Key facts
- An address on your own domain, such as sarah@yourbusiness.co.uk
- Mailboxes included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT
- You need a registered domain; register it in the dijitul client portal
- The address stays yours if you change email provider later
- Choose mailboxes, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 behind the same address
- MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records set up by dijitul
Why a free webmail address holds you back
A Gmail or Hotmail address works, but it costs you in three ways.
- Trust: customers and suppliers take an address on your own domain more seriously, and it matches your website.
- Control: a free account belongs to a person, not the business. When someone leaves, the address and its history can leave with them. With your own domain you can reset passwords, redirect mail and keep records.
- Portability: the address belongs to your domain, not your email provider. Move from basic mailboxes to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 later and the address stays the same.
What you need
- A domain name. If you do not have one, search and register in the dijitul client portal. A .co.uk or .uk suits most UK businesses; see domain names and choosing a domain name.
- An email service. Somewhere for mail to be stored: hosted mailboxes, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
- DNS records. An MX record that tells the world where to deliver your mail, plus SPF, DKIM and DMARC so your messages are trusted.
- Your devices set up. Outlook, your phone or webmail connected to the new mailbox.
Our guide on how to set up business email walks through the steps if you would rather do it yourself.
Picking address formats
A little planning now saves confusion later.
- Personal addresses: pick one pattern and stick to it, such as firstname@ or firstname.lastname@. First names alone get awkward when you hire a second Sarah.
- Role addresses: info@, sales@, accounts@ and support@ outlast any one person. They can be full mailboxes, or simply forwarders that deliver to the right people.
- Fewer mailboxes than addresses: a sole trader might have one mailbox with three or four aliases pointing at it. That keeps costs down and everything in one inbox.
- Avoid catch-alls as a shortcut: accepting mail for any address is tempting but invites spam. See catch-all email.
Which email service sits behind the address
The address is the same whichever you pick. What changes is what comes with it.
- Hosted mailboxes: 10 POP3/IMAP mailboxes with webmail, included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. Good when you mainly need email. More on email hosting.
- Google Workspace: Gmail on your domain with Drive, Docs and calendars, at Google's own per-user price.
- Microsoft 365: Outlook on your domain with Teams, OneDrive and the Office apps, at Microsoft's own per-user price.
Once the address is live
A new address only helps if people use it. A few small jobs make the switch stick.
- Update everywhere it appears: your website, Google Business Profile, invoices, van livery, social profiles and email signature.
- Tell suppliers and banks so account notices and invoices reach the business, not a personal inbox.
- Keep the old free address for a while and set an auto-reply giving the new one, rather than closing it straight away.
- Send a test to a Gmail and an Outlook.com account to check your messages land in the inbox, not spam.
How dijitul helps
Mailboxes for your new address are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT, and we set up the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records for you. If you would rather use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, our set-up is £45 an hour + VAT. Call 01623 650333 or email info@dijitul.uk and tell us the addresses you want.
How it works and what it costs
Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote.
Tell us what you have
Your domains, who they are registered with, where your DNS and email live today, and what you want to change.
Plan the change
We list every DNS record and mailbox first, so nothing is forgotten, and agree a time to switch.
Make the switch
Transfers, nameserver changes, DNS records and mailbox moves, done carefully with low TTLs and a rollback plan.
Check it works
We test the website, email delivery, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from the outside before calling it done.
Look after it
Renewals, records and email stay looked after, and you can call a person when something changes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a business email address without a website?
Yes. You need a registered domain and an email service, but no website. Register the domain in the dijitul client portal, then use hosted mailboxes, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. dijitul sets up the DNS records so mail is delivered.
Can I keep my Gmail account and send from my business address?
It can be done with forwarding and Gmail's "send mail as" setting, but it is fiddly and often breaks SPF and DMARC. A proper mailbox on your domain, or Google Workspace, is more reliable and keeps business mail out of a personal account.
Do I lose my address if I change email provider?
No. The address belongs to your domain, not your provider. When you move, the MX record is pointed at the new service and the address carries on working. dijitul plans these moves so mail is not lost during the switch.
How many addresses can I have?
With hosted mailboxes you get 10 mailboxes included with dijihost Complete Hosting, and you can add forwarders and aliases on top. Extra addresses do not always need their own mailbox; many can simply deliver into an existing one.
What does it cost?
Mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are paid at the vendor's own per-user price plus dijitul set-up at £45 an hour + VAT. Domain prices are live in the dijitul client portal.
Related
Get domains, DNS and email sorted
Set up properly, records checked, and real people to call. DNS and email are included with dijihost hosting.