Shorter, simpler Australian domain names are coming in March 2022. The launch of .au direct provides Australian businesses with a new Australian digital address to call home.
In our recent Digital Lives of Australians 2021 research, 92 percent of small businesses reported the Internet is important to them. Many consider it an invaluable tool for generating revenue and engaging with their customers. With .au direct, Aussie businesses will soon have a new way to engage and trade with their customers online.
What are the benefits of .au direct?
The benefits of .au direct for businesses include:
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Short, simple and uniquely Australian domain names
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A greater choice of website or email addresses ending in .au
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Easier for your customers or clients to type into mobile devices and Internet searches.
Why should I register a .au direct domain name for my business?
1. Innovate with .au direct
By getting in early, you can be one of the first businesses to use a .au direct domain name. Not only will you benefit from a short, simple domain name that’s easy for your customers to remember, but you’ll also demonstrate that you’re an innovative business that is keeping up with emerging technology and trends.
2. Choose .au direct for a new business idea
When you have a new business idea, you want to act quickly. Our most popular namespace, com.au, is dedicated to commercial entities registered in Australia (e.g. businesses with ABNs or ACNs). The com.au namespace isn’t going anywhere but if you’re still developing your business idea and don’t yet have an ABN, you can register a .au direct to start building a digital presence right away.
3. Set up a .au direct microsite
Next time you launch a new marketing campaign or promote an event, set up a microsite with a .au direct domain name to help your customers or clients to find you.
Whether you’re advertising on social media or sharing flyers in your local community, a short, simple .au direct domain name will be easier for your audience to remember, and and type into an Internet search bar.
This is what we did with our marketing launch for .au direct. We used getyour.au, stoked.au, pavlova.au and gummy.au to show the impact of a .au direct domain name.
4. Establish your first business website with .au direct
Our Digital Lives of Australians research uncovered that one in seven small businesses do not have a business website but are interested in establishing one in the future. If you’re a business owner thinking about setting up a website for the first time, consider the benefits of a short, simple .au direct domain name for your business.
5. Secure your matching .au direct domain name
It’s common for businesses to register more than one domain name in different namespaces (e.g. examplebusiness.net.au and examplebusiness.com.au) and redirect them to a single website (e.g. auda.au). Registering a matching domain name is optional but some businesses do so to reach a wider audience or enhance their brand.
If you hold a domain name in an existing .au namespace (e.g. com.au or net.au) registered before 24 March 2022, you can apply for priority status to register the matching .au direct domain (you’ll have until 23:59 UTC 20 September 2022 (9:59AM AEST 21 Sept) to apply for priority status). You can find out more about the Priority Allocation Process here.
You don’t need to register a matching .au direct domain name if you don’t want to - your existing .au domain name will continue to work as it does today, provided you keep your registration up-to-date.
Who is eligible to register a .au direct domain name?
Anyone with a validated Australian presence is eligible to register a .au direct domain name through an auDA accredited registrar. Those with an Australian presence include citizens or permanent residents, organisations, associations and businesses registered in Australia, and legal entities with a registered Australian trademark. You can find the full definition of an Australian presence in the .au direct rules.
You must comply with the Licensing Rules when you register a name including to not use a domain name for an illegal, unlawful or fraudulent purpose.
You can find out more information on the upcoming launch of .au direct here. You can also receive the latest updates by following us on Linked In, Twitter or Facebook.
