.au Direct Domain Names
Your own personal, group or business domain ending in .au
Not com.au, id.au or org. au - simply .au
It's an easy short domain ending that any Australian can use for any purpose. Register .au direct for your email or website address; events, personal interests, public projects, or a short or long term ecommerce venture.
.au direct is the second largest .au namespace. By February 2024, over 760 000 .au direct domains had been registered - and .au direct has only been available for 2 years!
How does .au direct work?
Here's some ways the new .au direct domains help Aussies get their message across:
What's so good about .au direct?
Think mobile:
The .au address is easier to type on a phone & fits better into the small address bar. Given our society's propensity for fast & easy, we at Bizazz think .au direct will grow in popularity. Site browsing by phone is on the increase, particularly among younger people - the upcoming generation of new customers. Over half of Internet traffic is via mobile phones.
You can register both versions of your website domain for the first year, and ask us to set up domain forwarding (redirect the .au domain to your website address). Then anyone can find your site, whether they use .au direct or not. All it takes is a minimal annual fee.
Think availability:
Everyone knows about com.au but not everyone can use it. Most Australian domain endings have a definite purpose and strict rules about who or what kind of entity can register them, & even what name you can choose. With .au direct, you are in charge. Your .au domain name need not match a personal name, business/incorporated group name or commercial activity.
Up till now, the only flexible domain option for Australians has been a .com domain. The .com space is crowded; it gets harder every day to find a .com name that you want. A .com website or email address won't show your trueblue Aussie identity.
Think ahead:
Got a business idea in mind but you're not ready to fly with business registration & the administration needed for a commercial entity? Get started with .au direct. Establish your online identity, have business cards printed with your address. When you register your business & obtain an ABN, you'll be right on the starter's blocks to get set (build your website) & go.
Think risk management:
- Your competitors - including big corporate players with mega budgets - can register & keep control over any number of .au direct domains, even if they don't use them. That includes the .au direct domain that matches your website's name, if you don't register it first.
- Or a scammer/phisher could register the .au version of your domain name and trade off &/or damage the reputation of the real website. Legal action is slow, expensive and uncertain; meanwhile, the damage has been done.
- Expect the younger generations who grew up with a mobile phone in their hands, to take the lead in using this shortcut domain ending. As .au direct grows, Internet users will expect it to work for all Australian websites, especially on their phones. Will they find your website?
It's cheap, simple and sure to guard your .com.au or .org.au website's online reputation & identity, and help all your potential customers to find you online. Register a .au direct domain that forwards to your main website.
Last updated 8th June 2024
