Domain Names In Australia - A Tool Guide
Registering Domain Names In Australia
Are you planning to buy a domain name in Australia? If yes, this article will help you with insights into what a domain name is, how to choose one and what must be done before choosing one.
Usually, people buy domain names if they are thinking of making a website for their business.
Have you ever thought that your website is not getting enough visitors or search engine ranking? No? You may change your mind after reading this article.
What is a Domain Name? A domain name is an identification label for a particular host connected to the Internet. It can be compared to the address of your home or office where someone can find you when you are connected to the Internet.
Domains
A domain, in layman’s terms, is a website address that helps people find your website when they search for it on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others. Some of the most popular domains are .com, .net, .org, and .au, for those of us in Australia.
A domain acts as the address for a website. It directs visitors to your website when they type in a specific domain name into their Web browser. A domain name has two or more parts separated by dots. For example, the domain www.google.com consists of 3 parts — www, google, and com — separated by dots (www.google.com) our domain name equally has three parts as well (www.oroundwebdesign.com).
A domain is also referred to as a hostname or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
Internet Protocol
Before being registered as a domain name, an Internet address usually starts with an IP address. When you type www.yahoo.com into your browser, that’s an IP address you are accessing (IP stands for Internet Protocol).
Although IP addresses are composed of numbers, they look like web addresses (for example, 192.168.1.1). To make it easier to memorize IP addresses, the dots between numbers are omitted and the remaining numbers are separated by periods (192-168-1-1). This allows us to type in domain names easier, but underneath it all, it still uses IP addresses to send and receive data from one computer to another.
Connecting To The Internet
What Is My Ip Address elaborates to us what transpires before we are connected to the internet.
Whenever we go online on our devices(mobile, tablets, computers, etc) to either chat with our friends on Facebook, email our clients, or stream movies, we usually make a request which is sent to the right destination , and the response we need comes back to us directly. In all this an IP address plays a significant role.
When a request is made, your computer is first connected to an ISP(Internet Service Provide e.g Telstra, Belong, Optus etc) or a company network at work.
Protocols
Our Devices’ networking software, has been hard-wired to follow a list of built-in networking standards and rules called protocols which enable us to connect to the internet hence allowing us to swap information and data back and forth.
Your IP Address is responsible for addressing, delivering, and routing your online requests.
Top Level & Second Level Domains
Domain names are usually made up of two or more parts:
the top-level domain (gTLD) – .com, .net, .org, .biz and .info
and the second level domain (SLD) – this is where you can add keywords to help with SEO and brand recognition
Examples of gTLDs include .com, .net and .co.uk and examples of SLDs include “thesitewizard.com” or “blog.thesitewizard.com”.
Domain Name Providers In Australia
Domain providers in Australia are organizations that sell domains, web hosting and other internet products. The companies that sell these services are called internet service providers (ISP).
There are many domain providers in Australia and all of them vary in terms of the features they offer, the quality of their service, price, and so on.
What To Consider Before Getting A Domain From A Provider
If you want to search for a domain provider in Australia, there are certain things you have to keep in mind before you choose one. For example, you have to ensure that your chosen provider is reliable and has a reputation for good service.
You also have to ensure that the domain provider offers you all the features that you require such as free or paid web hosting, parked domains, etc.
You also have to make sure they have good customer support because it is always better to talk to a representative of the company face-to-face or through the phone than over email.
The best way to find a good domain provider in Australia is by searching online, but we have listed a few companies that offer great service at a competitive price: Oround Web Design, Crazy Domains, and Go Daddy.
Today, the internet is filled with lots of information about providers and this can help you make an informed decision when it comes to choosing which provider to go for.
Things To Consider Before Registering
1. The Cost Of Domains
The cost of the average website domain ranges anywhere from $10 to $60 per year depending on the specific provider you choose. It is important to compare the prices of different providers to find one that offers competitive rates.
If a site charges significantly more than competing companies, then it might not be worth purchasing your domain name through them.*
It is important to get the right domain name. The wrong one can put your business at risk. It is very important that the name of your business is catchy and easy to remember.
