Protect Your Brand with .AU

Written on 26 June, 2022 by Jay Salter
Categories Domains Marketing Small Business Tags .au direct .au domain name brand domain names

.au Domain Administration Limited has just released a new country code top-level-domain name in Australia.

No longer will you be restricted to traditional .com.au and .net.au. This new and shorter domain name allows you more flexibility in your domain, showing up as just:

 

youronlinebusiness.au

 

The .au has plenty of benefits to people looking to register new domain names but have also other implications to existing domain name holders like yourself and our understanding of cyber security.

Here, we’ll discuss how these implications will affect your brand and your business, regardless of whether you operate your business offline or online.

 

Cyberattacks Can Be Detrimental to Your Brand

The internet is here to stay. Not only are people searching up for their preferred products and services online, but they are also going through with purchases via their digital devices. This means there are plenty of transactions and personal information going through the world wide web, making it much easier for both consumers and businesses to connect and communicate.

Similarly, criminals have also found their way online and are devising more ways to scam and steal via the internet. Just as it is more convenient and simpler for us to buy and sell online, the internet has also made it easier for cybercriminals to get away with their wrongdoings.

That said, it is possible to guard your online business against these cybercriminals.

With the release of a brand new domain name in Australia, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has sent out an announcement cautioning all businesses to take action quickly regarding their .au domain equivalents.

If you operation a business and have already established an online presence, you need to stay up to date with the types of traps cybercriminals use to conduct their activities. While their goal is usually to obtain data and money, there are consequences to your brand that are far more detrimental.

 

A .AU can Prevent Loss of Revenue to Cybercriminals

Swindlers have existing way before the internet, and they are here amongst us within the cyberspace.

With the introduction of the new .au domain name, these criminals can purchase an available .au domain, using it to create a website and email account. If your business leaves your .au equivalent unsecured, you are opening up your online business to impersonation by these scammers.

Whether it is to phish for information or tricking customers into making a transaction on an almost like-for-like website. Your unsecured .au domain name allows these cybercriminals to achieve their goals using your brand name and get away with it.

Rectifying the situation can also be an arduous and painful process. You can either wait for your .au equivalent domain name to expire naturally or offer the asking price to the criminal who owns that domain name.

Read more about why and how you should be increasing your network and data’s cyber security here.

 

A .AU can Prevent Loss of Loyal Customers

A .AU can Prevent Loss of Loyal Customers

When your customers are sent an email with your business’ .au domain name, it can look very similar to your official email address. By the time you or your customers catch onto what these cybercriminals are doing, the damage will have already been done.

In addition to getting swindled, your loyal customers will also be associating your brand to one that is not secure and a target of cybercriminals. This can result in a loss of trust by the very people who have supported you right from the start of your business venture.

Recovering your brand trust is always much harder than losing it. While you can consider rebuilding your brand reputation, it might be many months or years before you finally return to the same level of trust prior to the cyberattack incident.

 

A .AU can Prevent Loss of Future Earnings

Due to a loss of brand trust and lower than ideal reputation, you may lose a few brand advocates, especially if they are victims of a cyber scam. This means your brand could be missing out on valuable word-of-mouth marketing from these ex-advocates, resulting in lower future earnings compared to previous projections.

With secure cyberattack measures, including your business’ .au domain name ownership, you are less likely to have to face these issues.

 

Opportunity to Establish Your Australian Presence

Your .au equivalent domain name is more than just a preventative for your online brand’s cyber security. It is one of the few country code top-level-domain names released only to people who have submitted clear evidence showing that they are operating in Australia.

A .au domain name is unbashfully vocal about your Australian presence. It signals to online users and search engines like Google that your business is operating within Australia. You can more effectively target your Australian customers and potentially achieve a higher conversion rate when Australian residents enter your website.

But that’s not all.

Check out the additional benefits of a .au domain name and the reasons you should consider one.

 

Secure Your Brand and Online Business with a .AU

As one of Australia’s trusted digital services providers, we are practicing what we preach and have taken up our brand’s .au equivalent domain name to protect our customers and brand. If any cybercriminal were to think of leveraging on our name for their illicit activities, they will not be able to register or use webcentral.au to trick unsuspecting customers.

It’s time you take preventive measures to do the same. Inaction is just not worth the risks involved.

By registering for your brand’s .au equivalent domain today, you will be taking steps to protect the business that you have nurtured and invested heavily in.

Get Your .au Domain Today

to protect your brand name.

Registering for a new .au is easy!

Get started with us or contact us directly at 1300 638 734 to secure your brand’s .au domain name now.

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