How to Set Up & Use Gmail for Business in 5 Easy Steps

Gmail for business is Google’s professional email hosting service. With Gmail business email through G Suite, businesses can create email addresses that use the business’ domain name and access its multitude of business tools for $6 per user, per month. The hosting service is best for businesses that want an all-in-one professional communication and productivity tool at a reasonable price.

Gmail Business Email Pricing

While Gmail offers free plans for individuals, they have more robust, premium plans for businesses. Gmail’s Basic plan costs $6 per user, per month and gives businesses the ability to connect their own domain, 30GB storage, productivity tools (G Suite), and 24/7 customer support. Unlimited storage and additional features are available for $12 per user, per month. Plus, your first 14 days are free.

Sign up for Gmail for Business

Gmail Tiered Pricing & Features

How to Set Up Gmail for Business in 5 Steps

Setting up Gmail for business can be done in just five steps, including migrating your contacts and emails from your old email account. Start by navigating to Gmail and clicking “Get Started.” From there, follow the prompts to complete the registration process, including inputting your name and contact information, buying a new domain name or connecting one you already own, and entering payment information.

Here’s how to set up Gmail for business in five steps:

1. Go to G Suite & Click “Get Started”

Gmail business accounts are created through G Suite, so to begin the process of creating a Gmail for business account, go to G Suite, select a plan, and click its corresponding “Get Started” button. This will start the registration process. Begin by entering your basic account information, such as your business’ name, your first and last name, the number of employees in your business, and your current email address.

Go to Gmail to register for Gmail for business

2. Enter Domain Information

After completing all of the contact and personal information steps, you will then be asked whether or not you already own a domain name. If you do, select “Yes, I have one I can use” and if not, select “No, I need one.”

Connect or register a domain name

Get a New Domain Name

If you don’t already have a domain name, you’ll need to register one. This will be the part of your email address that comes after the @ sign (e.g., yourname@yourdomain.com). Using a domain registrar, you can search to see if your domain is available. If so, you can register the domain to use for your email address. If not, most registrars will provide you with a link of alternatives, or you can simply enter a new domain.

Verify an Existing Domain

If you already own a domain name that you want to use for your business email address, enter your domain. This will prompt you to complete the domain name verification process, which gives Google access to your domain name. To do this, visit your domain name registrar and enter the MX records that G Suite provides into your DNS. Most domain name registrars offer information on how to do this.

Input your business’ domain name

3. Create Your Email Address

The next step is to choose your username (e.g., john@jnzlaw.com, roberts@jnzlaw.com, john.roberts@jnzlaw.com, j.roberts@jnzlaw.com, or other format) and password for your business email address. Businesses should maintain the same email address format throughout their organization. Learn more about choosing a professional email address to determine which format is right for your business. After inputting this information, click “Agree and Continue.”

Select username for Gmail for business account

4. Input Payment Information & Check Out

The last step in the Gmail for business registration process is to review all of your information, including your name, contact information, and username. Then, input your payment information. Currently, Gmail is automatically registering new users for a free 14-day trial. You will not be billed until the trial ends; at any point during or after the trial, you can change or cancel your plan.

Review and check out of Gmail for business

5. Migrate Email to Gmail (Optional)

Those who want to migrate existing emails and contacts into their new account can do this through the Gmail admin console. First, navigate to admin.google.com. From there, click on “Apps.” From the “Setup” section, check the box next to “User email uploads” and click “Save.” Finally, return to Gmail, go to “Settings,” and start the import process. For more information and troubleshooting, visit G Suite Help.

Navigate to Apps in G Suite to migrate emails

Benefits of Using Gmail for Business

Gmail for business has multiple benefits. Primarily, it allows you to use your own domain while managing email on an intuitive and secure platform. It also provides businesses with email and file ownership, full access to G Suite (including Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides), easy file sharing, 24/7 support, administrative controls, user management, advanced security features, Gmail auto-text suggestions, and any number of extensions, add-ons, and tools.

