Making a business email address is easier than most people expect. The formula is simple: a name of your choosing, then the @ sign, then your own domain, like you@yourbusiness.com. The real work is deciding what that address should look like and what you need in place before you create it.
What makes an email a business email
A business email uses your own domain after the @ sign instead of a free provider like gmail.com. That small difference tells customers the message really comes from your company. It also keeps your address under your control as your business grows. For more on why this matters, read why a personal Gmail address quietly hurts customer trust.
What you need before you make one
- A domain name. This is the part after the @ sign. If you do not have one, you can register a domain.
- An email service. The domain gives you the name, but you need a service to hold the mailboxes. Professional Email is built for this.
- A decision about the address. The next section helps you choose.
Choose an address format
- firstname@yourbusiness.com feels personal and friendly. It works well for solo owners and small teams.
- firstname.lastname@yourbusiness.com keeps things clear as your team grows and two people share a first name.
- info@, hello@, or contact@ gives customers a general address that does not depend on one person.
- sales@ or support@ sends messages to the right team, and the address can be passed to a new person when roles change.
Whatever you choose, keep it short, easy to say out loud, and consistent across your team. Avoid numbers, underscores, and unusual spellings, because they are hard to read over the phone and easy to mistype.
How to make your business email
- Get your domain. Register one or confirm the one you already own.
- Pick an email plan. Choose the one that fits the number of mailboxes you need. If you also want shared documents and the Office apps, compare Microsoft 365.
- Create the address. Enter the name you chose and set a strong password.
- Sign in and start using it. Open it in webmail or add it to your phone or computer.
Once the address exists, the rest of the setup, including connecting your phone, protecting the account, and sending test messages, is covered in our guide on how to set up a business email in seven steps.
Common mistakes
- Mixing formats. If one person is first.last@ and another is firstinitiallastname@, customers cannot guess addresses. Pick one pattern.
- Using one inbox for everything. A single inbox gets overloaded fast. Our guide to shared mailboxes and individual inboxes can help you decide how to split things up.
- Forgetting the domain. Your email depends on your domain staying registered, so keep auto-renew on. The Help Center’s Domains section shows how to check.
If you get stuck, the Help Center’s Professional Email section has step-by-step articles.
Your next step
Pick your address format, then make it real. Get Professional Email for your business. Add a website with a Website Builder when you are ready, so your address and your website match.