au Domain Names
In 2022 .au domain names are being introduced into Australia.
Businesses who own a current domain name are receiving emails from .au Domain Administration (auDA). This isn’t where you purchase your domain names, but it is the governing body in Australia that administers the rules on who can buy what domain names.
So what does this mean and should you get yours?
What is the New .au Domain?
Up until now, domain names in Australia mostly ended in “.com.au”. Occasionally you’ll see “.org.au” or “.gov.au”, but mostly web addresses and emails are “.com.au”.
The authorities have seen fit to remove the “com” and offer just “.au”.
Let’s look at an example.
This website is https://diydigital.com.au
The email associated with the business is info@diydigital.com.au
The domain is diydigital.com.au
In 2022, for the first time, it is now possible to purchase diydigital.au domain.
Here’s the comparison
- diydigital.com.au
- diydigital.au
In other words, it’s the same domain with the “.com” removed.
Should You Purchase a .au Domain?
The reason to purchase the domain is to stop your immediate competitors, or your competitors in the future, getting it. It would be confusing for one business to have the .com.au and another to have the .au. To avoid this confusion, purchase the .au and own both.
Up until 20 Sept 2022 if you have the .com.au, you have the first rights to purchase the .au. After that date, the domain will be opened up for other businesses to purchase.
Domains cost between $15 – $30/year, so this is a low cost insurance policy.
What to do with the Domain Once its Purchased
Nothing.
Or in most cases nothing.
In most cases the reason to purchase it, is to stop someone else getting it. But if you want to start using it you can.
You can either re-direct the .au to your current .com.au site or you can replace your .com.au site with the new .au. However we recommend you just purchase it for now and sit on it. In 2-3 years, if/when the .au becomes a popular and well liked domain address, it could be worthwhile re-looking at what to do with it.
Further Reading
Check out our article What’s the difference between a web address, a URL and a Domain Name?
