How and where to buy a domain (personal and Australian business domains)
Firstly, it is SO IMPORTANT (yes, so important it needs to be in bold, italic capital letters) that YOU own your domain. Your domain is key to your business website and emails. DO NOT LET SOMEONE ELSE REGISTER IT FOR YOU. I can’t stress this enough.
I have had to help several businesses migrate their domains, and it can be a headache. Firstly, you need the current registrar to provide an authorisation code (a good thing in that it’s a protection against malicious domain transfers, but bad in that if they want to be difficult they might not provide it). Secondly, if the website and emails are already set up, sometimes the DNS records don’t transfer and they need to be re-added. This means the website and emails temporarily go down in the time between when the domain transfers and when the new records are entered and visible.
Please, from the start, register the domain yourself.
Now that I’ve had that rant, on to my recommendation for where to register your domain.
I recommend you register your domain(s) with GoDaddy.
Why GoDaddy? A few reasons:
They have competitive pricing. Sometimes you might find it cheaper elsewhere, however most registrars offer cheap first year pricing (including GoDaddy) and then hike the prices up after year 1.
They give you full DNS editing capabilities. This is key for you to be able to set up a website (you will need to set the A record to connect the website to the domain), and for you to set up a professional email address (you will need to add MX records, and usually a TXT and/or SPF and/or DKIM record). Some registrars (you’d be surprised how many) lock down the DNS editing and provide this as a premium service (meaning you need to pay more to edit them) or you have to contact support to do it for you. Contacting support isn’t the end of the world, but it’s frustrating if you have to wait on hold or if the person doesn’t understand the request.
Your GoDaddy account gives you the ability to delegate access to your account people helping you with your website/emails. Please don’t ever share your passwords and login info. This means they can help add the DNS records mentioned above, without the ability to do anything malicious to your account. You can set the level of access, and also remove them at any time.
My experience with their help team has always been positive. I’ve had to contact them a few times in the past, and each time I have chatted with or spoken to someone who is knowledgable and friendly.
In the domain purchasing process, some common questions that come up:
How can I register a .com.au, .org.au or .au domain name?
You can register any domain name on GoDaddy, as long as it’s not taken by someone else. HOWEVER, to register a .com.au and/or .au domain you need to have a Registered Business Name (via ASIC) that is closely or substantially linked to the domain you want to register. This step needs to be done before you register with GoDaddy. You will be asked to enter your ABN that is linked to the business name. If you don’t register the business name, you risk someone else registering it and then being legally able to force a transfer of the domain to them. You don’t want this hassle.
Which domain should I buy?
Most people think of .com for domains, and .com.au in Australia. However, there are so many domain types now. My recommendation for Australian businesses is to buy the .com.au, .au, and if possible to also purchase the .com as it prevents anyone else from purchasing these domains and confusing potential customers.
How many domain names should I buy?
This leads on from the above and there’s no set answer. I recommend a minimum of 2 (the .com.au and .au), with the .com as well if possible. I have 6 domains attached to this website, and 2 domains parked (not linked). I select the primary domain (www.mettacreative.com.au) but if anyone types in the other domains (e.g. www.metta-creative.com.au) it will still show this website.
Still not sure? I offer working sessions via Teams where you can share your screen and I can walk you through the process of purchasing your domains (and helping you link them to your website if you like).