To get a domain name for a New Zealand business, choose a short name that matches your business and is easy to say over the phone, check it is free, then register it through an authorised .nz registrar in your business's own name, with auto-renew switched on. For most NZ businesses the best choice is .co.nz, and many also register the matching .nz and point it at the same site. The yearly fee is small. The expensive mistakes are registering it in someone else's name and letting it lapse.
This guide walks through choosing, registering and protecting a domain, written for owners setting up a new business or getting their first proper website.
Which ending should you choose?
.co.nz
The most recognised ending for New Zealand businesses. It tells customers straight away that you are a local business, and NZ customers are used to typing it.
.nz
Since 2014, New Zealanders have been able to register names directly at the second level, such as yourbusiness.nz. It is shorter, and it is a sensible second registration if you already hold the .co.nz. If the .co.nz is taken but the .nz is free, it is a good primary domain too.
.com
The global default. Worth considering if you sell overseas or plan to. If you only trade in New Zealand, a .co.nz usually builds more local trust.
Other NZ endings
There are others, such as .org.nz for organisations. Some, such as .govt.nz, are restricted to eligible organisations.
How to choose a good name
- Match your business name where you can. Customers who hear your name should be able to guess your web address.
- Keep it short. Every extra word is another chance to misspell it.
- Make it easy to say over the phone. If you have to spell it out, or explain "the number 4, not the word", choose again.
- Avoid hyphens. People forget them, and they look less trustworthy in an email address.
- Check how it reads as one word. Run the words together and read it again for unfortunate combinations.
- Do not chase keywords. Something like "bestplumberwellington.co.nz" does not help your Google rankings in any meaningful way and looks less trustworthy than your actual business name.
- Check trade marks and company names. Search the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) for trade marks and the Companies Office register. A domain does not give you rights to a name someone else has trade marked.
How to register it
The .nz domain space is run by InternetNZ, and the Domain Name Commission authorises and oversees the registrars that sell .nz names. Buy from an authorised registrar, which can be a dedicated domain company, a hosting provider or your web developer acting through one.
When you register:
- Put your business as the registrant. The registrant is the legal holder of the domain. The .nz rules require the registrant to be an identifiable person aged 18 or over, or a properly constituted organisation.
- Use an email address you will keep. Not a personal Hotmail you might abandon, and not your web designer's address. Renewal and transfer notices go here.
- Turn on auto-renew and keep the payment card current.
- Register for more than one year if the registrar allows it, so a missed renewal has a buffer.
- Save the login details in your password manager, not in one staff member's head.
Compare renewal prices, not just the first year. Introductory discounts are common, and the renewal price is what you will pay every year after.
Mistakes that cost NZ businesses their domain
- The web designer registered it in their own name. If you part ways, you may not be able to take it with you. Always check who the registrant is.
- It lapsed. Expired names can be registered by someone else, sometimes by people who then sell them back.
- Nobody knows the login. The person who set it up has left, and the email it was registered with no longer exists.
- Only one ending registered. A competitor or squatter takes the .nz version of your .co.nz.
You can check who holds any .nz domain through the public .nz whois search on the Domain Name Commission website.
Moving a .nz domain to another registrar
.nz transfers use a code called the UDAI (Unique Domain Authentication ID). Your current registrar provides it, and you give it to the new registrar to approve the transfer. If your current registrar is unhelpful, the Domain Name Commission can help, which is one of the benefits of the .nz system.
After you have the domain
A domain on its own does nothing. You connect it to two things:
- Your website, by pointing the domain's DNS records at your web host.
- Your email, by adding the records your email provider gives you, so you can send from you@yourbusiness.co.nz. Our guide to setting up professional business email covers this step.
If you hold more than one ending, choose one as the main address and redirect the others to it, so Google sees one website rather than several copies.
Keep your name consistent everywhere
Once the domain is settled, use the same name and web address everywhere customers might find you: your Google Business Profile, Facebook and Instagram pages, invoices, signage, vehicle livery and email signature. Check that the matching social media handles are free before you commit to a name, too. Consistent details across the web help customers recognise you, and they help Google connect your website with your business listing, which matters for local search in your area.
Where Media Giant fits
When we build a website, your domain and content are yours. We use the domain you already hold, or help you register one in your business's name, connect it to the new site and set up redirects from any old addresses so you keep your Google rankings. Our websites start at $1,500 upfront then $50 a month, or $250 a month with nothing upfront, ex GST. See our AI website design service and the full pricing page.
Need a hand?
If you are setting up a new website and want the domain, email and site sorted together, talk to us. We will tell you what you need and what it costs before anything starts.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose .co.nz or .nz?
For most NZ businesses, .co.nz is the safer main address because customers know it. Register the matching .nz as well and redirect it, so nobody else can take it.
How much does a .nz domain cost?
Prices are set by each registrar and change, so compare a few. The yearly fee is small next to your other website costs, but compare renewal prices, not only the first-year offer.
Who should own my domain name?
Your business. Make sure your business is listed as the registrant, with an email address you control, even if a developer handles the technical setup.
Can I change my domain name later?
Yes, but it takes work. You register the new name, move the website and email, and set up redirects from the old address so you keep your Google rankings. Keep the old domain registered for at least a few years.
Does my domain name affect SEO?
Not much. A clear, branded name helps people remember and trust you, which helps indirectly. Stuffing keywords into a domain does not.