March 24 2022 marked the .au domain release date. Since the arrival of the new .au domain names, Australians and Aussie businesses have been learning more about the new .au domain name, what it is, and why it makes sense for Australians to undertake a .au registration.

 

Your Guide to the New .au Direct Domain

1. What is .au direct?
2. Who can own a .au direct domain?
3. What if I already have a .com.au?
4. Should I choose .au or .com.au or .net.au domain?
5. When can I buy a .au domain?

 

So should you buy a .au domain? Once you have done your research, we think you will agree that the new .au domain is a great new tool ideal for Aussies and Australian businesses wanting to make a mark in Australia.

What is .au direct?

Also known as .au direct, a .au domain allows Australian businesses, organisations, and individuals to register a .au direct domain instead of second-level .au extensions, such as .com.au, .org.au, etc. It’s simple; your URL becomes yourdomainname.au.

Why would you want to do that? There are several benefits of the .au domain.  Some will be relevant to your business, and others will be of less interest. Let’s list the main reasons here:

• .au domains are shorter and easier to remember, making it easier for your customers to become your brand advocate
• .au domains declutter your chosen domain name – your business name, your brand name or you can stand out
• You don’t need to register an ABN to use a .au TLD (top-level domain)
• .au domains strongly reinforce your Australian presence
• A  .au WHOIS search may uncover that ideal domain name you have always been waiting for
• A new .au domain could be ideal for both individuals and businesses to boost their local presence, grow their customer base in Australia and assert their Australian roots.

 

Who can own a .au direct domain?

Any Australian can register for a .au direct domain name. All you need is to show proof of your Australian presence. Suitable proof could include:

• An individual with proof of Australian citizenship or permanent residency
• A business entity that is registered in Australia
• Australian registered associations and government entities

Unlike registering other domain names, you do not need to have an ABN or ACN to register a .au domain. This means that Australian-based individuals can register a uniquely Australian namespace for the first time.

 

What if I already have a .com.au?

There are many reasons why having more than one domain name can make sense. Here are just a few:

Purchasing a .au domain name may enable you to protect your brand from imitators in the market. More than one domain name for a single business can improve your overall ranking in the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP) results. A website with many domain names attached to it is a lot easier to find, and customers prefer having more than one way of finding you when searching the internet.

 

Should I choose .au or .com.au or .net.au?

For the reasons outlined above, consider doing both a .au registration and a .com.au or a .net.au domain name registration. If you need more convincing about the value of multiple domains, read here. Remember though; the .au domain registration requirements are different than those of .com.au.

 

When can I buy a .au domain?

Now! The application period opened on March 24 2022. It’s time to act.

The .au domain registration requirements establish that if you already have a .au extension associated with a domain, you will have priority when registering your new .au domain name. You will be deemed to have .au domain priority. That priority will remain in place for six months only, at which point others will be able to apply for that.au domain name.

If someone else has an existing .au extension associated with the same domain name as you, there is a chance of conflict.  For example, you may have samedomainname.com.au, and someone else has samedomainname.net.au. A conflict resolution process undertaken by both parties will determine the outcome.

Learn more about the priority allocation process for .au here.

 

The time to stamp your Aussie mark with a .au domain name has arrived. And the Webcentral team is ready to help! Additional information, detailed registration requirements and helpful FAQ’s can be found here.

Contact us today.