auDA CEO Rosemary Sinclair delivered a webinar on .au direct, Australia’s newest domain namespace on 30 September 2021.
The webinar explored the process behind auDA’s introduction of .au direct, how it will benefit Australian Internet users and the Priority Allocation Process.
.au direct refers to domain names registered directly before the .au - for example getyour.au. From its launch on 24 March 2022, registrants will have the option of registering a new domain name in the new namespace.
As part of our responsibility to effectively administer the .au domain on behalf of all Australians, we must ensure it keeps pace with community expectations, international innovations and evolves to meet Australians’ needs.
Today we see that:
- Websites are often reached via mobile devices like phones and tablets, so shorter domain names are helpful to users
- Small start-ups that are considering entering the market and in their earliest phase may not yet have registered an ABN and therefore they are not eligible for a com.au
- Companies undertaking short marketing campaigns often set up a microsite with a short and different domain name
- Individuals with hobbies or those wanting to register their own names for email addresses are also seeking new options.
.au direct is one way we are supporting these changing needs as the new namespace provides registrants:
- A wider choice of available names in the .au domain
- Opportunities to register shorter, more memorable domain names
- An option for new domain names that are easier to type and display on mobile devices.
To find out more about .au direct, visit www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-direct and find the webinar slides here.
During the webinar, auDA received numerous questions from the audience - more than could be answered in the allocated time. These questions have been summarised and responses can be found here.
