Changes are coming to Australian domain names throughout 2022 and it’s news all Aussie businesses need to know about, writes Tamara Oppen, Managing Director at GoDaddy Australia.

In today’s digital-first world, a business’ domain name is just as important – if not more so – than its retail storefront. Today, millions of digitally-savvy Australian consumers find and buy from their favourite small businesses online. They’re eager to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses, many of whom are still trying to recover and grow in the wake of the global pandemic.

However, to stand out online and capitalise on this consumer wave of supporting local, entrepreneurs and small businesses must be easy to find, engage and transact with online.

To do so, businesses must build and hone their ‘digital identity’.

A digital identity is what makes every business individual, and it starts with their domain name; a unique and easy-to-remember address required to access a website. For example, kochiesbusinessbuilders.com.au. An effective domain name ensures your business is easy to locate and identify on the internet, it helps you to establish professional credibility, and now, can even make it feel more Aussie.

That’s because this month auDA (.au Domain Administration Limited) has launched its new ‘.au’ domain name extension.

Changes to Australian domain name extensions

From 24 March 2022, eligible entrepreneurs and small businesses that already own an Australian domain extension like .com.au will be able to register a new, shorter, local and memorable .au version. Kochiesbusinessbuilders.com.au would simply become kochiesbusinessbuilders.au.

But what are these changes and how can they benefit small businesses like yours?

Who is eligible?

Not all business owners will be eligible from 24 March. In the first rollout phase, users with an existing namespace domain – like .com.au or .net.au – can apply for priority status to register its exact match in .au form. Users have six months, until 20 September, to complete this process before the .au domains become available for the general population to purchase and register.

From 20 September, any .au domain extensions that haven’t been claimed by the priority owner will be available for anyone to apply for. Anyone will be able to register the .au domain for their business, irrespective of whether they had another domain variation of it previously.

The launch of .au is perhaps one of the most exciting and significant innovations in Australian domains for 20 years, and it comes as internet traffic and online competition reach record highs.

If your business is eligible in the first phase, there are countless benefits to consider applying for your .au domain name now.

Support local

A domain name is the heart of a local business’ digital identity, helping businesses like yours demonstrate who you are, what you do, why you do it, and now where you are.

The new .au domain name extension can be essential in helping Australian businesses feel inherently Aussie, and stand out to consumers who want to go out of their way to support local businesses.

According to GoDaddy’s ‘Entrepreneurial Pulse’ research, 27 per cent of entrepreneurs and small businesses cited competition as their biggest challenge for 2022. In an Australian market that proudly and passionately ‘supports local’, a local .au domain can be a crucial competitive advantage to becoming a consumers’ business of choice.

Protect and promote your brand

To build an effective digital identity, it can be important to register multiple domain extensions for your website. This can help to protect and maintain your business by preventing others (like your competitors) from registering them.

In addition to protecting your uniquely Aussie brand, a .au domain can help you promote it too. The .au domain is shorter and easier for consumers to remember. It can also help boost a business’ search engine ranking, which makes it easier for consumers to find you online.

It might only be two small letters, but for small businesses, easily finding you on search results can make a big difference.

For Australian entrepreneurs and small businesses, a strong online presence is no longer optional, it’s essential. Creating an online presence with a strong, local and recognisable digital identity can help to ensure that your business is easy to find, recognise and engage with.

So don’t miss out. Whether you’re eligible in March or September, create the digital identity that your business deserves and your customers will be drawn to, with a new .au domain extension.

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