In today’s digital landscape, an increasing number of consumers are looking for businesses in online directories and making purchases online. Added with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping has only continued to show exponential growth.
In this environment it’s imperative that a business has a visible online presence and can be easily located by any prospective consumers. A domain name is the key starting point that enables a business to establish an online presence and set the tone of how consumers will locate and engage with a brand.
There has been a recent key development affecting domain names in Australia which requires immediate action from SMEs. Here at FocusedGrowth® we endeavour to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in the market.
We’ve put together this blog to go through the details of this domain name announcement to help ensure that your business is in the best position to maximise their online opportunities.
Domain Name Change
On the 24th of March auDA which is the Australian government’s governing body responsible for domain names in Australia, released a new category of domain names for Australian businesses.
The new format is simply yourname.au which will ultimately replace the previous www.yourname.com.au convention.
This new naming convention has many practical benefits. It’s shorter as well as easier to remember and type than the previous format. It is also widely used in other countries already..
What You Need to Do
Individuals, businesses, and organisations will be able to register a new “.au” domain name if they have an Australian presence. Unlike other namespaces such as “.com.au” and “org.au”, there are no other eligibility criteria.
There is a priority registration period for existing domain name registrants.
From the 24-Mar-22 to the 24-Sep-22, existing holders of an Australian domain name, including “.com.au”, “.org.au” and “.net.au” domain names, will have priority to register for the corresponding “.au” name through an accredited auDA registrar.
It’s important to note that once this priority allocation period ends, all “.au” names will then be registered on a first come, first served basis.
Why You Need to Act
It’s imperative that you act promptly to secure your business name to protect your brand and prevent other people from claiming it. Failure to act could result in another party gaining access to your business name and building their own alternative online presence which will be in direct competition with your business.
Where this occurs, when any prospective consumers are searching for your business, they will be presented with two competing websites under the same name causing confusion and significant adverse consequences for your business.
In addition, not securing your business name could also leave your business open to fraudulent cyber activity. Malicious parties could register a .au domain name and use it to impersonate your business to conduct illegal practices. Similarly, bad actors could also secure your companies .au name for the purpose of profiteering by offering to sell it to you.
Why FocusedGrowth®
If you need help to guide you through the process of how to secure your new domain name and protect your existing one, look no further than us here at FocusedGrowth®. We’re passionate about helping our clients and making sure their businesses are both protected and well positioned to leverage from the latest trends and developments in the market.
When you come to us, we’ll perform a full digital audit of your business and come up with a tailored digital solution to help you meet both your current and future goals.
We hope this blog has been educational and informative, should you have any further questions on any digital marketing needs, feel free to contact us today.