Here are nine benefits of using Gmail business email:

• Email ownership: You will own all of the email accounts in Gmail for business, not your employees. If someone leaves your company, you can turn off their access so that they will no longer be able to collect contacts or emails.
• G Suite: Gmail users get full access to the productivity-focused G Suite, which includes Google Docs (word processing), Sheets (spreadsheets), and Slides (presentations). G Suite also includes Google Drive, which serves as a file database.
• Document sharing: It is easy to share files within the company. The document creator can allow different users access and choose what type of editing power they have.
• Group email addresses: You can create a group or general purpose email addresses, such as info@yourcompany.com, at no additional cost.
• Advanced security features: If you want to implement extra security measures, you can require your employees to implement two-step verification.
• Customer support: Gmail for business includes 24/7 phone, email, and chat support. With free Gmail accounts, you only have access to the self-help support documents.
• Admin control: G Suite allows businesses to choose an admin who is able to access and manage all email accounts within the company.
• Smart Compose: Gmail comes with Smart Compose, a predictive typing tool (text suggestions), which makes it easier and faster to write and respond to emails.
• Gmail extensions and add-ons: There is a vast array of extensions and add-ons, which are third-party tools that give businesses added functionality.

Money-saving tip: It’s possible to enjoy these benefits and use their professional email address through the Gmail interface for free. Get the step-by-step details on how to set up your free business email address and use it with Gmail.

7 Best Gmail Extensions & Add-ons for Business

One of the things that makes Gmail for business so powerful is its extensive list of extensions, add-ons, and tools—many of which are available at no cost. The overall best extensions include HubSpot Sales, Grammarly, Zoom for video conferencing, WiseStamp, Bookipi, Attach, and Boomerang.

Here are the seven best Gmail for business extensions and add-ons:

• HubSpot: HubSpot Sales offers an extension for Gmail that links its free sales platform to users’ emails. It’s packed with features, but one of the most notable is its email tracking tool.
• Grammarly: Gmail comes with spell-checking software built-in, though Grammarly takes spell check a step further as it not only catches common grammatical errors, but it also helps identify sentence structure, punctuation, and style issues.
• Zoom: Gmail comes with video conferencing abilities, but many businesses choose to use Zoom for larger group video conferencing and hosting webinars. A free version is available, as well as premium versions starting at about $15 per month.
• WiseStamp: WiseStamp is a free email signature tool that enables you to create a professional email signature that incorporates your company logo, headshot, and social links.
• Bookipi: Bookipi is a free invoice app for small businesses that makes it easy to create and send professional-quality invoices through email, as well as create and send quotes.
• Attach.io: Attach is a free tool that is used for tracking email attachments. It tracks whether or not users open attachments, including how many times they view it, how long they spend viewing it, and how many pages of the attachment they view.
• Boomerang: This is a productivity tool that allows users to schedule emails to send at a later date or time, as well as schedule follow-up emails. It also lets users snooze new messages, giving users more control of their inboxes.

The best Gmail extensions will help make you and your staff more efficient and productive. While there are countless add-ons available, we recommend productivity tools such as Boomerang, sales tools such as HubSpot Sales or Attach, and professional email tools like Grammarly and WiseStamp. Browse all add-ons by visiting the Chrome Webstore.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What’s the difference between Gmail & Gmail for business?

Gmail is a free email service designed for personal use, whereas Gmail for business is a paid service for professional use. A major difference between personal and professional use is the domain. Gmail uses its own domain (e.g., kelly@gmail.com), as opposed to Gmail for business, which allows users to connect their own domain (e.g., name@yourbusiness.com).

What are the best Gmail alternatives?

Gmail for business is one of the leading business email providers, though it’s not the only option businesses have. Learn more about the best email hosting providers.

Bottom Line

Gmail for business is a leading email hosting platform for businesses of all sizes. It gives businesses professional email with ample storage, an intuitive platform, access to the productivity G Suite, and seemingly endless tools and add-ons. It’s best for businesses that are looking for an all-in-one email, communication, and productivity platform.