Email, Business

How to Create a Business Email Address with a Custom Domain?

Email isn’t dead. Obviously. Our bulging inboxes show us that. Sure, maybe you thought, what with all the new ways of saying hi being invented every week, you might have thought that email’s popularity would slow, but it still remains a key part of getting your message out there. 

That’s why it’s important you give your email a professional feel. No, we know you love the email address you opened when you were a teenager, but it might be time to think about the impression you want to make. So, instead of leaving it as is, it’s time to create a business email using custom domains. Not only will this give your customers a better understanding of who to contact, but it also makes your brand more recognizable (but more on this later).

So let’s learn how to make this work in the best way possible, with a serious tutorial on how to create a business email using custom domains.

To help you navigate this article better, we’ve included a table of contents so you can skip to the sections most relevant to you. 

Anatomy of an Email Address

What is a Custom Domain Email?

Benefits of Having a Custom Domain Email

How to Purchase a Custom Domain Email

How Long Before Domain Changes Take Effect

Test Your Setup

How to Make a Custom Domain Email if Your Name is Taken

Custom Domain Email Address Ideas

Register Your Custom Domain Email With OnlyDomains

Anatomy of an Email Address

Before we go any further, let’s take a look at what makes up that an online address?

Mailbox

It might sound pretty obvious, but the mailbox is where all your mail goes.

It’s usually found on a remote mail server (think Gmail, Hotmail, Microsoft, and Yahoo Mail) but can also be downloaded to your drive. 

The mailbox is commonly divided into different sections like inbox, sent outbox, drafts, spam, and bin (you get the drill).

Domain Name

A domain name is the name of a website, the bit you type in the address bar in your browser, but can also be used as part of an email address. If you create a site on a website builder like WordPress, for example, you can use that same website name as part of your custom domain email.

A domain name essentially gives you your own address on the internet (whether that’s a website, email, or both). 

Domain names are used to navigate the internet, helping us access sites fast. That’s what makes a custom domain name so important: it’s the name people will need to remember to find you, so it better be good.

What is a Custom Domain Email?

Custom domains are simply domain names that you or your business owns. Let’s say your own domain name is yourname.com. You can use that domain and host it as your website (so yourname.com would turn into www.yourname.com). Then do the same thing to your email.

Even if you already have a free email account (like a Gmail address or Hotmail), you can still create a new email address, customized as you wish, using that very same provider. Once you’ve registered for a custom domain name with a registrar, provider, or email client, open up Google Workspace (formerly, G Suite).

In Workspace, you can create an entire Google account using your custom domain name, so you don’t have to use an ordinary Gmail address. This might mean turning lexi@gmail.com to lexi@yourbusinessname.com. Your new domain Gmail inbox will then be accessible in the same place as Google Docs, and other handy tools, too. 

Most email providers, like as our Business Email, have similar options in place, so you’ll be able to use your existing domain name within your custom email address.

To help you better understand custom domain emails, we’ve gone over a few of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) below:

What do Custom Domain Emails Do?

Custom domain emails are like any other email. All the same features, except you, ’ll be using your own domain name instead of your email provider’s name. Instead of having an email that ends in @gmail.com, for example, you’ll have an email that ends in your company name.

What Should a Custom Domain Email Look Like?

A custom domain email will use your brand’s custom domain name instead of the email provider’s name. Instead of having an account that ends @gmail.com or @microsoft.com, it will end in your business name (like @OnlyDomains.com).

When creating your custom domain email, you’ll have to think about two key factors; what goes before and after the @. In most cases, the name of the individual goes before the @. This could be a first name, surname, or nickname (or even a combination of all three). 

It’s best, however, to stick to using your name and surname. Nicknames can come across as a little unprofessional, and not everyone in your network will recognize you by your nickname. An email address like wildunicorn@yourdomain.com might sound funny to you (and us) but not everyone is going to get the joke.

You might have used numbers in your personal email before, especially if you’re called Bob, but your custom domain email is a different story. Too many numbers can cause confusion and make your email address look messy. Ditch the numbers and keep it simple with your name. You want it to be recognizable, not difficult to remember.

You’ll want to avoid writing in all CAPS. Stick to lowercase characters when creating your email domain to avoid confusion.

How Important is a Custom Domain Email? 

Vital. It’s vital. Think of it as your company’s address. You wouldn’t choose just any street corner in the real world, would you? You’d choose an address that’s close to your target audience, professional, and always buzzing. It’s the same with your “online address”. 

Harvesting a credible online presence is a critical step toward building a brand — and it all starts with a domain name.

