I bootstrapped my business together. Hacked. Coded. During the first 3 years here at Boss Project, things were practically held together with digital duct tape. If you’ve been scrappy so far, know I get it.

Maybe you’ve been skating by using an @gmail.com email because, honestly, it was free and easy. But now you’re feeling that pull to level up. You want to make your business look as legit on the outside as it is on the inside.

Sending emails from yourbusiness@gmail.com instead of hello@yourbusiness.com is like showing up to a job interview in sweatpants. It works, technically, but it doesn’t exactly scream I run a professional, trustworthy business.

If you’ve been relying on a free email address to communicate with clients, nurture leads, or even send marketing emails, you’re playing a risky game. Not only do free emails look unprofessional, but they also increase your chances of landing in the spam folder, meaning fewer people actually see your emails.

The good news? Setting up a custom email domain with Gmail is easier than you think.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly why a custom email matters, how to set one up, and how it boosts your email deliverability. If you’re serious about building your email list and growing your business, this is step one.

And once you’ve got your professional email set up? We’ll show you how to connect it to Flodesk, our go-to email marketing platform, so you can start building your list the right way.

Can I Use a Free Gmail Account for My Business?

Technically, yes. Many small business owners start out using a free Gmail account (like yourbusiness@gmail.com) because it’s fast, easy, and familiar.

But here’s the problem:

It looks unprofessional. A custom email domain (like hello@yourbusiness.com) instantly signals that you’re running a legitimate business, not some side hustle out of your personal inbox.
It hurts email deliverability. Free email providers (like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook) are notorious for flagging bulk emails from free accounts as spam. While it’s fine for one-on-one communication, a @gmail.com address almost guarantees low open rates for marketing emails.
It limits your branding. A custom domain reinforces your brand identity and builds trust with clients, making them more likely to open, engage and remember your emails.

If you’re treating your business like a business, a custom email domain isn’t optional, it’s essential. Outside of website hosting, this is one of the first investments I’d recommend for long-term growth and credibility.

Why Your Business Needs a Custom Email Domain

Beyond looking more professional, a custom email domain helps you:

Increase trust and brand authority. Your email address should match your website, making it clear you’re a real business—not just another random Gmail user.
Improve email deliverability. Emails from a custom domain are far less likely to land in the spam folder, increasing the chances they’ll be opened and read.
It keeps you compliant with new email authentication standards. Google and Yahoo now require bulk senders to use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication—security measures that free Gmail accounts don’t support. (If that sounds like tech jargon, don’t worry. I will break it down for you.)
Make future scaling easier. As your business grows, you may need multiple email addresses (like support@yourbusiness.com or yourname@yourbusiness.com). A custom domain makes this seamless.

If your inbox is where you connect with leads and customers, upgrading to a custom domain email is one of the easiest, highest-impact moves you can make.

How to Set Up a Custom Email Domain in Google Workspace (Step-by-Step Guide)

You can use Gmail to send and receive emails from a custom domain by setting up Google Workspace (formerly G Suite).

Watch This First: Step-by-Step Video Walkthrough

Prefer a visual guide? I’ve got you covered. In this quick tutorial, I’ll walk you through the exact steps to set up your custom email domain with Gmail, including domain verification and authentication for better email deliverability.

📌 What You’ll Learn:
✔️ How to purchase and connect a custom domain
✔️ How to verify your domain inside Google Workspace
✔️ How to authenticate SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to avoid spam folders

Hit play, follow along, and get your business email set up in minutes! Scroll down if you prefer a detailed written guide with all the links and resources you need.

Step 1: Purchase a Custom Domain

If you don’t already have a domain for your business, now’s the time to get one. You can purchase a domain from providers like:

Google Domains (direct integration with Gmail)
Namecheap (affordable pricing + free WHOIS privacy)
GoDaddy (popular but often pricier) - This is what we’ve personally used for the last 10+ years
Bluehost, SiteGround, or other hosting providers (if you already have a website)

Step 2: Sign Up for Google Workspace

Google Workspace is the easiest way to use Gmail with a custom domain.

Go to Google Workspace and click Get Started.
Enter your business name, industry, and contact details.
Choose a custom email address (like hello@yourbusiness.com).
Connect your domain (Google will guide you through this step).
Set up billing (plans start at around $6/month).

Once your Google Workspace account is created, you’ll be able to use Gmail, Google Drive, Calendar, and other Google apps with your business email.

