Published June 25, 2011
In this age of corporate social responsibility, companies are increasingly separating their environmental and philanthropic efforts from their .com presence to a .org version of their primary domain name.
According to an article on AdAge by Lauren Price of .ORG, the Public Interest Registry; the trend of establishing a .org presence has a number of benefits, including building on search engine optimisation efforts, increasing web traffic, strengthening customer relationships and drawing attention to a company's efforts in the community.
A good example of a .org domain name being leveraged in these respects is Google.org; which the company promotes as a showcase and platform to show "Google's strengths in information and technology to build products and advocate for policies that address global challenges."
A company web site can be very large and the danger can be that any philanthropic and environmental efforts may wind up buried among the messages to sell a product or service. A .org representation can help consumers more quickly locate a company's position on various issues.
However, while a .org domain can be registered by anyone, for registrants of .com.au names, they may find it more challenging to register a .org.au equivalent.
Due to strict eligibility criteria in regard to domain names in Australia, a .org.au name can only be registered by "a charity operating in Australia, as defined in the registrant's constitution or other documents of incorporation." This means a company would need to establish and register a non-profit arm; but it's a process that may be of value in some circumstances due to additional benefits in relation to taxation - something best discussed with an accounting professional.
If that isn't a viable option, a .org domain name can be registered instead - and with .org names being snapped up, the small investment may be worthwhile considering as a pro-active measure, even if the name is never used.
Have a web site or blog? Get our free domain news widget.
How to register a name: Enter your choice in the search tool and click 'GO'. If after the check the domain names search results show your choice is available, you will then have the option to proceed to purchase registration; which is a very quick and easy process - start a search and find your ideal website address now.
AUSTRALIAN OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1996
1300 863 436