New auDA domain name changes

The .au domain is here: everything you need to know about the auDA licensing rules

Have you seen all of the news about the .au url?

No, you didn’t read that wrong. It’s not .com.au but just .au.

In today’s digital world, where people are always shopping and searching online, your business’ website presence is essential to your business’ success.

If you’re an Australian brand or business, you have access to secure the new .au address under the new auDA licensing rules. But many organisations are either unaware or confused – and this can leave you exposed to not only a loss of opportunity but also other more harmful acts like cybersquatters taking your address or people pretending to be your business.

So, whether you are setting up a completely new business or just considering domain name registration, here’s what you need to know about the new auDA licensing rules.

The auDA domain name changes – it’s time to act now

Up until 20 September 2022, businesses with an existing .com.au domain name can exclusively register for their equivalent .au domain.

For instance, if your company’s current address is yourbusiness.com.au, you’ll be able to also register yourbusiness.au. Applying to auDA now will give you priority status to get the shortened version of your current web address. This is, of course, optional and will not affect the ownership of your current web address.

However, if you don’t register within this period, your .au equivalent domain will become available to the public. This means any person or organisation in Australia will be able to reserve and use your .au web address.

Just before you think you won’t need your .au address…

Just remember that, in about a year, the .au address will be very common and even the norm in Australia. If you don’t get yours now, you may regret it later.

Plus, changing to a shorter web domain makes it easier for customers to find and remember your website. Minimalist domains also look more authentic and professional from a marketing perspective, increasing the credibility of your website.

While your .com.au version will still work, it’s best to have both so you can use them.

What happens if I don’t register my new domain name?

Unfortunately, this new option for domain names creates another avenue for cybercriminals to conduct fraudulent activity targeting your business or organisation. Specifically, cybercriminals could register the .au domain name and use it to impersonate your business, such as registering yourbusiness.au where you have already registered yourbusiness.com.au.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) recommends that all Australian businesses with existing domain names register their .au equivalents as soon as possible. To avoid any potential issues, businesses should consider registering a .au domain name that includes their current top-level domain.

For instance, a business that currently owns yourbusiness.com.au should register yourbusiness.au and yourbusinesscom.au – preventing cyber criminals from registering these domain names in the future and using them to conduct fraudulent cyber activities.

Centrix provides your business with extra protection against cyber threats

As your reliable Managed Service Provider, Centrix can help you with your cybersecurity needs, whether you need us to register your .au domain or you want a more comprehensive cybersecurity protection approach.

You can be confident knowing our digital specialists have the right solutions to provide your business and team with protection from fraudulent activities that may be harmful to your brand and your valued customers.

With the latest IT technologies and proactive staff training, we safeguard your business against cybersecurity threats while also supporting your employees no matter if they’re in the office, at home or working remotely.

Centrix manages your complete IT needs for you, so you can focus on your business and your customers.

Let Centrix support your IT and cybersecurity needs

Our team at Centrix is always ready – we help small businesses all the way up to corporate organisations succeed by managing, supporting and protecting critical IT infrastructure.

Backed by our extensive knowledge and expertise, Centrix is here to support your organisation with comprehensive IT Connectivity and Collaboration Service Packages, Cloud IT, Cybersecurity Protection, Managed IT Services and other IT Solutions.

So, are you ready to thrive in today’s digital landscape?

To learn more about our Managed IT services, book an IT Health Check or contact us today.