How to Create a Business Email Address & Why You Need One
Elizabeth Kraus has more than a decade of first-hand experience building and growing a boutique digital marketing agency and double that in small and mid-size business marketing management. She provides expert answers to marketing questions related to branding, content marketing, web development, email, social media, and SEO.
This article is part of a larger series on Business Email.
A business email address is an email address on your domain, like myname@mybusiness.com. It provides instant legitimacy and recognition for your brand vs. using a personal email domain such as @gmail or @yahoo. Best of all, getting one to use for work is affordable and super-easy: get a domain name, choose a provider, and set up your business email address.
Set up Microsoft business email in Outlook to:
- Use your own domain for credibility and brand recognition
- Get advanced features without sacrificing user-friendliness, even for beginners
- Get secure business-class email and the productivity and communication tools your business needs–all at an affordable cost
1. Start by Getting a Domain Name
Email addresses require a domain to work. This is the text that follows the @ sign in your email address (e.g., yourbusiness.com). Ideally, your domain will be your business name. But if that isn’t available, get more ideas for how to choose a domain name.
GoDaddy is a well-known domain registrar, but you may also be able to get a domain with other providers you use. For example, you can:
- Buy a domain while signing up for Google Workspace and setting up Gmail business email
- Get a free domain with business web hosting services like Bluehost and DreamHost
- Register a free domain name with email hosting plans from IONOS
- Secure a domain separately through a standalone domain registrar like domain.com
For more in-depth information about this step, check out our article on how to register a new business domain name.
2. Choose an Email Hosting Provider
The next step is to navigate to the email hosting or web hosting provider of your choice and create an account by following the registration prompts. Not quite sure which to choose? Learn more about email hosting providers and which might be best for your business in our review of the best business email providers.
Here’s an overview of some of the top options for business email hosting:
Top Business Email Providers at a Glance
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
Starting Price per Month | $6 | $6 | Free | $2.95* | $2.95* | $1 |
Number of Addresses | 1 | 1 | Up to 5 | 5 | Unlimited | 1 |
Storage per Address | 30GB | 1TB | 5GB | 500MB | 25GB | 2GB |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Connect a Domain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Web Hosting | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Productivity Tools | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
*Billed annually
3. Add a Username to Create Your Business Email Address
After selecting a custom domain and creating an account, the next step is to create a custom email account by adding a username. For example, from the Bluehost user dashboard, you would click “Advanced” from the left-hand menu > Email Accounts > +Create > enter your desired username and password.
If you opt for IONOS, you’ll choose a domain during setup and then create your user name after purchasing your plan. If you’re interested in Zoho Mail’s free business email service, read our guide on how to set up free email accounts on Zoho.
On the other hand, if you want to use Gmail through Google Workspace or set up a Microsoft 365 business email, you will simply follow the prompts to set up your business email address. Choosing between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365? See how Gmail vs Outlook business email stack up head to head.
Popular Ways to Format Email Address Usernames
There are several different formats commonly used for business emails. These include first name only, last name only, first and last name, first name and last initial, last name and first initial, and generic or departmental email addresses, which are often used for shared inboxes or forwarding to one or more members of a team. Choose a format your business can use universally to ensure that they are consistent, cohesive, and easy to remember.
Popular Email Formats
Format | Example |
|---|---|
First name only | elizabeth@business.com |
First name only | kraus@business.com |
First & last name | elizabethkraus@business.com elizabeth.kraus@business.com |
Combination of first name & last initial | elizabethk@business.com elizabeth.k@business.com |
Combination of last name & first initial | ekraus@business.com e.kraus@business.com |
Generic or departmental | contact@business.com support@business.com media@business.com sales@business.com |
It might not seem like a big deal when your company is small or you’re a solopreneur, but you should think about how your user names can best showcase your brand and scale as your company grows. For example, a first and last name (or initial) separated by a dot looks more formal and implies a bigger organization, while use of a first name only is less formal and may indicate a smaller brand, since it often creates problems as a company grows.
Need more guidance? Get all the information you need on choosing a professional email address.
Top Reasons to Use a Branded Email Address for Your Business
Every business that uses email should use a branded email address to appear professional and credible. Additionally, it also helps recipients remember your email address, which builds brand awareness.
Here are three great reasons to use a professional business email address:
- Appear professional: For your company to be taken seriously, you need to have coherent branding, which includes email.
- Increase brand awareness: A business email address uses your domain name, which often includes your business name.
- Build customer loyalty: A professional email address not only increases brand awareness, but also conveys integrity and reliability.
Business vs Personal Email Addresses
Check out the examples below that highlight the difference between personal and business email addresses. It’s easy to see that email addresses that carry your business name convey legitimacy, in turn making you and your company appear far more trustworthy and professional.
Business Email | Personal Email |
|---|---|
james@jcexcavation.com | jcexcavation@hotmail.com |
sales@firstrowsystems.com | firstrowsystems@gmail.com |
support@goswift.com | goswift@outlook.com |
How Much Business Email Accounts Cost
Email accounts can be very affordable—or even free. For example, if you already own a domain name, you can connect it to your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account, both of which start out at $6 per user, per month.
If you don’t have a domain, you can purchase one from a top domain registrar for about $12 to $15 and then connect it to Google or Microsoft, or use Zoho Mail for free. On the other hand, you can get a free domain with purchase of email hosting from IONOS from $1 per month or with the best web hosting services, most of which include free email accounts on your domain in plans that start around $3 a month.
Money-saving tip:
If you still need to build a website, you can get both a free domain name and free email through providers you will likely already be using. Learn more about how to get free business email.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What’s the best email address for a business?
Ideally, a business’ email addresses will include the company’s name and be on a top level domain, such as .com, .net, or .org, for example. The .com stands for commercial entities, whereas .net stands for a network and .org’s are usually nonprofits. Most businesses will find the .com is the best option. For more insights, check out our full breakdown of .com vs .net.
What are examples of business email addresses?
Email accounts used for business purposes should follow a naming format that includes a user name (e.g., first name and last initial) followed by the domain, as in the example elizabeth.k@business.com. We outline several variations in our article detailing five professional email address ideas and examples.
Is Gmail for business free?
Gmail does have a free version where you can create an email address for personal use. As the email extension is a personal one (@gmail.com), it’s not recommended for business use. If you own a domain name, you can use it for Gmail business email through a Google Workspace account for as little as $6 per month. Learn how to set up Gmail for business in four easy steps.
How can I get a free business email address?
It’s possible to create a free business email account on a custom domain. We outline six different ways to get free business email, from providers you may need (or even already be using) for your website to free services you can start with. Keep in mind, though, that you may still have to purchase a domain separately.
Bottom Line
Branded email addresses are a business necessity. Luckily, they are neither difficult nor expensive to get. To quickly set up your business email, choose a provider and create an account, select a domain name, set up your email account, and connect it to an email service provider like Apple Mail, Gmail via Google Workspace, or Outlook with Microsoft 365.
You Might Also Like…
- Get inspired to create a great signature for your business emails with these professional email signature examples.
- Need to control expenses? Get email through the best cheap email hosting providers.
- Increase your ability to drive leads and sales through business emails using a variety of top email tools for small businesses.
