What are the registration requirements for .AU domains?
In order to register a .COM.AU or .NET.AU domain name, the domain owner must meet the following requirements:
- The domain must be an exact match of a registered trademark or a trademark application in Australia (an International trademark that includes the Australian territory is also valid); or
- Have an ABN (Australian Business Number) or ACN (Australian Company Number). The domain must be a match of your company’s name or its acronym, or a match/synonym of the product or service it offers.
If you do not meet these requirements, we suggest you file a Trademark Registration Request in Australia for Domain Registration with us. This service takes around 72 hours and has a one-time fee of US $410. You can request your trademark by filling in Trademark Registration Order Form.
- Select “Word Mark”, class 38.
- Write “For .AU domain registration” in the “Goods/services” box.
Additionally, regarding .AU domain name Registration, if the requested .AU domain has already been registered as a third level domain (e.g.: .COM.AU, .NET.AU, etc.) there are 2 priority categories for the domain allocation process:
- Category 1: Domains registered on or before February 4th 2018.
- Category 2: Domains registered after the February 4th 2018 and before 24 March 2022.
Note:
If the requested .au domain has not been already registered as a third level domain (e.g.: .COM.AU, .NET.AU, etc.) before March 24th 2022, it will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
What does .AU stand for?
.AU represents the official domain extension or the internet country code top level domain (ccTLD) of Australia. This ccTLD was introduced in 1999 and was intended for entities connected with Australia. Second-level domains such as “.COM.AU” and “.NET.AU” are intended for commercial entities that are presently registered and conducting trade in this country. On the other hand, Marcaria.com is a trusted registrar where applications are processed.
AU also stands for: Another Universe, assessment unit, automatic updates, automated underwriter, addressee unknown, action unit, accessible unit, authors system, Aurum (Latin word for gold), automatic, alternate universe, Air University, audio, authorized user, ATM user, adaptive unit, and many more.
Why register a .AU domain?
Australia is a nation situated in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The prosperous country is comprised of major cities namely Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sidney. The Australian economy is diversified and competitive. It is the 4th largest producer and exporter of premium wine in the world. Aside from wine, Australia also exports gold, iron, natural gas, agricultural products and a lot more.
Why invest in Australia? Australia is rated as one of the safest countries in the world for traveling and doing business. The country is also highly noted for its robust finance regulations and stable institutional frameworks. On top of everything, Australians enjoy a quality of life that is ranked 7th highest in the world.
Before you invest in Australia, a registered .AU domain is advantageous for your business. Here are some of the benefits of .AU domain:
- .AU domain can strengthen your affiliation with Australia. Not only does it add a reputable online image for your company but it also serves as a proof that your business is legit since you have the permission to use Australia’s internet extension. This is an extremely important factor for your business to be successful in this country.
- .AU domain can show that your business is exclusively available in the Australian digital market. Web visitors get an impression that your company is committed and dedicated to serving Australian customers. This is essential in making your branding campaign more powerful.
- .AU domain can help you attract the right customers. By using (dot)AU as your site domain suffix, it is obvious that your target audience is located in Australia. From the marketing point of view, this is a practical approach than to use .COM which attracts a worldwide client base.
- .AU domain can make your website more memorable and unique. If you want customers to easily remember your brand name and your products, use an internet extension that is specific to their country. (dot)AU is relatable and memorable for the Australian consumers.
- .AU domain can make your white hat SEO methods more effective. Country-specific domain extensions are compatible with organic optimization strategies. If you want Google to pick up your web content for the local search results, using a ccTLD is one way to do that without getting penalized.
- .AU domain can minimize your overall web expense. Since it offers SEO and branding advantages, there’s no need to rely completely on paid ads to drive new customers to your site. They will find your business by searching for related keywords via Google.
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