Have you purchased a web domain for your WordPress blog/site?
In general, WordPress provides default domain to be used with your blog. For example, mohamadkarbi.wordpress.com. When you add a domain, you have additional address to be used with your blog; for example, mohamadkarbi.com.
You can purchase a domain directly from WordPress or from any other registrar and connect it in the settings area.
Another post might be needed for more discussion about domains and registrars. Right now, I’m only concentrating on getting a custom email with your domain – for example, contact@mohamadkarbi.com.
Registrars
WordPress provides a forward ability under domain settings. So, you can create a forward email in settings and forward it to your Gmail. In Gmail, you can setup a reply as… So, all emails sent to mohamad@mohamadkarbi.com will be forwarded to my gmail; and from gmail, I can reply as contact@mohamadkarbi.com
If you got your domain from another registrar, most of them provide inbox where you can create emails and aliases… However, this method is not usually recommended for spamming issues… (this is another story). It might be better to go with email hosting dedicated providers.
Email Hosting
Here, you buy an email hosting from a provider and then connect the mail inbox to your domain through something called DNS records in your domain settings.
Nothing can compete with Microsoft 365 for sure. But I hate it and Google for personal use. Not to mention that they are bloated with things I don’t use. The rest are either incomplete, slow (web or Dav things), complicated, missing features, or DKIM issues…
Protonmail
Very reliable one. I just don’t like their Bridge app. Their overkilling privacy paranoia affects flexibility… Calendar and contacts are still beta and it’s not clear yet if they’re going to be available outside their own application(s) which makes it impossible to synchronize with the phone’s…
Mailfence
It combines flexibility and privacy. Very smooth and easy experience, fast web, reasonably quick support, reasonable cost, and of course contacts/calendar sync. My only complaint is calendar invitation works only on web version.
Mailbox.org
Exactly as intended. I mean if you want a service (contacts, mail, and calendar) that works on all platforms and with all clients… The only issue is that there is no 2FA. Indeed there is one for web only not IMAP or Caldav/Carddav which makes it useless for me. Another issue, its DKIM records won’t work on WordPress.com as the maximum DNS TXT field length is 255 characters.
More that I haven’t tested fully:
- Fastmail (emails sent to Microsoft don’t reach).
- Runbox (calendar still in beta)
- Thexyz (very nice and generous people. However, it’s an Exchange service no IMAP/CalDav or CardDav)
- Zoho (I try to avoid anything related to them, to Google, and to Microsoft)
Yet I tried my best to simplify the topic, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll do my best to assist too..
So, do you use custom domain email?
Did you know that when you use such, you can easily change your hosting from Mailfence to Mailbox or to TheXYZ, etc without the need to change your email. That’s, contact@mohamadkarbi.com is the same for all no matter where I host it.
I’m not a fan of having all my eggs in one basket. I treat my e-mail addresses as a tidy filing cabinet. I have one for friends and family, one for online shopping, one for WordPress and one for my partner. To merg them would defeat the purpose of having individual ones. It works well for me.
Thank you, Sue. I totally agree with you and I believe so. It’s a good privacy practice indeed. Here, i’m just trying to tell about how to create email connected to your domain in case you want so. If you went with domain email, you can still create alias for different purposes; for example: contact@mohamadkarbi.com, shopping@mohamadkarbi.com, wordpress@mohamadkarbi.com, …
Thank you, Mohamad.
does it cost extra to get a domain e-mail from WP?
Before joining WP I owned a couple of domains and had automatic e-mail addresses with those.
Hi, Sue. Right now, it costs extra to have a domain from WordPress. WordPress doesn’t host emails; in addition to hosting the blog, they sell domains only.
Now for your case, I noticed that you already have a domain “nansfarm”. So, let’s say you want an email sue@nansfarm.net. Your registrar should have an option to forward an email or create inbox as explained in the post for free. Moreover, you can buy email hosting from one of the providers I mentioned above…
Please don’t hesitate asking me about this if things are not clear… I’ll be gladly assist…
You may have noticed I created my own WordPress address, it was the best I could come up with at the time.
You are very kind, thank you, Mohamad
Yes, and it’s one of the best I visit too 🙂
My pleasure, Sue.
I also have individual emails for personal and business. I have one domain with WordPress for my blog. I’ve had my main domain for my website with godaddy for years and have my email for my website with them as well. They recently changed to Microsoft 365. I like it for the most part. I agree; there are many “features” that I don’t need.
Thank you, Morgaine. Honestly, nothing compete with Microsoft 365. Even when we say “stay away from Google or Microsoft”, you have the option to encrypt Microsoft 365 if you like… GoDaddy is a big name too in domains world.
I still don’t understand why to pay for email service?
Thank you, my dear. Well, sometimes, you might need to pay to protect your privacy. However, when you need a domain email, you’ll mostly need to pay regardless of privacy. In this post, I tried to concentrate on services that protect your privacy too.
P.S., if you have the domain, there are methods (some of which mentioned above) to get a domain email without paying extra money…
Hello! All that I want is a larger audience. How should I best pursue that goal? Thank you; this column was filled with useful information!
Thank you, Susan. Hmm, there are many ways for that… From our side, I can help in two ways: First, keep an eye on this section: https://mohamadkarbi.com/category/promote-blog/ where periodically our friends are promoting their blogs/posts. Second, I’m inviting you to post one or two guest posts on this blog if you like. Let me know if you’re interested
My goodness. That is very generous of you! I will first do as you recommend, and keep an eye on that section (thank you) and then when I feel confident enough, I would love to be a guest blogger. Thank you so much!!
No worry, Susan. This blog has been honored by a lot of guest bloggers (https://mohamadkarbi.com/index/). Guest blogging is one of the best tool to promote your name and blog. Don’t hesitate contacting back at any time.
Thank you for visiting my blog today and leaving a like on “Weekend with Alayna.” Helps cheer my day. Blessings to you.
The pleasure and honor all mine, Neta. Thank you too, and my greetings to you and your family and grandchildren.
Thanks so much, very helpful. Been thinking for a while I should get a separate ‘business’ email for myself.
Thank you, Sarah. You won’t regret it and it’s the first step in building your brand… All the best and if i can’t be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to call…
nice article on email.
I have learned something new
Thank you very much for your kind words. Glad to know it was helpful and hope that I can extend more on this topic in the near future.