Key insights from auDA's "Why .au?" report

Paul Middleton

Feb 13, 2025 — 1 min read

Today, auDA released their latest "Why .au?" report. This provides key insights from their research of 2,100 participants into Australian small business use of domain names and why Australian consumers prefer .au online.

In this post I'll share some of the key insights from the report. You can download the full report here.

Trust

Three out of four Australian consumers expressed they are more likely to trust an Australian business if their domain name ends in .au. One research participant named Belinda said “I would go straight to a com.au website compared to other websites. It feels like it’s a real website and a legitimate Australian business."

Selling products online? 50% of Australian consumers will only purchase from a business online if it has an Australian website ending in .au. Additionally, two in five Australian consumers said they'd check a .au website first when seeking to buy a product online. Research participant Jon said “If I’m shopping on a website for the first time, I’m looking for the .au.”

Why?

To support local Australian businesses
So they will be covered by Australian law and consumer protection if there is an issue with the online purchase
So they know they can use Australian currency

The top attributes Australian consumers associate with .au domain names are:

Australian, Recognisable, Trustworthy

Small businesses

A website significantly increases the opportunity to engage with customers and adds credibility to your social media presence.

Most Australian consumers will only purchase from a business online if it has a website.

70% of Australian small businesses choose a .au domain name for their website or email. They do this do demonstrate they are Australia, and for Australians.

Get your .au domain now

If you're using a .com, .co, or any other domain name that doesn't end .au, you're missing out.

Get in touch with DOMAINSAFE to discuss how we can help you start the migration to your .au domain name today.

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