Exciting news! The domain authorities are releasing a new top-level domain ending .au on the 24th March 2022. In fact, pre-registration starts at the beginning of March. Fortunately, if you own a .com.au or .net.au web address, you will automatically have priority choice for the first six months from the release date. But, bear in mind, after those six months has expired, it’s game on for anyone to register anything on a first-in best-dressed basis. So, what is the new .au address all about, and why should you get it?
Why Should I get a .au Domain?
Importantly, in terms of protecting your brand, registering the .au domain will stop someone else from doing it. In addition, you can keep your .com.au address and redirect one to the other to catch all website and email traffic. Additional benefits for .au domains include:
- A shorter domain is generally better for ease of use, particularly on mobiles.
- Domain age is a ranking factor (the older, the better), but it’s a marginal SEO factor.
- Now’s your chance to get the .au name you always wanted!
- The trend predicted by industry experts is that .au will most likely replace or push aside .com.au and .net.au for the majority of Australian websites over the next decade.
- Also, new registration rules mean your business must be registered in and by Australians.
How Do I get a .au address?
Lastly, if you would like to make your new domain your main domain there might be some work and cost involved. This will probably include updating business cards and changing websites and email addresses. Basically, we need to update all other references to the old domain in the real world and online.
