How to create a business email address for your startup

If you’re launching a startup in the UK, one of the simplest ways to look professional is to ditch the free generic email and set up a professional UK business email address. It should be one of the first things on your to-do list. It’s not just about looking polished and building trust from the start—it’s about improving deliverability and laying the groundwork for the future.

Updated: 21 August 2025

Here’s how to create a business email address that works hard for you.

Step 1: Choose your domain name

Before you can create a business email address, you'll need a domain name. This is the part of the email address that comes after the "@" symbol. Ideally, it should match your business name or brand (e.g. hello@yourstartup.uk) but if your exact name isn't available, be creative. But try to choose a clean, memorable domain that isn't too long.

Tip: Stick to .uk, .co.uk or .com for UK-based business email addresses, and avoid obscure extensions unless they're part of your brand identity.

If you haven't registered a domain yet, you can do so through one of the many online providers. To make life simple, why not choose a provider that offers a bundled email hosting package with domain registration and renewal included? Such as Absolute-Email, who have an easy email finder to quickly find and create your business email address with domain. The advantage of a bundled package, other than cost, is you don't have to worry about remembering to renew your domain separately in future—more time to focus on your business!

Step 2: Pick an email hosting provider

Once you've chosen your domain, you'll need an email hosting service to manage your business email address (if you haven't already chosen a provider with a bundled email package and domain). If you are a UK business, try to find a UK-based email service which will help to ensure your email is fast and reliable in the UK and that your emails are less likely to end up in people's spam folders.

Look for providers that offer:

• Custom domain support
• Reliable uptime
• UK-based support
• Webmail & email software/app login
• Security features like two-factor authentication
• Ability to scale with your startup's growth

Step 3. Set up your business email addresses

Now the fun part: creating your actual business email address. Keep it simple and professional. Here are a few tried-and-tested formats:

• info@yourstartup.uk - General enquiries
• hello@ - Friendly, modern alternative
• yourname@ - Personalised email addresses for founders or team members
• support@ / sales@ - Functional addresses for customer-facing roles

Avoid quirky or overly casual addresses—this isn't the place for "rockstar123@" or "theboss@". You want clarity and trust. An easy way to choose is using an email finder/search like this one which allows you to create your entire business email address and see what it looks like written down before ordering.

Step 4. Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

These email authentication protocols help prevent email spoofing and improve your chances of landing in the inbox—not the spam folder.

• SPF verifies which servers can send email on your behalf.
• DKIM adds a digital signature to your messages.
• DMARC tells receiving servers how to handle unauthenticated emails.

Most reputable email hosts will guide you through setting these up. Some UK-based providers like Absolute-Email will configure these for you automatically when you sign up, so you don't have to worry about it.

Step 5: Brand your Inbox

Your business email address is just the start. Make sure your inbox reflects your brand by adding your sender name, company name, and a branded email signature with your logo, contact details, and social links, which are shown on every email you send.

Step 6. Test and Launch

Before you start sending emails to customers or partners, test your setup - check you can receive, send test emails and check they are delivered and review the formatting and signature. Once everything's working smoothly, you're ready to start using your new business email addresses. Don't forget to integrate your new email into your business stationary, marketing materials and social media.

Why it matters

Using a free email like @gmail or @outlook might be fine for personal use, but for a startup, it screams “side hustle” A custom UK business email address shows you're invested, professional, and ready to do business. It also improves deliverability, reduces spam flags, and boosts your chances of getting replies.

Setting up a business email is quick, affordable, and high-impact. It's one of the easiest wins for any UK startup looking to build trust and stand out.