, culture, and market so that it feels native to users in that target audience. It includes translating text, modifying images and adjusting layout.
Detailed description
Website localisation is the process of adapting a website for a specific language, culture, and market so that it feels native to users in that target audience. It encompasses linguistic translation, cultural adaptation, technical implementation, and user experience optimisation to ensure the localised website performs as effectively as the original.
Website localisation involves several layers of adaptation. Linguistic localisation translates and adapts all text content including page copy, navigation labels, forms, error messages, metadata, and alt text. Cultural localisation adapts imagery, colour schemes, layout, and content references to resonate with the target culture. Technical localisation implements language-specific requirements such as right-to-left text direction, character encoding, URL structures, and locale-specific formatting for dates, currencies, and contact information. SEO localisation adapts keywords, metadata, and content structure to rank effectively in local search engines. And functional localisation ensures forms, payment systems, and interactive elements work correctly for the target market.
Website localisation can be implemented through various technical approaches including multilingual CMS configurations, subdomain or subdirectory language structures, and dedicated country-specific websites. The right approach depends on the scope of localisation, the number of target markets, and the organisation's content management capabilities.
LEXIGO provides end-to-end website localisation services, from initial content audit and cultural assessment through to translation, technical implementation, and ongoing content maintenance across 171 languages.
Why it matters
A website is often the first point of contact between an organisation and its audience. A website that is only available in English excludes millions of potential users in Australia alone, while a poorly localised website can damage credibility more than having no localised version at all.
For organisations seeking to serve multilingual audiences, whether internationally or within Australia's diverse domestic market, website localisation is a foundational investment that enables digital engagement across languages and cultures.
Related questions about website localisation
What is website localisation?
Website localisation is adapting a website for a specific language and culture so it feels native to that audience. It covers translating the text plus adjusting images, dates, currency, forms, layout direction and search keywords.
What is the difference between website translation and website localisation?
Website translation converts the words on each page. Website localisation goes further and adapts the whole experience, including imagery, examples, formats and keywords, for the audience in each language.
Can Google translate an entire website?
Browser tools can machine translate a page on the fly, but nobody reviews the output, so errors in names, terms and instructions go unnoticed and the translated version is not a page search engines can index. For public information, publish reviewed translations as real pages in each language.
Can you give me an example of localisation?
A government service page translated into Arabic is a common example: the text is translated, the layout is mirrored to read right to left, phone numbers and dates are formatted for Australian readers, and images are checked so they suit the community.
Can translated content connect to our CMS?
Yes. LEXIGO connects by API to common content platforms and custom systems, so content moves to translation and back into the same fields. Where an integration is not practical, a translation proxy can serve in-language versions of a site without changing the underlying build.