Business Email Address: Benefits and How to Set It Up

Business Email Address: Benefits and How to Set It Up

Still emailing customers from a free Gmail or Hotmail address? That comes across as amateurish fast. A business email address on your own domain, such as name@yourcompany.com, shows at a glance that people are dealing with a serious company.

In this article you'll learn what a business email address is, which benefits it brings, and how to set it up step by step.

What is a business email address?

A business email address uses your own domain name after the @, instead of a free provider such as Gmail or Hotmail. Think of info@yourcompany.com or john@yourcompany.com. You manage this address yourself, through your email hosting or hosting package.

The benefits of a business email address

A business email address isn't a luxury, it's a basic part of a professional appearance. The main benefits:

1. Professionalism and trust. An address on your own domain instantly looks more trustworthy than a free one. Customers and partners take you more seriously.
2. Free brand recognition. Every email you send is a small piece of advertising for your company name and domain.
3. Full control. You decide how many addresses you create, how long you keep mail, and who has access, without depending on a free provider's policies.
4. Unlimited addresses. You can easily create a separate address for every team member or department, such as info@, sales@ or support@yourcompany.com.
5. Better email deliverability. Business mail servers increasingly check for correctly configured domain settings. With the right DNS records, your business email is far less likely to be marked as spam than mail from a generic free address.

Business email address versus free email address

The difference between the two becomes clear as soon as you put them side by side:

So it's not just a matter of appearance: a business email address also gives you more control over how you communicate and how trustworthy that communication comes across.

Which address should you choose: info@, firstname@ or team@?

Before you start, think about which addresses you need. For most businesses, a combination works best:

• info@yourcompany.com for general questions, easy to find on your website and business cards.
• firstname@yourcompany.com for personal contact from a specific team member, for example on quotes or in email signatures.
• department@yourcompany.com (such as sales@ or support@) so questions automatically reach the right department.

You can also forward these addresses to one central mailbox, so you don't have to keep switching between several inboxes.

What do you need for a business email address?

To get started with a business email address, you need three things:

• A domain name. Don't have one yet? Register one easily at bHosted.
• Email hosting or a hosting package that includes email. At bHosted you can choose standalone email hosting, or email as part of your web hosting.
• The right DNS settings. Your MX record determines where your mail arrives, and SPF/TXT records ensure a trustworthy sender reputation. At bHosted these are configured correctly automatically. Want to know exactly how this works? Read our article on DNS.

Setting up a business email address: step by step

1. Arrange your domain name. Already have one? Skip this step.
2. Choose an email hosting or hosting package that fits the number of addresses you need.
3. Create your email address(es) in your customer portal. This takes just a few minutes.
4. Set up your email on your devices, via IMAP or POP3. Not sure which to choose? Our article on IMAP or POP3 explains the difference.
5. Test sending and receiving by sending yourself a test email.

Setting up a business email address on your phone, laptop or in Outlook

Once your address is created, add it to your usual mail app, such as Outlook, Apple Mail, or your phone's mail app. With IMAP, your mail stays synced across all your devices, which is the most convenient choice for most businesses. Our article on IMAP or POP3 helps you pick and fill in the right setting.

Alternative: Microsoft 365 for business email

Want to share calendars, Word, Excel and Teams across your team as well as email? Then Microsoft 365 is a great addition to your business email address, with a professional webmail environment accessible from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions about a business email address

Can I create multiple business email addresses? Yes. You can easily create multiple addresses for yourself, your team or departments, such as info@, sales@ and support@yourcompany.com.

Is a business email address more expensive than free email? A business email address does cost something, but it's often already included in an existing hosting package. The professionalism and trust it brings easily outweigh the cost.

Can I migrate my old Gmail or Hotmail emails? Yes, most mail programs let you easily move old emails to your new business address. Not sure how? Our support team is happy to help.

Does a business email address also work on my phone? Absolutely. Via IMAP you set up your business email address on any device, keeping your mail synced everywhere.

What's the difference between email hosting and Microsoft 365? Email hosting provides standalone business email addresses on your own domain. Microsoft 365 adds a full office suite on top, including Word, Excel and Teams.

Get started with your business email address at bHosted

You can set up a business email address at bHosted within minutes. Check out the options on our email hosting page, or go straight for a hosting package that includes email.

Not sure which option fits your business? Our support team is happy to think along with you. Want to know more about email and hosting? Keep reading on our blog.