2. Check If Your Domain Name is Available.
The first way to find out if your desired web address is available is to use a Domain Availability Checker online. There are many different domain availability checkers on the internet, each with its own pros and cons.
Some offer suggestions for similar web addresses while others will try to sell you their own services. Some also offer a service where they will buy the domain name for you and sell it back at a higher price once your site becomes more successful.
I would recommend using an independent service like Business Registration Service
Trying to find a great domain name that is available can be hard if you don’t know where to look and how to look for one. In order to find a great domain name, you will need to do a little research and make some phone calls.
First, check the .com registry for your desired top-level domain (TLD). You can find it by typing in your desired TLD into the search box on their website. If you want your domain name to end in .com, .net, .org, etc., then you will want to visit the appropriate registry. The TLDs are country-code extensions that are associated with specific countries.
After you have found out more information about what TLDs are available, then you want to visit a registrar that sells those TLDs and purchases them. There are many different registrars out there and they all sell different TLDs at different price points so shop around before making your selection.
3. Why You Need An ABN or ACN
To register a .com.au domain name you need to be a commercial entity with an ABN or ACN.
This means that if you want to buy the domain www.yoursite.com.au you will need an ABN or ACN, which is assigned by the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
There are some exceptions to this rule, such as:
If your organisation doesn’t have an ABN but does have a GST number and you want to register your domain with that GST number instead of an ABN or CAN. Then you can register for a, .au domain.
You’re not technically required to register a .com.au or .net.au domain name but they are more memorable and easier to use than IP addresses (192.168.1.1). Moreover, most companies in Australia use a .au domain.
The easiest way to find out if you can get an Australian domain(.au) is to try and register one. If you already have a .com.au, .net.au, or .org.au domain name then you’re eligible for another.
Take note that domains expire, hence why it’s important to renew them before they do. Whenever you get a domain, try and ensure that you take note of its expiry date, so that you don’t inconvenience yourself and your clients.
The eligibility criteria for getting a .au domain name vary depending on your type of business:
If you’re a sole trader, partnership or trust: You need to have an ABN (Australian Business Number). To get one, go to the Australian Business Register’s Official website.
If you’re a company: You need to have an ACN (Australian Company Number). To get one, go to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website.
If you’re a charity or non-profit organization: You don’t need an ABN or ACN to get a .org.au domain name. These are free for registered charities and not-for-profit organizations. To register, go to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission website.
4. Protecting Your Identity
Why is this important?
Your domain name serves as the address to your website and, as such, will be one of the first things someone sees if they have heard about you or are searching for your business.
If you do not want private information exposed to anyone with an internet connection, then you should use WHOIS Protection in conjunction with your domain. Your domain information will be hidden from public view, but still available on request to any domain registrar or law enforcement official.
A WHOIS lookup will show your personal information if you do not have WHOIS protection enabled. This can be risky because it can be used by hackers to steal your identity. Furthermore, some spammers also use WHOIS lookups to find email addresses or other contact information on websites so that they can send spam messages.
While it may seem like a minor issue, it can cause a great deal of hassle in the long run so it is best to get the protection enabled as soon as possible.*
Each of the top-level domains (TLDs) has specific rules, and not all of them require WHOIS information to be publicly available. For example, .info, .name, and .ca are currently the only TLDs that protect the WHOIS information for free.
To get a domain name with WHOIS protection, you must:
First, register your domain name with a domain name registrar. Second, you will need to purchase a WHOIS privacy service from either the registrar or an affiliate company.
The price depends on the length of time you want privacy protection for your domain name but it is usually between $8 and $12 per year.
After you have got your domain it is time for you to get your web hosting.
Question
Hope you find this Tool Guide For Registering Domain Names In Australia helpful.
If you have any questions regarding domains that you want to ask please feel free to call or contact us through email or our social media.
Help Tip
If you are just getting started in business or have just bought a domain, then this article might be useful to you,
