NEW .au Domain Names Launched TODAY

Stake your claim! Register or apply for your .au domain name

As of TODAY (March 24 2022) you can officially apply for new .au domain names. While this is not intended to be the new ‘official’ domain of Australia, it’s certainly a great option for businesses to shorten their web addresses, or perhaps secure a more appropriate domain they might have missed out on.

How to score your dream domain name

If you already have a website, you might have received notification of this launch from the registrar you bought the domain from (e.g. Go Daddy or Web Central.) In this case, you will be eligible to apply for your existing domain name, as part of the Priority Allocation Process. Priority allocation runs for six months from the launch of the .au names, and is in place so those with domains in other spaces such as .com.au or .net.au can secure their existing domain. 

Alternatively, if the domain name you want is not already in use in any other domain namespace, you can register it. These will be available on a first-come-first-served basis, so if there’s a name you’ve been thinking would suit your company, get in quick, and register it while you can!

How does Priority Status work?

The Priority Launch Period runs for six months from the launch of the .au domains, from March 24 to September 20. During this initial period, if you already hold a .com.au or .net.au (or .org.au, etc) domain name, you can apply for the exact match in the .au space and receive priority allocation. 

This is great if you’re already running a website, or holding domain names. You’ll be able to apply for the same names with .au domain, and receive priority status for these names. Applying for your matching .au domain will have no effect on your existing domains, and you can continue to operate as per usual.

To find out more about registering and applying for new .au domain names and the Priority Allocation Process, head to .au Domain Administration (auDA).

What about new domains?

As part of the new .au domain names launch, you can also register new domain names, as long as the name does not already exist in any other namespace. These names are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis, so be sure to get in quick! You can register these new domains through your regular registrar, such as Go Daddy or Web Central. Be sure to shop around, as prices can differ greatly between companies from around $9 to $77!

So why apply for a .au domain name?

This new domain namespace is uniquely Australian, and will allow your website to be identified as such! .au domains are only available to businesses and individuals with an Australian presence (Australian citizens or Permanent Residents, or businesses registered in Australia.) 

We strongly recommend securing a .au domain for your business to help it remain fresh and relevant, as well as:

• Memorable
• Visible
• Unique
• Identifiable 

Who should apply for a .AU domain?

You missed out on your exact match domain name in other namespaces

While the Priority Allocation Period means existing domain name owners can apply to have their matching name in the .au space, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve missed out again. If your ideal domain name is not claimed by the owners within the Priority Allocation Period of six months, it then becomes available to the general public on a first come first served bases.

So, mark your calendar, and get ready to stake your claim. Check back on September 20th, 2022 and cross your fingers! Hopefully, your perfect-match domain name will be waiting for you.

You want to protect your digital territory

Mark your territory online by applying for domain names not because you want to use them, but because you don’t want anyone else to use them! This is referred to as ‘parking’ your domain. It basically means you buy a domain name similar to your own business’s name, and then park it so no other business can have it. 

One day down the track you may choose to sell it to the highest bidder. Known as speculative domain name buying, this is a great way of ensuring other businesses with a similar name to yours can’t confuse your audience by having a domain name that’s also similar. 

As a digital marketing agency, we strongly recommend all businesses apply for their .au domain names before time runs out! Staying up to date and in line with web changes is incredibly important in 2022 as our physical and digital worlds mesh together. For more help with your website or online presence, get in touch with us today!