As a quick reminder, hosting is what your website needs so that it can be seen by the world. Without website hosting your website has nowhere to live. There are loads of different types of hosting available, but that\u2019s a post for another day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your email needs hosting too \u2013 or there will be no way of sending and receiving emails. Again, you have a few options for this. Don\u2019t worry, we\u2019ll take you from Clueless to Legally Blonde within a few minutes. So warm up your bend and snap and read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This post relates to using custom domains for your emails, so we\u2019re talking elle@deltanu.com not bruiserwoods@gmail.com (i.e. the domain you use for hosting your business website. For example, our email uses a \u2018custom domain\u2019 hello@anorakcat.co.uk because the www.anorakcat. co.uk bit of that is our website address).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This used to be the default option for hosting your email. You\u2019d get given a handful of email accounts from your web hosting provider that you could use with either their own provided (diabolical) webmail option (like Horde) or manually setup (with much frustration) on some email software like Outlook or Thunderbird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is not a good idea for so many reasons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Use a third-party cloud solution. Simple as that.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This could be Google Workspace (previously G Suite), Microsoft 365 (previously Office 365), the \u00fcber-cool Hey (from Basecamp) or mega-secure ProtonMail (who have servers that are locked down under 1,000 meters of solid rock, in a Swiss bunker that can survive a nuclear attack \u2013 seriously).<\/p>\n\n\n\n What it boils down to for most users is a preference between Microsoft and Google. If you\u2019ve grown up in a world of Hotmail or Outlook then Microsoft is probably your best option. If you\u2019re more of a Gmail dude then Google Workspace is definitely the way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve chosen your preferred option then you\u2019ll need to do a bit of jiggery pokery with your domain settings. Sounds complicated, but it\u2019s basically a job of copying and pasting some MX and TXT settings to your domain. Both Microsoft and Google have guides to give you a hand or reach out to your legendary website gurus (Anorak Cat plug alert >> we help you set up your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 email accounts for free when you choose one of our website packages).<\/p>\n\n\n\n These services will cost you extra.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n But if you\u2019re not willing to cough up approximately \u00a34\/month to Microsoft or Google for a professional email account then I think your priorities might be in the wrong place. Just ditch that Macchiato once a month and you\u2019ve covered it (or just tell the kids that Brownies is cancelled this term).<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what are you forking out this \u00a34\/month for?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t host your email on your web server. So not cool.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Invest in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Be happy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We get all of this, and a whole lot more, sorted for you with our website packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get in touch today, and let\u2019s have a chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Ok, so what should i do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n