15 Nov Secure your .au domain.
by Sean Myles
Businesses and organisations have until September 20, 2022, to secure their .au direct domain under the priority allocation process by the Domain Administration limited (.auDA.) After this, any domains not secured will be released to the public on October 4, 2022.
What is changing?
Before March 2022, a domain that ended with .au needed a namespace before the ‘.au’ of one of the following:
.com
.net
.org
.asn
.edu
The namespace preceding the .au is no longer required. This means that, for example, your web address could be as short as www.eq8.au (rather than www.eq8.com.au)
What is the .auDA?
The .auDA is a not-for-profit organisation established by the Australian Internet community, endorsed by the Federal government. The role of .auDA is to administer the .au domains for the benefit of all Australians, ensuring stable, secure and reliable operation of the .au domain, as part of Australia’s suite of critical infrastructure.
Who can access the new .au domains?
Existing holders of related websites have priority access to secure the new domains until September 20, 2022. A related website is the .com or .net alternative.
From October 4, 2022, the general public can register .au direct domain addresses.
What’s at stake?
If you don’t secure your .au direct domain, you risk a competitor (or potential competitor) taking the .au version of your web address.
Most businesses have professional websites. Even if it is simple, it is important not to underestimate the strength your website has as a validator of your organisation. It tells the world who you are.
What do I need to do?
1. Check the status of your website
2. If eligible, register for priority status
3. Retrieve the token from .auDA
4. Complete the registration process with your chosen hosting provider.
Cost
All hosting providers charge differently, it could be as little as $9.95 (depending on your individual needs).
More information can be found here or at https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-domain-names/au-direct
Please contact us if you wish to discuss how the points raised in this edition specifically affect you.
Yours sincerely,
