An email address like you@yourbusiness.com.au tells customers you're an established business, and it's yours to keep if you ever change providers. Setting one up takes about an hour if you know the steps. Here they are.
- You need two things: your own domain name and an email provider.
- For most small businesses, the provider is Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
- Add the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, or your quotes and invoices may land in spam.
- Set up shared addresses like info@ so enquiries reach the right person.
What you need before you start
- A domain name, like yourbusiness.com.au. If you don't have one, register it with an Australian registrar. A .com.au domain needs an ABN.
- Access to your domain's DNS settings. This is where you'll add a few records. It's usually in your registrar or website host's dashboard.
- A decision on your provider. Our guide to the best email hosting in Australia compares Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, including prices.
Step 1: Sign up with your provider
Choose Google Workspace if you already use Gmail and Google apps, or Microsoft 365 if your business runs on Word, Excel and Outlook.
If you're going with Google, you can start a Google Workspace trial here. During sign-up, choose the option to use a domain you already own.
The Google Workspace link is a referral link: if you sign up through it, Google may pay us a referral fee, at no extra cost to you.
Step 2: Verify your domain
Your provider asks you to prove you own the domain, usually by adding a TXT record to your DNS. Copy the record exactly as shown, add it in your DNS settings, then click Verify. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to take effect.
Step 3: Point your email to the provider (MX records)
MX records tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain. Your provider gives you the exact values. Remove any old MX records first, especially if your domain came with free email from your host, or some emails will keep going to the old mailbox.
Step 4: Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC
This is the step most people miss, and it's the main reason business emails end up in spam.
- SPF lists which services are allowed to send email from your domain. Have only one SPF record, and include every service that sends for you (your email provider, plus your website's form emails if they use your domain).
- DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails. Turn it on in your provider's admin settings, then add the record it gives you.
- DMARC tells other mail servers what to do with emails that fail the checks. Start with a "monitor only" policy, then tighten it once everything is passing.
If your website forms, invoices or booking confirmations send from your domain, they need to be included in your SPF and DKIM setup too. Otherwise those emails are the ones that go missing.
Step 5: Create mailboxes and shared addresses
Create a mailbox for each person who needs one. Then set up shared addresses, like info@ or quotes@, as groups or aliases that deliver to the right people. You don't pay for extra mailboxes for these.
Step 6: Connect your phone and computer
Install the Gmail or Outlook app on your phone and sign in with your new address. On a computer, use the web version or the desktop app. If you're moving from an old address, both providers have tools to bring your old emails across.
Step 7: Test it
Send an email to a Gmail and an Outlook address you own, and check it arrives in the inbox, not spam. Reply back to make sure incoming mail works. If something goes to spam, re-check your SPF and DKIM records.
Rather we set it up?
Our business email setup is $190 for up to 5 mailboxes, including domain verification, shared addresses and the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You only need a domain name and an email provider. A website is separate, although most businesses use the same domain for both.
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Rhys builds and looks after every Reactive Web website himself, from Redwood Park in Adelaide, for local service businesses that want more calls, bookings and enquiries.