Step 3: Verify Your Domain & Set Up DNS Records

To prove that you own the domain, Google will ask you to add a TXT verification record to your domain provider’s settings.

Log into your domain provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Bluehost, etc.).
Find the DNS settings section.
Add the TXT record provided by Google.
Click Verify in Google Workspace.

Need a little extra help? Setting up your custom email domain can look slightly different depending on your provider. To make things easier, here’s a list of step-by-step guides for the most popular domain hosts:

This step may take a few minutes to update, but once verified, your email domain will be officially connected to Gmail!

Step 4: Start Sending Emails from Gmail with Your Custom Domain

Once your domain is verified and authenticated, you can start sending and receiving emails through Gmail’s familiar interface—but with a professional touch.

You’ll need to add a MX record to your domain. This is essentially a record to connects to Google’s SMTP server and configures your Google workspace to use you custom domain when sending or receiving email.

Google will ask you to add a MX verification record to your domain provider’s settings.

Log into your domain provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Bluehost, etc.).
Find the DNS settings section.
Add the MX record provided by Google.
Click Verify in Google Workspace.

That’s it! You can now send business emails from Gmail, but they’ll appear as your professional custom domain email.

Step 5: Set Up Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

To keep your emails out of spam folders, you’ll need to set up three key authentication records to send through your Google Workspace.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Tells email providers that Google is allowed to send emails on your behalf.
- Follow the steps outlined here.
- Typical Record
  - Type: TXT
  - Name: @
  - Value: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
  - TTL:
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature to your emails, proving they’re authentic.
- You will set this up in Google Admin. Wait 48-72 hours after starting your Google Workspace Account. Login to your Admin Console and search DKIM. Once the record is added, you’ll need to go back the DKIM page in Goodle Admin and Start Authetication.
- Typical Record
  - Type: TXT
  - Name: google._domainkey
  - Value/Data: v=DKIM1; k=xxx; p=(followed by a string of numbers/letters)
  - TTL: 1 Hour
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Protects against email spoofing and phishing attacks. Your domain only requires one DMARC policy.
- Typical Record
  - Type: TXT
  - Name: _dmarc
  - Value/Data: v=DMARC1; p=none
  - TTL: 600 seconds

💡 Google provides instructions on adding these records in your domain provider’s DNS settings. This step is crucial for ensuring high email deliverability!

Got this far and are confused on a step? Scroll up to watch our video walkthrough.

Connect Your Email Marketing Platform

Now that you’ve set up a custom domain email, the next step is connecting it to an email marketing platform so you can start building your list.

Our go-to ? Flodesk.

Unlike other platforms that charge based on your list size, Flodesk offers flat-rate pricing, making it perfect for small businesses.

✔️ Build & automate email sequences
✔️ Use stunning, conversion-friendly templates
✔️ Get better email deliverability (especially now that you’re using a custom domain!)

We’ve used just about every major email marketing platform, and Flodesk is by far our favorite. If you want to see my full, honest review, check out this post on why we made the switch.

📌 Ready to get started? You can try Flodesk for free! Sign up here.

If you’re serious about growing your list, you’ll also love 1000 Subscriber Roadmap.

What’s Next? Connect Your Email to Flodesk

Your custom email is ready. Now it’s time to make sure your marketing emails don’t end up in spam.

In Part 2, I’ll walk you through exactly how to:

✔️ Connect your new email to Flodesk

✔️ Authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) - yes, this is slightly different than the process above

✔️ Optimize deliverability so your emails get opened

🔗 Click here to read Part 2: How to Add Your Custom Email Domain to Flodesk

Quick Recap

A custom email domain isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for credibility, branding, and making sure your emails actually land where they should. With the right setup, you’ll be sending professional, high-converting emails in no time.

Here’s what to do next:

Set up a custom domain email with Gmail (this guide has you covered).
Authenticate your email (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to improve deliverability.
Setup your email marketing account on Flodesk.
Connect it to Flodesk and start growing your list! (Step-by-step walkthrough in Part 2)

🔗 Sign up to try Flodesk free and save 50% when you’re ready to upgrade!

💡 Want step-by-step guidance on building your email list from scratch?

Check out 1000 Subscriber Roadmap—our signature course that walks you through how to pick the right platform, design a high-converting lead magnet, and start getting subscribers, even without a website.