You might be wondering “what is this .au direct domain I’ve been hearing about and why do I care? I already have a website with .com.au and it’s been working for my business.” Well, we’ve got all the answers.

 

What is a .au direct domain?

A .au direct domain is just ‘.au’. That means no .com, .net, .org, etc before it, just a nice, short, simple .au.  For example, at businessDEPOT, we’ve grabbed the businessdepot.au domain in addition to our existing businessdepot.com.au domain.

Don’t forget this new domain format can apply to email addresses as well as website domains. For most businesses, nothing will change if you opt to keep your primary domain as .com.au.

 

Who can get a .au direct domain?

Unlike the .com.au domain which is only available to businesses with an ABN, anyone with an ‘Australian presence’ is eligible to get a .au direct domain.

Now, you might be wondering, “what is an Australian presence?” Well, to put it simply, as long as you have an official document that connects you to Australia in some way shape or form, you probably qualify!

For most people, this will be an Australian Citizenship, an Australian permanent resident visa, or an Australian company’s ABN/ACN.

For the full list of documents that you can use to qualify as having an Australian presence, you can check the auDA website here.

 

Priority hold

Until 20 September 2022, all .au direct domains with an existing and exact matching .au such as .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, etc. are on ‘priority hold’.

So this means if someone owns a .au domain, the owner of that domain has priority to grab the new .au direct variant. In our case, since we own businessdepot.com.au, we were given the option to purchase businessdepot.au.

If you’re a business owner hopefully you already own your .com.au domain. If this is the case, it is important you grab the corresponding .au direct domain before it becomes generally available to the public on 20 September!

 

I’ve already got a .com.au domain, why do I need a .au direct domain?

To start with the obvious, it’s shorter. Not by much, but hey, every bit counts! This has some small benefits, namely, it’s slightly easier to remember and faster to type [particularly useful for mobile users].

Even if you continue using .com.au [or .net.au, .org.au, etc] as your primary domain, we recommend still purchasing a .au direct domain and then setting it up to redirect to your primary domain.

Why? Well, as the new .au direct domains get more use, customers will expect businesses to own the .au direct variation. And because they expect it, you need to have it!

 

How will .au impact my google ranking?

Having a .au domain will boost a website’s search engine optimisation [SEO] for Australian searches when compared to using a .com or another non-.au domain.

So, many businesses will be asking “will the new .au direct domain help my website rank higher on Google?”

If you’re currently running with a .com.au domain, then the short answer is ‘no’. All .au domain variants hold the same weighting towards your SEO.

However, if you’re currently running a .com domain, then yes, you will see an improvement in your SEO for searches inside Australia. This could be beneficial for individuals who have a website for their personal brand currently hosted on a .com domain.

 

Should I make the new .au direct my primary domain?

If you’re already using .com.au, there isn’t much benefit in swapping over your primary domain.

Don’t forget that .com.au domains still carry the credibility of being reserved for registered Australian businesses, whereas .au direct domains are much more readily available.

If you’re an individual who has been using a .com domain, you should definitely switch over [assuming your audience is based in Australia] as it will improve your SEO!

If you do make the new .au direct your primary domain, don’t go and get rid of your old domain right away. You can always keep the old variation and redirect it to your new domain. This is particularly important if other websites are linking to your site, as they’re unlikely to update their links to reflect your new domain unless prompted to do so.

 

How can I get a .au direct domain?

Whoever your domain registrar is, be it VentraIP, GoDaddy, Crazy Domains, or any other provider, they are now offering this new .au direct domain for purchase. If you don’t already have a registrar, you can find one of the auDA’s accredited registrars here.

If you can’t recall who your domain registrar is, you can try searching your website up on auDA’s Whois lookup. Amongst other details, it should provide you with your registrar’s URL.

For full details on all things .au domains, you can head over to the auDA website here.

 

we’re here to help!

If you have any more questions about the new .au direct domains you can get in touch with our marketing team at oneplace@businessdepot.com.au.

 

general advice disclaimer

The information provided on this website is a brief overview and does not constitute any type of advice. We endeavour to ensure that the information provided is accurate however information may become outdated as legislation, policies, regulations and other considerations constantly change. Individuals must not rely on this information to make a financial, investment or legal decision. Please consult with an appropriate professional before making any decision.