Buying a domain: what you need to know.

When you’re starting or running a small business, registering your domain name can feel like a quick, exciting task you tick off the list. But the truth is, your domain name is one of your most important digital assets — and it’s one of the easiest places to make a costly mistake.

Think of your domain name like a PO box or street address — it’s the easy-to-remember label that people use to find you. But having an address doesn’t mean you’ve actually set up shop yet. Your website hosting is like renting the physical space where all your stuff actually lives, and your DNS records are like the latitude and longitude that map your address to that space. Both your domain and your hosting need to be paid for and kept up to date. Without a domain, your website has no recognisable name or “front door” for visitors to find you. And without hosting, your domain has nowhere to point to — no website to show. Together, your domain and hosting are what make your online presence work.

Too many small business owners treat their domain name like a one-time setup step and don’t think about it again until something goes wrong. And by then, it can be surprisingly difficult (and expensive) to fix.

This blog will walk you through what you need to know to protect your domain name, avoid common traps, and understand the bigger picture — including social handles, naming conflicts, and hidden risks that most people don’t hear about until it’s too late.

Why Your Domain Name Matters

Your domain name is your online home. It’s where people go to learn about you, contact you, and book your services. It’s tied to your business identity and your customer’s first impression.

If you don’t take care of it, you could accidentally confuse your customers, lose traffic, or open the door to impersonation and scam risks. Here are just a few of the things that can go wrong:

• You forget to verify your contact details after registering a .au domain, and lose it due to auDA non-compliance. (More on that below.)

• You register your business name with ASIC, but someone else snaps up the matching domain or social handles before you do.

• A competitor registers a similar name and uses it to mislead or redirect your potential clients.

• You let your domain expire, and someone else registers it — potentially holding it hostage or using it for spam.

• You receive a physical letter that looks like an official renewal notice, but it’s actually a high-fee offer from a third-party service.

• You lose access to your domain account after your hosting provider quietly shuts down, merges with another company, or stops responding to support requests.

These scenarios sound dramatic, but I’ve seen them happen. And in most cases, they’re completely avoidable.

SECTION ONE: DOING THE RESEARCH

The ASIC + Domain + Socials Timing Trap

One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners make is falling in love with a business name before checking if they can actually use it online.

It happens all the time. Someone registers their business name with ASIC, prints business cards, maybe even buys signage — and then discovers that the matching domain name and social media handles are already taken by someone else. At that point, you’re either stuck with an inconsistent online identity, or you have to change your name and start again.

This is why I always recommend that you check all three — business name, domain names, and social media handles — before you commit to anything.

If the exact domain and social handles aren’t available, that doesn’t always mean you have to abandon the name entirely. Sometimes a variation on your name can work, as long as it’s still clear and customers won’t be confused by someone else using the same name.

For example, my own business is called Blue Fairy. When I started, bluefairy.com was already taken, but bluefairy.com.au was available — so I grabbed that. I also registered bluefairydesignsolutions.com to reflect my full business name and help set me apart from the unrelated company holding the .com. That was fine for me, because bluefairy.com wasn’t being actively used by a competing company in my industry, but if it had been, I’d have had to reconsider.

If the .com or .com.au version of your preferred name is already being used by another business — particularly if they’re in the same or a similar industry — that could confuse customers or even damage trust in your brand if their reputation is poor. In that case, it may be better to rethink your name entirely and find something unique that you can claim fully across all platforms.

This is also a good place to mention domain hoarders. Sometimes a domain you want isn’t being used at all — it’s just parked by someone who buys and holds domain names as investments, waiting for someone like you to come along and pay an inflated price. These domains often have no content, just an ugly landing page, and the owner may ask thousands of dollars to release it.

That’s why it pays to do this research early. Choose a name that you can register on ASIC, grab the matching .com.au (or a strong variation you’re happy with), and lock in your social media handles. This saves you from future headaches and ensures your customers can find you without confusion.

Be Careful Where You Do Your Domain Research

One more trap to be aware of when you’re researching domain names is where you do your searching. Some less-reputable domain registrars and hosting companies have been caught “front running” — that is, buying up the domains you search for and then offering to sell them back to you at a much higher price.

This happens because every time you use their search tool, they can see what names you’re interested in, and if you don’t buy it right away, they snap it up themselves.

To avoid this, don’t casually search for domains on just any registrar’s website. If you’re still deciding on your name or not ready to buy immediately, use a neutral WHOIS lookup tool to check availability without tipping your hand. There are plenty of free, safe WHOIS lookup sites you can use for research.

When you are ready to register, use a trusted, established registrar, and complete the purchase straight away once you’ve confirmed your name choice. This helps you avoid paying an inflated price or losing the name altogether.

What domain registrar should you use?

If you know nothing about the digital world, it can feel impossible to tell who is “safe” to use.

Here are a few tips for choosing a good registrar:

• Check that they’ve been around for a while — longevity in the industry is a good sign.

• Look for reviews, especially about their customer service and support response times.

• See if they have clear and transparent pricing, without high hidden renewal fees.

• Make sure they give you full control of your domain and account, and don’t tie it to other services unless you want them to.

