How to set up a professional business email with your own domain
Get an address like info@yourbusiness.com and send it from Gmail or Outlook. Here are your options and the setup steps.
An email address like info@yourbusiness.com looks far more professional than a free Gmail address, and it keeps working even if you change providers. You have three main options.
Option 1: Email from your hosting
Most hosting plans include email accounts. In cPanel, open Email Accounts, create the address, and use webmail or connect it to your phone.
- Good for: getting started at no extra cost
- Watch out for: smaller mailbox sizes and emails landing in spam if the records below are missing
Option 2: Google Workspace
Gmail with your own domain, plus Google Drive, Calendar and Meet. It is a paid service, charged per user per month.
Option 3: Zoho Mail
A lower-cost alternative, with a free plan for very small teams. Check the current plan limits on Zoho's website.
The setup steps (for Google Workspace or Zoho)
- Sign up and enter your domain name.
- Verify your domain: the provider gives you a TXT record to add in your domain's DNS settings.
- Add the MX records the provider gives you, and remove old MX records.
- Add SPF and DKIM records (also TXT records). These prove your emails are genuine and keep them out of spam.
- Create your mailboxes (info@, your name@) and sign in on your phone.
DNS changes can take a few minutes to a few hours to work.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting SPF and DKIM, so emails go to spam
- Leaving the old MX records in place
- Using a personal address on business cards and the website
