Don’t Forget About Your Domain Name

Domain name registration

Establishing a brand and building your business is difficult enough these days, so you need to ensure that all facets of your business and corporate ID protected. And this needs to include your domain name.

I have just spoken to a long term client, who was almost deceived by her overseas supplier into transferring ownership of her .com.au domain name to them. If she had complied with their request, there would be nothing to stop her supplier from creating their own website on the domain.

My client would have not only lost control of her online brand, but her ecommerce enabled website would have vanished in the eyes of her customers. She would have to register a new domain name, and re-establish trust in the market and also try to convince her client base, that she is still trading.

Why would an overseas company do this? Simple.

To qualify for a .com.au or .net.au domain name, the business must be currently registered and trading in Australia, as well as commercial products and services.

Also, domain names are first come, first served. If the domain name is part of your business name or closely related to a product or service you sell or maintain, then no-one can make you give up the domain under AUDA (Australian Domain Authority) regulations which govern the use of .au domains in Australia.

Don’t get caught. Ensure all of your domain registration details are up to date and correct, and please do not get bullied from overseas companies looking to cash in on your hard work establishing your business and branding.

Also, as further protection, many businesses register a .com.au and .net.au version of their company name, products, profession to protect their branding. This helps eliminate confusion in the marketplace if someone else happens to register the same name in a different namespace.

If you have any doubts, please contact us and we will be only too happy to help.