• Consider how easy it is to contact them — do they have Australian-based support if that matters to you? Do they offer phone support as well as email?

Many of my clients also ask about Wix, since it’s where they already host their website. Wix does sell domains, and it can be very convenient to keep everything managed in one place. For simple setups, that’s fine — but keep in mind that Wix has a more limited range of domain options. At the moment, you can’t register .au or .com.au domains through Wix, so if you’re an Australian business you’ll likely need to register your domain through a proper registrar and then connect it to your Wix site.

If in doubt, feel free to ask me to help you assess your options — I can help you pick a registrar that suits your needs without locking you into a bad situation.

SECTION TWO: REGISTERING YOUR DOMAIN

Register Your Primary and Secondary Domains

Your primary domain is the main address you use for your website, like yourbusiness.com.au. It’s the one you’ll share on marketing materials, business cards, and email signatures.

Secondary domains are variations or extensions that you register to prevent others from using them. These don’t need to be used as separate websites — you can point them all to your main domain so that anyone who types in the wrong version still ends up on your site.

At a minimum, consider registering:

• yourbusiness.com.au (your main domain if you’re in Australia)

• yourbusiness.com (useful for international clients or brand protection)

• yourbusiness.au (available to Australian businesses since 2022 — but only if your business contact info is verified via auDA)

If your budget allows, you can also secure:

• yourbusiness.net, yourbusiness.shop, or other common extensions

• simple misspellings or dashes (like your-business.com.au) to capture typos

• localised variations or abbreviations if people are likely to search for them

Then, set up redirects so that all of these domains lead to your main site. This is easy to do via your hosting provider or registrar and ensures your customers always land in the right place, even if they type in the wrong thing.

Separating Your Domain, Website, and Email — and Why That’s Okay

One common question I get from business owners is whether they need to keep their domain registration, website hosting, and email all with the same company. The short answer is: you don’t. In fact, keeping them separate can often make your setup more flexible and reliable.

Your domain is simply the address customers use to find you online. It doesn’t matter where it “lives” as long as it points to the right place. For example, you can register your domain with a provider like GoDaddy, build your website with Wix, and host your business email through Google Workspace — and everything will work seamlessly together when set up properly.

In fact, if you’re using Wix to build your website, I recommend using a Google Workspace email account (not @gmail, I mean you@yourbusiness.com hosted with Google) rather than the Microsoft Outlook email accounts that some registrars, like GoDaddy, bundle with domains. Google accounts tend to integrate more easily with Wix’s built-in forms, SEO tools, and analytics tracking features.

Some examples of where Outlook email can be more difficult include:

• Forms built in Wix not delivering properly to Outlook inboxes, getting caught in spam filters.

• Google Analytics and Google Search Console verification processes not recognising Outlook-based admin addresses as easily as Gmail or Google Workspace addresses.

• Calendar and contact sync issues between your website and your email platform if you’re using Microsoft products instead of Google.

So don’t feel locked into having everything in one place. You can register your domain with a registrar you trust, host your email with Google for ease of integration, and build your website with Wix — and it will all work together without a hitch if it’s configured correctly. If you’re not sure how to connect everything, feel free to get in touch and I can guide you through it.

auDA Email Verification and Requirements: Who Even Is auDA?

If you’ve registered a .au or .com.au domain, you may have seen emails asking you to verify your contact details. Many people ignore these messages because they don’t recognise the sender or don’t understand why it matters.

Here’s what you need to know:

auDA (Australian Domain Administration) is the government-endorsed body that oversees all Australian domain names. Their role is to make sure that the .au namespace remains fair, secure, and reliable for everyone. They’re responsible for setting the rules about who can register .com.au, .net.au, and .au domains, and they make sure those domains are being used by legitimate Australian businesses or individuals.

In simple terms, auDA helps protect the integrity of Australia’s digital economy. Without an organisation like auDA, anyone anywhere in the world could register Australian domain names without oversight, which would make it easier for scammers, squatters, and fraudsters to mislead customers.

When you register a .au domain, auDA requires you to provide up-to-date contact information that proves you’re eligible to hold it (usually by showing you have an ABN or Australian residency). From time to time, they’ll email you to confirm those details are still correct. If you don’t respond to their verification requests or if your information is no longer valid, they can suspend or cancel your domain.

The Whats and Wherefores of an SSL Certificate

An SSL certificate is what gives your website the little padlock icon in the browser bar. It means your site is secure, and data sent between you and your visitors is encrypted.

Most modern website builders and hosting companies include SSL certificates automatically as part of your plan. You don’t need to purchase it separately or set it up yourself if you’re using Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, or another major provider.

It’s good to know what it is and why it matters, but it shouldn’t be something you need to stress about. If you don’t see a padlock on your site, ask your host to check it.

Domain Privacy Protection

When you register a domain, your contact details (including your name, email, phone number and sometimes your address) are listed in a public database called WHOIS.

Domain privacy protection hides those details so strangers can’t see them. Many hosts include it automatically, especially for .com domains. For .com.au and .au domains, auDA already protects registrant details by default, so privacy protection is less relevant.