– Forbes

See: important magazines agree! Your professional email address should be customized using a domain because it shows people that you’re just that: professional. By using a custom domain email, you get to pick that “online street corner” and set up shop in a way that best reflects your brand, instantly making it more recognizable. 

Aside from that, email is one of the top forms of communication between businesses and customers. It’s one of the first steps to building and nurturing a long-lasting online relationship. That’s why it’s so important to invest in a custom domain email; it shows you’re serious about your business, makes you seem more real, and will help direct customers to contact you.

If you use a confusing or generic email like lily@gmail.com, how will customers even know that you’re associated with your business? Anybody in the world can create a Gmail account and pretend. Give your business a professional feel with an email address that backs your business up and reflects what you do. 

Custom domain emails are also a great way of targeting customers in the region your business is based. If you’re selling goods primarily in Dubai, for example, it makes more sense to go with a custom domain email that’s from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Which Provider to Choose?

When choosing a custom domain provider, opt for one that has a range of global domains available in its system (like us). This is especially important if you’re targeting customers in a specific region, as having a customized domain will increase your chances of showing up on the first search engine results page (SERP). 

Even if you’re not targeting customers in a specific region, it’s always a good idea to trust a domain provider that has that option available. You might decide to grow your business in the future and expand, so having a provider with global domain options is super convenient.

We like to think we’re a great example of a provider with a wide range of global domains that can be used to target communities all over the world. From African and Middle Eastern domains to American domains, there’s something to suit every business.

check your inbox

What Are the Features of a Custom Domain Email?

Though it will all depend on your domain registrar, most custom domain emails come with built-in email services like web hosting. You might also be able to use the registrar as your primary mailbox provider with a select mailbox feature, though this is usually optional. 

You could double up your domain registrar as your email provider, but unless they offer a user-friendly email service (like we do), this can be quite challenging. This is because you’ll only ever be able to view your email from within a control panel. This means you won’t be able to read your mail on mobile devices or have your own private inbox, which is obviously a problem.

Most domain registrars without those services recommend you use a third-party platform as your email provider. But that’s because they know that serving it themselves will just cause pain for both them and you.

If we’re looking at the internal makeup of a custom domain email, you’ll find that it includes a root domain (like example.com), the actual domain (like www.example.com), and a few subdomains (like word.example.com). 

Even if a customer were to type up the subdomain into a search bar, most browsers will automatically redirect them to the actual domain. If you’re managing this process yourself, you’ll need to connect your root domain to your www domain. You can easily do this by creating an HTTP record via your DNS records. It may sound complicated, but it should never be something you have to handle yourself.

Are Custom Domain Emails Portable?

Yeah, that’s one of the great things about custom domain emails: they’re 100% portable. This essentially means that you’ll be able to switch between any hosting provider without losing your address. If you want to switch from Gmail to Titan, for example, all you’ll need to do is go to your accounts and import. It’s that simple (your first port of call is usually the settings or gear icon).  

That’s what separates custom domain emails from regular emails. With ordinary emails, you’re at the mercy of the service provider you choose. If you want to switch, you’ll have to uproot your whole system and start afresh. You won’t be able to just move over. Since you pay for your domain name, you own it. This gives you full ownership of it, making it 100% portable and flexible.

Benefits of Having a Custom Domain Email

Look, we think it’s pretty obvious why every company, whether small business or enterprise, will benefit from having a custom domain email. But let’s cover it again anyway.

Here’s why you need a custom email and not just a free domain inbox:

Gives Your Business a Professional Look 

Having a custom domain email address makes your brand appear more professional and polished. It gives your business credibility, and customers will be more willing to reach out to a brand they trust than one that looks dodgy.

business card design

Makes it Easier for Customers to Contact You

When you have a custom domain email, customers will find it easier to reach out and contact you. Your address will be more memorable (since it includes your brand name) and will stick in people’s minds more. This is because a domain email is simple—it’s not crowded with letters or confusing nicknames.

Ensures Consistency Across All Channels

Let’s say your website is called “Cupcakes & Glitter” but your email address is lucky.bakes@gmail.com. Customers will get confused by the difference because there isn’t any consistency across your channels. 

By using a custom domain email address, you’ll make it easier for customers to recognize your brand.

Gives You a Chance to Customise

One of the great perks of a custom domain email is the customization options. You can easily personalize your brand’s email account with multiple different email addresses, each associated with your business. 

This is especially helpful if you have multiple departments and employees, and will ensure customers are directed to the right person in the team. Just head to your email client, add an account and assign it to your new colleague or team member.  

Not only this, but a custom domain name can set your brand apart from others in your industry. If you specialize in AI and tech, for example, you could opt for a domain name ending in .ai. Though the .ai domain originates from Anguilla, it’s often used by companies in the tech space to show their innovation, marking them as industry leaders in artificial intelligence. Subtle right?

