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How to set up a professional email address

By Ash, Founder, HosteazePublished 3 min read

The short answer

To get a professional email address like hello@yourbusiness.co.uk, register a domain, choose an email provider (the email included with your web hosting, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365), create your mailbox, then add the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records the provider gives you. Finally, connect the mailbox to your phone and computer.

A polished brass letterbox marked Letters on a glossy green front door, the kind of proper address a business email should feel like.
Credit: calvinhanson via Pixabay

An email address on your own domain does two jobs. It tells customers you're a real business, and it means you own the address, so you can move provider without telling everyone a new one. Setting it up is mostly copying a few values from one website to another, in the right order.

What do I need before I start?

Just a domain name and about an hour. If you haven't got a domain yet, read how to choose a domain name for a business first, because your email address will carry it for years.

You'll also need access to your domain's DNS settings. That's usually wherever you bought the domain, or your web host if you've pointed the domain there.

Which email provider should I use?

OptionWhat you getBest for
Email included with web hostingMailboxes on your domain, used through webmail or any mail appSole traders and small teams who mainly need email
Google WorkspaceGmail on your domain, plus Drive, Calendar and Meet. Business Starter includes 30 GB of pooled storage per userTeams already used to Gmail and Google Docs
Microsoft 365Outlook on your domain, plus OneDrive and web versions of Word and Excel. Business Basic and Standard include a 100 GB mailboxTeams that live in Word, Excel and Outlook

Storage figures are as of October 2026. Workspace and Microsoft 365 are charged per user per month, so check their current UK prices before you commit. Our view: start with the simplest option that does the job. You can move later, and moving email without losing messages is very doable. If you're torn between the two big suites, see Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace.

How do I set it up?

  1. Register your domain, for example yourbusiness.co.uk.
  2. Sign up with your chosen email provider and add your domain. Google and Microsoft will ask you to prove you own it with a verification record.
  3. Create your mailbox, such as hello@yourbusiness.co.uk, with a long, unique password. Turn on two-step verification if it's offered.
  4. Add the MX records your provider shows you in your DNS settings. Delete any old MX records, or some email will keep going to the wrong place.
  5. Add the SPF and DKIM records your provider gives you, then a DMARC record. Our guide to setting up SPF, DKIM and DMARC has the exact order.
  6. Connect your devices. Use the provider's own app, or add the account to your mail app using IMAP on port 993 for incoming mail and port 465 for sending. Both ports encrypt the connection from the start.

Then send a test to a personal Gmail or Outlook address, and reply to it, to check mail flows both ways.

Why do my emails go to spam after setup?

Usually because step 5 was skipped. Since February 2024, Google has required everyone who sends to Gmail to set up SPF or DKIM, and bulk senders need both plus DMARC. A new domain with no authentication looks exactly like a scammer's.

The other common cause is sending a big batch from a brand-new address on day one. Build up gradually, as covered in how to warm up a new email domain.

Can I keep using Gmail or Outlook as my inbox?

Yes. Most providers let you add your business mailbox to the Gmail or Outlook app alongside your personal account. Just make sure replies go out from your business address, not your personal one, or the whole exercise is wasted. If you host your website with Hosteaze, email on your domain is included at no extra cost, so you can try this before paying for a separate suite.

Step by step

  1. 1.Register your domain

    Buy the domain your email will use, such as yourbusiness.co.uk, from a domain registrar.

  2. 2.Choose an email provider

    Decide between the email included with your web hosting, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

  3. 3.Create your mailbox

    In your provider's control panel, create the address you want, such as hello@yourbusiness.co.uk, with a strong password.

  4. 4.Add the MX records

    Copy the MX records your provider gives you into your domain's DNS settings, replacing any old ones.

  5. 5.Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC

    Add the SPF and DKIM records from your provider, then a DMARC record, so your emails are trusted and don't land in spam.

  6. 6.Connect your devices

    Add the account to your phone and computer using the provider's app or IMAP settings, then send a test email.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Gmail with my own domain for free?

Not as a full mailbox. Free Gmail addresses end in @gmail.com. To run Gmail on your own domain you need a paid Google Workspace plan, or you can keep your mailbox elsewhere and connect it to the Gmail app with IMAP.

How long does it take to set up?

The setup itself takes under an hour. New DNS records usually work within minutes to a few hours, but Google says to allow up to 72 hours for some records before assuming something is wrong.

Should I use info@ or my name?

Use both if you can. A named address such as sam@ feels personal for client conversations, while a role address such as hello@ or accounts@ can be handed to someone else when your business grows.

Sources

  1. Google Workspace, Set up MX records for Google Workspace
  2. Google Workspace, Email sender guidelines
  3. Microsoft Learn, Exchange Online limits
  4. RFC 8314, Use of TLS for Email Submission and Access

Keep reading

A flock of geese flying across a clear blue sky in loose formation, moving together with none left behind.TutorialHow to move email to a new provider without losing emailsSet up your mailboxes at the new provider first, then copy your old emails across using its IMAP migration tool. Lower your MX record's TTL a day ahead, switch the MX records, and keep the old mailbox open for at least a few days, running a final copy to catch anything that arrived during the switch.Email and domains · 2 November 2026A pair of old binoculars resting on a stack of books by a sunny window, ready for a bit of detective work.QuestionHow to find out who owns a domainLook the domain up with an RDAP tool, ICANN Lookup for .com and similar domains or Nominet's lookup for .uk. You'll usually see the registrar and key dates, but personal details are hidden. To reach the owner, use the registrar's contact form or anonymised email, check the website and Companies House, or request the data with a legitimate reason.Email and domains · 31 October 2026Rows of old wooden letterpress letters in a printer's tray, the raw material for composing a business name.GuideHow to choose a domain name for a businessChoose a domain that matches your business name, is short, and is easy to spell when you say it out loud. Avoid hyphens and numbers. Check the name isn't someone else's company or trade mark, then register the ending your customers expect, usually .co.uk for UK businesses, and register it in your own name.Email and domains · 29 October 2026An old station clock with a 24-hour dial mounted on a stone wall, counting the hours a domain transfer can sit pending.QuestionHow long does a domain transfer take?A .com or other generic domain transfer usually completes within five calendar days of the request, because the old registrar must act in that time or the transfer is approved automatically. Approving it yourself can make it faster. As of October 2026, a .uk transfer is a tag change, which is often accepted straight away.Email and domains · 27 October 2026Close-up of a classic red British post box with a raised royal crest, as recognisably British as a .co.uk address.Question.co.uk vs .com, which is better?For a business that mainly sells in the UK, .co.uk is usually the better choice. Customers recognise it as British, and Google treats country endings as a strong sign a site is aimed at that country. Choose .com if you sell internationally. If both are available for your name, register both and point one at the other.Email and domains · 25 October 2026

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