Local Businesses in Melbourne get their own web domain

It’s good news for local businesses in Melbourne with the announcement today that the city is getting it’s own domain name (.melbourne) from tomorrow. So what does that mean for your business?

First and foremost, both big and small businesses in Melbourne who have a web presence, will now be easier to find on the search engines as web addresses will identify businesses as operating in the Australian city of Melbourne. If you are operating a business in the Melbourne metropolitan area and you don’t have a web presence yet, now would be a good time to seriously think about establishing one.

From 10am tomorrow local time, Melbourne will join just a handful of cities (including London and New York) to acquire it’s own domain name. Eligible individuals, business owners and brands located in Melbourne will then have the opportunity to register a locally relevant domain name. Like Melbourne Festival Executive Director, Katie McLeish, one of the people chosen to act as ambassadors for the official launch of .melbourne on 1 October 2014.

Katie’s organisation became one of the first to register a Melbourne domain name with www.festival.melbourne, a web address that further emphasises the Melbourne Festival as a key event on the city’s calendar.

“Our new online address, www.festival.melbourne, will help us to better promote the Festival and cement our place as the city’s leading performing arts event,” said Katie.

Another ambassador of a .melbourne web address is www.biketours.melbourne, a micro business operated by Michelle Brown which offers sightseeing tours around the city.

Other businesses who have been lucky enough to be chosen as ambassadors and therefore, already have their preferred .melbourne web address, include: Melbourne’s iconic Flower Drum restaurant, the Bank of Melbourne (www.bank.melbourne), Marriner Group (www.theatre.melbourne), Eureka Skydeck, Destination Melbourne and the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant.

As demand for some .melbourne web addresses is expected to be high, individuals and businesses who submit an application for a .melbourne domain name will have to wait until the 9th to 12th November 2014 to find out whether their registration has been successful.

After the initial rush during the month of October .melbourne web addresses will become available on a first-come first-served basis from 10am on 12 November 2014.

Prices for .melbourne web addresses are expected to start from $65 and can be purchased from featured retailers such as Crazy Domains, Instra, Melbourne IT and Netregistry.

If you are interested in registering for a .melbourne web address or to find out more information about it, visit www.live.melbourne