| site is a great way for customers and potential | | | | registered business or business name; a trade mark; |
| customers to locate your business. The first step to | | | | or some other connection between the domain name |
| achieve this is to establish a domain name; and the | | | | being applied for and the business which will use this |
| best time to do that is at the time of your company | | | | name. |
| registration. Some business operators who failed to | | | | The Australian Domain Name Administrator (auDA) |
| register their name at the time of their company | | | | has placed restrictions on domain name transfers, in |
| registration have found the name has been taken by | | | | order to reduce the occurrence of domain name |
| someone else and is not available when they try to | | | | trafficking. These restrictions include: |
| register it later on; sometimes this has been because | | | | •Domain names cannot be registered for the |
| their competitor has registered the domain name | | | | sole purpose of resale, |
| instead. | | | | •Domain names cannot be transferred within |
| A website is an effective business tool that can | | | | 6 months of registration, |
| legitimise your business in the eyes of the general | | | | •Standard domain name transfer forms to |
| business community, including customers and | | | | improve the administration of the transfer process. |
| suppliers; and a host of important information so that | | | | •Parties involved in a domain name transfer |
| others outside your company can see what you do | | | | are asked to disclose the sale method and price to |
| and whether they want to do business with you. | | | | auDA, with this information (unidentified) published to |
| The domain name you select is a vital step to | | | | provide prospective buyers and sellers a better |
| identify your internet presence. In creating a domain | | | | understanding of market prices for Australian domain |
| name, factors such as having a name that customers | | | | names. |
| can easily find, one that fits on a business card and is | | | | These measures aim to restrict exploitation and |
| not hard to spell will likely be a benefit to your | | | | inappropriate registering of domain names, which |
| business. | | | | often prevent and disappoint legitimate business |
| Domain names cannot be reserved and there are no | | | | owners from being able to use a domain name that |
| restrictions on who can own a domain name; also a | | | | would and should be logically associated with their |
| person who registers a domain name does not have | | | | business name. |
| to be the owner of that business name. It is | | | | So, at the time of your company registration you |
| therefore recommended that you register your | | | | should check the availability of your preferred |
| domain name at the time of your company | | | | company name and domain name; a number of |
| registration to secure that name before someone | | | | company registration providers include this look-up |
| else does, making it unavailable for you. As a | | | | facility as part of their service offering when |
| defensive measure, many businesses register multiple | | | | registering your company with ASIC. There is no |
| domain names (such as using .com, .com.au, .net or | | | | requirement for you to use your domain name |
| .net.au) and variations of their domain name at the | | | | straight away, so you can register your domain name |
| time of their company registration, to ensure that | | | | at the time of your company registration to avoid |
| the preferred choice of domain name, or names, are | | | | any hassle later on. And, if your preferred domain |
| registered to the company and to restrict | | | | name is not available you can consider other domain |
| competitors from registering a similar name. | | | | spaces including .org.au, .biz or .info depending on |
| Under current domain name rules, applicants for | | | | what is right for your business. |
| domain names need to demonstrate a legitimate | | | | There is no doubt that a website is an important part |
| interest or association in the domain name such as: | | | | of any modern business and if you are forming a |
| being the same name as the company registration; a | | | | company now is the time to consider a domain name. |