Helps Increase Brand Awareness

Using a business email address will set you apart from the crowd. Anyone can create a simple Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail account, but you’re not just anyone. You’re a business. 

Show customers that you’re serious about your brand by swapping your generic email for one with a customized domain. Not only will this help increase brand awareness, but it will also make you appear more established in your niche.

Helps You Target Global Communities

One of the great things about using a custom domain email is that you can tweak it to target communities in specific regions. This increases your chances of coming up on the first SERP as it cuts down the competition from other brands, particularly if you operate within a competitive niche. 

Pro Tip: Whether you need a .io domain name or a .ae domain, OnlyDomains has a range of global domains for you to choose from, so you can target the communities that matter the most to your business.

Gives Your Online Business Permanence 

Once you pay for a domain name, it’s all yours, and essentially taken off the books. This means no other businesses can snap up or steal your name, ensuring your business is legitimate and appears professional in the eyes of customers. It also makes it harder for others to pretend to be you. 

Pro-tip: You’ll still need to update your domain once a year, though, so be sure to set up an automatic renewal so you don’t forget.

Gives Your Business Greater Choice

Another great thing about custom domain names is that you don’t have to stick to just one. There’s no rule that says you can’t have multiple names under your belt. This means you can acquire local and global domains if you see fit—particularly important if you’re operating overseas.

Bumps Up Your SEO Ranking

Having a customized domain name will help bump your SEO ranking on Google. Search engines love a custom domain, so your website’s positioning is more likely to hit the first SERP once you go custom.

Provides Your Business With an Extra Layer of Security

You’ll already be taking steps, like ensuring you’ve got an SSL certificate, to enhance the security of your website, and choosing a custom domain email can add an extra layer of protection. 

Public email addresses are always a little more susceptible to security breaches and cyberattacks. Pairing up a registered provider and a custom domain is a great investment. 

The chances of getting hacked or having your data leaked are much lower with a custom domain email than a public one. This is because all providers integrate their domains with high levels of encryption and security, making it difficult for outsiders to break in. Your company data and information is important; don’t let it get into the wrong hands.

Gives Your Business Greater Flexibility 

Unlike a public domain, custom domains are highly flexible and versatile. Whenever you need to switch from an old email account to a new one, you’ll never have to create an entirely new account. 

You can simply switch the information over with a custom domain. This flexibility means you can also easily scale your email up or down, creating as many or as few staff emails as you see fit.

How to Purchase a Custom Domain Email 

After all that you must be sold on getting custom domain email, right? Well, here’s a quick and simple step-by-step guide:

Register a Domain Name

The first step of your journey will begin with finding a domain registrar. You’ll want to come up with a few domain name choices in case yours is taken. 

Choose a Domain Provider

Choosing a domain provider is something you’ll have to put a bit of thought into. Due to growing demand, there’s a wide range of registrars available, so think about what your business needs.

Here are some things to think about when choosing a domain provider:

  • How pricing works (you’ll want to choose one that’s transparent and doesn’t surprise you with any unexpected costs).
  • What their customer service is like (in case you need help setting up your domain name or run into any problems).
  • Whether they have WHOIS Privacy integrated into their systems (this will ensure all your data is stored securely and safely, and keeps your company information away from spammers and potential hackers).
  • How much control you have over your domain name (since you’re paying, it only makes sense to have full control, so don’t settle for anything less).

You might have heard of a few popular domain provider sites like GoDaddy, Bluehost, and WordPress, but don’t just pick one because it’s well-known. Assess your business needs and be sure to pick one that lives up to your standards. Which is a long-winded way of saying, choose us!

Free Features at OnlyDomains

Find a Domain

Your next step is to find a domain. This is the exciting part. Most people pick a domain that includes their name or surname, or company name (it could even be a mix of both). Make sure you have a backup option in place in case your top choice is already taken.

Once you’ve got a list of options, you can begin your domain search. 

Even if you find that your top choice is already taken, don’t be discouraged. There are millions and millions of websites on the internet, so it’s common to run into a few misfires at the very start. 

Try switching up your domain name or using dashes to break up the text. Another handy tip to get as close as possible to the domain you like is by potentially using a different top-level domain. Instead of sticking to .com, for example, you could go with .org or a country-specific domain (just make sure it’s all relevant to your business and who you’re trying to target).

Register Your Domain Name

How you formally register and purchase your domain name will be dependent on the provider you choose, but most will give you an option to add your chosen domain to the cart and proceed to checkout. 

Pro Tip: Just because you’ve purchased your domain name doesn’t mean it’s yours forever. That’s wishful thinking. With every domain purchased comes a set period of time. 

