The new .au domain: How it can it impact your brand or business?

Are the days of the .com.au domain coming to a close? Perhaps.

In March 2022, new rules were introduced to allow anyone with a connection to Australia to register the shorter .au domain for their website. While this shift to the new domain format won’t happen overnight, it is a sure sign of things changing on the horizon. 

This significant decision was led by the auDA – a not-for-profit organisation called the Domain Administration Limited, which works with government and industry to pass down top-level decision making on rules of domains. Those with existing Australian domains have until 24 September 2022 to reserve their equivalent website with the shorter domain before it will become available to the public.

For more information on this priority process, click here.

What does this mean for you? Below are some pros and cons to consider.

PROS:

POSITIVE BRANDING

By making sure you register for the new .au domain you ensure that you OWN your business name. Your customers have been hard-won through your blood, sweat, and tears, so you don’t want to lose them due to confusion from similar web addresses.

BUILD TRUST WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS 

Consumers are likely to build trust in localised domains as they get used to them. In time, your .au domain will be positioned as flying the Australian flag in the eyes of your customer and will act as a stamp of credibility.

CONS:

CYBER CRIME

Business owners must be aware of the possibility of the increased risk of cybercrime towards their business. For example, a cybercriminal could register your website details and use this domain to conduct fraudulent cyber activities.

COMPETITION

As the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise ombudsman Bruce Billson said in this article, “Domain names are very much the identity of a business and critical to their success. Small businesses cannot afford to have their identity sold to someone else.”

He compares this threat to cutting a second set of keys to your front door and selling them to a rival who uses them to rip off your customers.

WHAT TO DO GOING FORWARD

If you don’t register your company’s domain before 24 September 2022, another business could purchase it. Head to the domain register to reserve your domain before someone else snaps it up.

It’s best to get the exact .au domain to secure consistency in your online branding (e.g., we’re www.saucecommunications.com.au, so we’ll be snapping up www.saucecommunications.au), so all traffic and searches for your brand will go straight to you—where you want them to go.

Failure to do so may leave your business vulnerable.

Written by Amy Mahon

Account Executive