Websites are potential business tools. However, their potential is reduced if they are designed only to cater to a single audience. Therefore, many websites are being designed for people of different nations and different cultures. This process of adapting a website to a different cultural environment is called "website localization."

Website localization does not mean just changing the language from the original to the target audience. Though, changing the language is a very essential part. It is necessary that the language be that of the common layman and not the studied literature that a foreign student may learn. Also, if a website is planning to localize, it must avoid using idioms, proverbs and slang words that have no meaning to a foreign audience when translated. Extreme care is taken to find out if something translated to a foreign language becomes offensive or derogatory in that language. In order to avoid these uncomfortable situations, website designers outsource their jobs to qualified people in the target countries.

Apart from changing the language, blending the website to the target culture is very important. Any references to monuments or events in the nation that is hosting the website are cleverly changed to those of the target nation. Care is taken not to take away from the essence of the website. This is a highly creative and taxing process, and if done by amateurs it can turn into a mess. However, when done properly, it rivets the attention of a foreign audience and expands business. This sort of cultural adaptation also includes changing measurement units and currencies. For example, an American website localizing to UK would convert miles to kilometers, pounds to kilograms, feet to meters and dollars to euros.

Localization of business websites does not make sense unless and until there is a branch of the company in the target nation. Only then can business have the potential to expand through the website. There are a number of online encyclopedias, NGO sites, educational sites and gaming sites that are localized in a number of languages for many cultures. Localizing websites may prove to be the steppingstone in making the whole world one single Internet community.