The domain name you choose for your business carries important weight – it’s one of the key identifiers for your brand online and how customers access your website. With so many domain extensions and web hosting provider options, it can get confusing not just what to pick but what pricing to expect. Getting clarity on the estimated cost for securing your Australian domain is helpful as you plan your startup’s online presence.

What Factors Determine Domain Name Pricing?

When considering getting a domain name for your business in Australia, one of the first questions is likely to be, “How much will this cost me?”. Unfortunately, there is no single fixed price for domain name registration. The cost can change based on several key factors:

• Domain extension: Popular extensions like .com and .net are more expensive than newer extensions like .store or .site. Australian country-code extensions like .au also have pricing models and availability restrictions for local companies.
• Registrar: If you purchase through mass-market registrars, domain names costs may often be lesser than boutique or niche registrars focused on specific demographics. Australian web hosting companies frequently bundle domain name registration with discounted pricing as part of their hosting plans.
• Purchase Options:  Multi-year registration packages, add-on privacy services to hide your contact details, and other features that can increase the base price of registering a domain name.

Generally, expect to pay from AUD 15 to AUD 25 per year for a domain name when registering through an Australian web hosting company’s discounted bundles or special introductory offers. Popular extensions like .com.au tend to fall at the higher end, around AUD 25 for major registrars.

Tips for Choosing a Domain Name

When selecting your ideal domain name for registering your Australian business website, keep these essential tips in mind:

Include Relevant Keywords

Domain names that incorporate industry keywords relevant to your particular products, services or location can lend a helpful boost to your website’s search engine optimization and local findability down the road.

For example, suppose you are selling clothing and fashion accessories online primarily to the Melbourne metro area market. In that case, something like “MelbourneFashionStore.com.au” neatly incorporates your location and product keywords in the domain.

Avoid Odd Spellings or Special Characters

When choosing a domain name, stick to dictionary words spelled correctly in a standard format. Domain names featuring odd spellings, hyphenations, numbers substituting letters or other atypical characters can trip people up when manually visiting or verbally sharing your site. Keep it simple and spelling-error-resistant.

Make it Memorable

A short, catchy, brand-defining domain name with an easy-to-retain ring can do wonders for spreading by word-of-mouth, which is especially helpful for local small businesses that rely more on referrals. If your formal legal business name is very long or complex, consider registering a shorter, easier-to-spell branded domain alternative, maybe an abbreviation,  that stylishly captures the essence of your brand.

Register Multiple Variants

When budget allows, secure similar versions of your primary domain – like .net alongside your .com.au – to widen your brand footprint online and protect your identity. Prevent potential image damage and revenue loss from competitor sites parking themselves on likely typos of your company name.

Is the Cost Worth It?

While searching for an ideal available matching cost for domain name can be frustratingly challenging at times, in most cases, the long-term dividends of establishing a professional branded website domain that instill trust and confidence in visitors outweigh the relatively minor annual registration expenses.