The New .AU Domains Have Arrived
auDA, the registry that manages Australia’s official domain space has launched .AU domains this afternoon.
Until now, you could only register 3rd level .AU domain like domainname.com.au, domainname.net.au, domainname.org.au. Aussies now have the option to drop the .com or .net and get theirdomainname.au. Shorter, sharper & more memorable.
If 2nd level and 3rd level sound confusing, here is a quick cheat sheet:
– 2nd level: yourdomain.AU
– 3rd level: yourdomain.COM.AU, yourdomain.NET.AU and so on
What’s the Difference Between .AU and .COM.AU?
A .AU domain is shorter, sharper, and will definitely look nicer on a business card, delivery truck, billboard etc. But it’s not just that, it will also be easier to register a .AU domain name vs. its 3rd level counterparts.
The factsheet on the registry website says “Unlike existing Australian namespaces such as com.au and org.au that have specific allocation criteria, there is no allocation criteria that determines which names an eligible person can register in the .au direct namespace.
If you have an Australian presence, you can simply register a name of your choosing subject to auDA’s licensing rules and the Priority Allocation Process. The name will not need to match your name or be the name of an existing service, good, event, activity or premises that you provide.”
This will be one of the key differentiators between 2nd and 3rd level .AU domains and will help you get more creative with your domain name.
If you have an Australian presence, you can simply register a .AU name of your choosing*
– Auda
The name will not need to match your name or be the name of an existing service, good, event, activity or premises that you provide.
*SUBJECT TO AUDA’S LICENSING RULES AND THE PRIORITY ALLOCATION PROCESS
What if You Already Own a .COM.AU Domain Name?
There’s good news for you, the registry has developed a transparent process that will give existing domain owners (of 3rd level .AU domains) the first opportunity to secure the matching domain in .AU.
This ensures you have first dibs on your brand/business name in .AU, in something called the Priority Process. The registry has done a great job of explaining this on its website here.
Here are 2 recommendations to improve your chances of getting the .AU domain you want:
If you are an Australian business and don’t own a local domain, maybe this will change your mind.
Ok, What’s Next?
You can go ahead order your .au domain. These are available for just $16.99/yr.
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