How To Get an Email Domain in 6 Simple Steps

Who would you trust more: a car salesperson whose email is alex@hollywoodcars.com or alexhollywoodcars@yahoo.com? The first email address conveys a more professional image because it uses a custom email domain, rather than a publicly available provider like Yahoo. Even if both emails belong to equally knowledgeable salespeople, the custom email address with a unique email domain will likely win more business.

As you build your own online business, it’s worthwhile to get your own email domain. It’s a straightforward process—especially if you use Shopify’s free email service that comes bundled with a platform subscription. With minimal tech savvy, you can set up your desired email address with its own domain name and start interacting with your clients. Here’s how.

What is a custom email domain?

A custom email domain is an email address that uses a unique domain name instead of a generic email provider’s domain (e.g., gmail.com, yahoo.com, outlook.com). Custom email domains are particularly useful for business email accounts that use the same domain as the company’s website. So, if the business name is Stupendous Lip Gloss and the website domain is stupendouslipgloss.com, each employee’s personalized email address would look like jane@stupdendouslipgloss.com.

Email address vs. email domain

The terms “email address” and “email domain” aren’t quite synonyms. An email domain is a component of an email address. Here’s the difference:

• Email address. A complete identifier used to send and receive emails (e.g., info@example.com).
• Email domain. The portion of the email address that comes after the @ symbol, which can be customized by purchasing a domain name (e.g., example.com in info@example.com).

How to get a custom email domain

1. Choose and register your domain name
2. Choose your email hosting provider
3. Connect your chosen domain to an email host
4. Set up custom email addresses
5. Test and secure your email system
6. Send emails

Whether you run an ecommerce store or a simple blog, you can follow these steps to get a custom email domain and establish credibility. The exact process may vary depending on the email provider, but the general approach stays the same:

1. Choose and register your domain name

Visit a domain registrar (like Shopify, GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Squarespace Domains) to start the process. Use your registrar to find and purchase your desired domain name. This typically costs between $12 and $15 per year for generic top-level domains.

Note that your perfect domain may already be claimed. You can try working around this by choosing a different top-level domain; for instance, if your domain name is taken with a .com extension, it may still be available if you use a .info or a .biz extension. If you’re set on having a domain that’s unavailable, you’ll need to negotiate with the current owner to purchase it. A domain brokerage service can assist with this.

When you secure your domain, enable domain privacy protection to keep your personal information secure.

2. Choose your email hosting provider

There are two ways to approach email hosting. Services like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Zoho Mail offer professional email hosting with features like spam filters, contact syncing, and sizable storage plans. You can also use the Shopify Email platform, which is designed with ecommerce email marketing in mind. It features pre-built templates, automation, and campaign analytics tools, among other features.

3. Connect your chosen domain to an email host

Regardless of your hosting provider, the next step is to visit your domain registrar’s dashboard. Locate the domain’s DNS settings and add the required MX records (mail exchange records) and CNAME records provided by your email host.

If you’re using Shopify to forward your business emails to a generic email provider, you’ll follow a specific process. From your Shopify admin dashboard, go to Online Store > Domains. Click on your domain, and then choose “Connect existing domain.” Follow the instructions to connect automatically or manually update the DNS records provided by Shopify.

Some providers require SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records in addition to DNS records to create email accounts. These improve email security and prevent spam. Consult with your provider to see what they require.

4. Set up custom email addresses

In this step of the setup process, you can assign a professional email address to anyone on your team. These can be linked to people’s names or to their job titles (e.g., “accounting@example.com” or “orders@example.com”).

If you’re using Shopify forwarding, you’ll set up the forwarding within your Shopify admin. Presumably, each email address will forward to someone’s account with an outside email service.

5. Test and secure your email system

Send a test email to and from your new email address to ensure proper delivery and receipt, and check your security settings. Confirm that your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured to prevent email spoofing. Your registrar can give you specific instructions on how to do this. For added security, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for logins.

6. Send emails

You’re now ready to send emails with your own domain in the return address. If you go with Shopify Email, explore all the features you can leverage for brand recognition, targeted marketing, and custom formatting for mobile devices.

Pros and cons of a custom email domain

A custom email domain can be a powerful tool for establishing credibility and professionalism with potential customers. Here are some key benefits, along with drawbacks to consider before setting one up:

Benefits of custom domain ownership

• Strengthened brand identity. Your email address is a constant touchpoint with customers. A custom domain reinforces brand identity with every email, increasing brand recognition and recall. It’s a consistent reminder of your company name and website.
• Projected professionalism. Using a free, publicly available email domain like gmail.com or yahoo.com makes sense for personal use. However, when you’re trying to project a professional image to your clients, it helps to have your email address feature the same domain name you use for your website.
• Full domain ownership. With a custom domain, you have complete control over your email addresses. You can create new employee accounts, manage existing accounts, choose your own email clients (e.g., Microsoft Outlook’s desktop app), and ensure consistent branding across your organization. This contrasts with a free email service, where the provider ultimately controls the account.
• Greater flexibility and scalability. As your business grows, a custom domain allows you to scale your email infrastructure. You can create numerous email addresses for different departments or employees without limitations.
• Added layers of security. You can configure your custom email system to use an email server with MX records provided by your web hosting provider. This helps you filter incoming emails, reducing spam and phishing risks. You can also set up two-factor authentication (2FA) and encryption for added security.
• Opportunities for increased productivity. Many domain registration services include shared calendars, cloud storage, and collaboration tools, such that anyone with an internet connection can easily access emails across multiple devices. If you’re in ecommerce, you can also integrate Shopify apps, such as marketing tools designed for Shopify email. These additional features bring increased functionality.

Potential drawbacks of custom email domains

• Ongoing costs. Setting up a custom email domain involves costs for domain registration services, web hosting, and potentially email hosting if you choose a third-party provider. You’ll need to pay to keep the domain registered—although you may already be paying this annual registration fee for your website domain.
• Technical requirements. Managing a custom email domain requires some technical expertise. You’ll need to configure email clients, understand MX records that help your emails get correctly routed, and potentially troubleshoot email server issues. If you decide to change email providers, you must set up a new account and transfer everyone’s existing email account. Doing so requires expertise.
• Security obligations. While a custom domain offers more control over security, it also places more responsibility on the business owner. You’ll need to actively manage email security to protect against spam, phishing, and other threats.