Creating the local digital identity your business deserves

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Aussies love to support a local business and giving yours the right local flavour online could be just the boost it needs today. As all business owners know, competition to stand out in an increasingly crowded online marketplace is high. Research shows that millions of Australian consumers find, engage and buy from their favourite businesses online, and they’re particularly keen to support trusted local businesses.

But before you even get to what you’re selling and how you’re selling it, to make your business stand out among the crowd you need to consider your “digital identity.” This is what makes your business individual and recognisable online. It’s now easier than ever to create a digital identity with just your internet domain name to help you appeal to Aussie shoppers who love supporting local.

Australian internet domain names can now be created with a simple “.au” extension rather than the standard ‘.com.au’ or ‘.net.au’. The shorter domain name extension has just been launched at .au Domain Administration Limited (auDA), the Australian organisation in charge of .au domain names. Since 24 March 2022, auDA has given small businesses and entrepreneurs who already own an Australian domain name extension (for example, ‘.com.au’), the right to create the shorter, more memorable ‘.au’ name. For example, insidesmallbusiness.com.au could now simply become insidesmallbusiness.au.

So how can this change help your small business and its digital identity?

How do I know if I’m eligible?

The rollout of the .au domain is being run in two phases, and not all entrepreneurs will be instantly eligible. If your business has an existing namespace domain – i.e .com.au or .net.au – you’ll be able to apply to register its exact match in .au form. You are eligible to do so immediately and will have priority status until 20 September this year, when the rollout extends to the general population. From 20 September 2022, any .au domain extension that hasn’t been claimed will come off priority hold. At that point, it is available to anyone (including your competitors) to snap up. So, if you’re eligible, it’s important to act before 20 September to help reap the potential benefits for your business.

Supporting local small businesses

According to the National Retail Association, more than half of Aussie shoppers want to buy locally sourced and produced products. When visiting a brick-and-mortar store, it’s easy to see what you’re buying and who you’re buying it from. A .au domain name can provide the same confidence for your customers online. It helps shoppers easily identify the brand and where it’s located. The new domain names are also easier to type, especially into mobile devices, where many Aussies are now doing their shopping. It’s a simple change to help harness the power of local for your digital identity.

Protecting your brand

The .au extension can also help to protect and enhance your online presence. Registering multiple domain extensions for your website prevents others from piggybacking on your brand and potentially taking your customers. The more domains you own, the bigger your online presence, making it easier for customers to find you. According to GoDaddy research, 27 per cent of Australian entrepreneurs and small businesses said competition was their biggest challenge for 2022. Your domain and the digital identity it creates can help you stand out from that competition.

As more businesses start or scale their online presence, it’s important to identify ways to give your business an extra edge. The launch of .au is a new and simple way for your business to create a trusted, digital, Aussie identity.