Once this time is up, you’ll need to renew your domain to avoid someone else snatching it up. It’s probably a good idea to set up auto-renewal settings in your account to ensure your domain is updated automatically.

Sign Up for an Email Hosting Service

Now that you’ve got your domain, it’s time to sign up for an email hosting service. 

Most domain providers offer a hosting plan, but you do have the option of connecting your domain to an entirely different hosting provider. There are a few things you’ll want to consider when choosing your email and web hosting service:

  • What’s their pricing?
  • Do they offer a trial to see if it suits you?
  • Do they have a secure platform with strong security?
  • How much storage capability do they have?

Your email hosting provider will deal with the backend of your email address, so you don’t have to do this manually. They will help you deal with incoming emails and communicate with the rest of the web to ensure files are sent and received properly.

Generate a Mailbox Name

Now for the fun part. Once you’ve got these things out of the way, you can start creating mailbox names for your business domain. You know, the bit before the @. You’ll probably end up creating multiple examples, especially if you have a few employees and each needs their own company email address.

Mailbox names are usually a combination of a person’s name combined with the company name, or even a specific department.

Configure Your Custom Domain Email

If you’re going to do email marketing, you’ll need to be careful when linking a broadcaster to your custom domain. This is because emails sent in bulk to multiple recipients are handled differently than a normal one-to-one email conversation.

4 Key Components of Sending Email via Custom Domain

There are four key components you should be aware of when sending email via your custom domain, namely:

  1. Domain Host: This is the place where you purchased your custom domain from. Oftentimes, it’s the same as your email provider.
  1. Email Provider: An email provider enables you to generate mailbox names and personalize your mail account settings, as well as dealing with any emails you send and receive in your account’s back-end. This is the place where your inbox is stored, so it’s easily identifiable. 
  1. Records: Records are a bit like postage stamps of the online world; they make sure your mail is delivered to the correct place. What records you set up will depend on the kind of DNS you have in place, but most often you’ll need to add MX, SPF, and MX records to your email’s national broadcaster.
  1. Your Nation Broadcaster: Your broadcaster helps you connect your email address and send mail from your specific nation. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to link your domain up to your broadcaster. If you’ve skipped through this step and are already receiving emails, it’s recommended that you set up your DNS elsewhere.

Once you’ve gone through all of these steps, you’ll need to attach your email address to your broadcaster to start sending mail.

Of course, a lot of these steps will be much easier if you use something like our Business Email, which is designed to be straightforward to setup, with mobile apps and a simple guided tour. We’re so confident you won’t be lost that we offer a 30-day free trial.

How Long Before Domain Changes Take Effect

It will take some time for changes to take effect once you’ve set up or tweaked your domain. It will also be dependent on the kind of domain you used, whether that’s TXT records, CNAME, or name servers. 

Usually, it takes anywhere between 24-48 hours for your site’s content to appear at your domain. This is because all the changes and tweaks you’ve made will have to travel through root servers, web servers, and name servers, and these are dispersed across the internet.

Test Your Setup

It’s easy to test your setup once it’s running. Try talking to yourself. Uh, we mean sending yourself a few emails and checking your inbox to see if you’re receiving those messages properly. If you find that you’re not receiving emails like normal, you’ll have to troubleshoot with your individual domain and/or email hosting provider. It’s not crazy. 

How to Make a Custom Domain Email if Your Name is Taken

So, you’ve narrowed down your domain name choices. You’ve still got to remember that all three of those combinations could already be taken. The internet is a big place, and with businesses growing year by year, domain names will too. Even if your favorite domain name (and back-ups) are taken, don’t despair. There is a solution.

Try using your business location in your domain name. Not only will this increase the chances of success, but it will help bump up your SEO ranking (great for reeling in potential customers). Mix it in with different variations of you and your company’s name. You’re bound to come across one that fits the bill eventually. 

Custom Domain Email Address Ideas

There are lots of ways you can build a custom domain email address. Combining your name or initials with your business is a good place to start, but here are a few more suggestions:

  • firstnamelastname@yourdomain.com
  • lastnamefirstname@yourdomain.com
  • Yourinitialsyourbusiness@yourdomain.com
  • job.initals@yourdomain.com
  • department.initials@yourdomain.com

Register Your Custom Domain Email With OnlyDomains

You get a free trial of our brilliant Business Email when you register a domain with OnlyDomains, an accredited domain name registrar. To make a great first impression, just choose a name that reflects your business and your values, and register it, and see what we can do for you. With a wide range of global domains, there’s something to suit everyone—whether you’re swimming in international waters or going it solo in one location.