If your host charges a small fee for privacy protection, it can still be worth it if you’re registering .com or other international domains. It won’t improve your website security, but it will cut down on spam and unwanted calls.

Using Industry Keywords Instead of Your Business Name

For most businesses, your primary domain name should always reflect your business name. That’s what your customers will expect to type when they’re looking for you, and it helps reinforce your brand.

That said, some business owners also choose to register keyword-based domains as secondary domains, pointing them to their main website. This can be useful if you want to capture search traffic for common terms your customers might type, like plumbernewcastle.com.au or sydneydoggroomer.com.

Keyword domains can help bring in organic search traffic and can also be useful if you’re running a specific marketing campaign or advertising on a tight budget. They’re also sometimes easier for customers to remember if your business name doesn’t directly describe what you do.

However, there are some important caveats:

• Keyword domains are not a replacement for a clear brand name and business identity. Your customers need to know your actual business name, and they should see it reflected in your website and marketing materials.

• You need to check that no one else is already using that keyword phrase as their business name or registered trademark — otherwise, you could end up in a legal dispute.

• If another business already trades under that name (even if you own the domain), using it could damage trust in your own brand, especially if their reputation is poor.

For these reasons, I recommend treating keyword domains as secondary domains that point to your main site, rather than trying to brand your whole business around a generic phrase. They’re a useful tool, but they’re not a long-term replacement for a strong, distinctive business name.

If you’re interested in using keyword domains strategically, feel free to ask me for guidance on choosing terms that won’t land you in hot water with other businesses, and how to integrate them into your online presence without confusing your customers.

SECTION THREE: MANAGING YOUR DOMAIN

Renewals and Account Management Basics

Once you register a domain name, you don’t own it forever — you essentially “lease” it for a year or more. If you don’t renew it before the expiry date, it becomes available for anyone else to register.

To avoid losing your domain:

• Make sure the account is in your name, not just your web designer’s or staff member’s.

• Keep your email address and payment details up to date on the account.

• Enable auto-renewal if your registrar offers it.

A common mistake I see is business owners realising too late that someone else technically owns the domain on their behalf. If you’re unsure who currently controls your domain, log in and check or contact the registrar and ask. Use a WHOIS lookup to find out the details of who owns your domain: https://www.whois.com/whois/ 

Physical Renewal Scam Letters or Third-Party Managers

Many Australian business owners still receive letters in the post that look like official domain renewal notices. They often come from companies with names like “Domain Name Services” or “Registry Australia” and are written to look urgent.

These are not your actual registrar. They’re sales letters trying to get you to transfer your domain to them, usually at a much higher price than necessary.

Most domains cost around $20–30 AUD per year. There is no reason to pay hundreds of dollars annually for a standard .com.au domain. If you’re being charged more, it’s worth investigating why. If you’re unsure whether a letter is legitimate, don’t pay it — log in to your actual registrar account or ask me to check it for you.

Watch Out for Domain-Related Email Scams

It’s not just letters in the post you need to be cautious of — scammers also send fake domain renewal notices by email. These emails often look very convincing, using urgent language like “Final Notice: Your Domain Will Expire” or “Immediate Action Required”, and they may even include your actual domain name to make them seem legitimate.

These emails typically include a link to “renew” your domain, but the link either leads to an inflated, unnecessary service or steals your payment details outright. Sometimes they even pretend to be from well-known registrars.

Whenever you receive a domain-related email, take a moment to double-check who actually sent it. Look closely at the sender’s email address — not just the display name. Reputable registrars will only contact you from their own domain (for example, emails from GoDaddy will come from @godaddy.com, not @domain-support.net or something similar).

If you’re unsure whether an email is real, don’t click on anything. Instead, log in directly to your registrar’s website to check your renewal status, or forward the email to me and I’ll take a look for you.

Registrar Collapses and Losing Access

A lot of business owners assume that once you’ve bought a domain, it’s yours forever and you never need to think about it again. Unfortunately, that’s not always how it works.

Even large, well-known companies sometimes sell their domain business to another provider, and that can create unexpected headaches. For example, Google Domains — which many people thought was a safe and convenient option — recently sold its entire domain portfolio to Squarespace. One of my clients found herself having to reclaim her domain after her registrar changed hands twice in a few years, and she had to spend hours on hold with support teams, tracking down login details she didn’t even realise she needed. No thanks. 

With that in mind, even if you set up an automatic payment so that you don’t accidentally lose your registration, it is worth logging into your domain manager account every year to give it a quick once over. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Your domain name is the foundation of your online presence — and protecting it doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little planning, some basic checks, and good habits, you can avoid most of the pitfalls I’ve seen others fall into. Take the time now to secure your domains, choose a reliable registrar, and keep your details up to date so you never have to deal with the stress of reclaiming your name. If you’re unsure where to start or just want another set of eyes on your setup, I’m here to help you make sense of it all. And if you haven’t checked out your domain details for a while, now is the time to double check your hosting details. 

As always, I'm here if you need. If you're embarking on a brand launch project with me then I will handle all of this for you and you don't have to stress about any of it (including setting up your email hosting and social media accounts).

You got this.

Milly

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