One of the most notable features from Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is that it hosts your email using the Gmail interface and allows you to use your own personal domain name (e.g. contact@yourdomain.com).

Step 1: Complete the Google Workspace setup wizard

To get started, visit Google Workspace and click the Get Started or Start Free Trial button.

This will open the account setup wizard which will walk you through the setup process as it collects some of your information.

First, enter some basic information about your business and then Next.

Next, you’ll need to enter the information for your Google Workspace admin account.

On the next screen it will ask you if you have a personal domain name and then it will ask you to enter it.

Then, it will ask you to confirm the domain you entered and opt-in to Google’s marketing emails.

Finally, it will ask you to create your first custom email address. Simply enter your username and password and then click Agree and Continue.

After you complete the setup wizard, you’ll see a confirmation page, click Go to Setup.

Step 2: Verify your domain name

Now we’re into a slightly more technical aspect of setting up Google Workspace.

Click the Verify button.

You’ll be asked to add a TXT record to your domain name, this will require you to login to your domain name registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)

Click Continue.

Unfortunately, we can’t provide a guide for every domain name registrar in this post but thankfully Google has already done this.

Search for your domain name registrar instructions here, otherwise try contacting your domain name registrar directly.

Once you’ve added this TXT record to your domain name records return to the verification page and click Verify My Domain.

Stay logged in to your domain name registrar, we’ll back there in Step 4.

Step 3: Create other users (optional)

After verifying your domain name, you have the option to create more users for other team members or departments.

If you only need one user then you can skip to Step 4 below.

Otherwise, click Create then Continue and then Add Another User.

Once you’ve added all the users you need click Continue.

The difference between a new user and an email alias is that the latter is attached to an existing inbox.

For example, if I created support@domain.com as an alias of contact@domain.com then all the emails I receive will go into the one inbox.

The benefit of aliases is that you can add as many as you want for free, new users cost extra.

Step 4: Add MX records to your domain name

Finally, we need to add the MX records to our domain name.

Click Activate.

G Suite Activate

Then check both confirmation boxes that appear and click Continue.

Revisit your domain name registrar and add the Google MX records to your domain name.

Google has provided instructions for all major domain name registrars here, otherwise try contacting your domain name registrar directly.

After adding the Google MX records to your domain name return to the Google Workspace page and click Activate Gmail.

You’re Good To Go!

Now that you’re all setup you get access to the Google Workspace Admin Console with your 14-day free trial.

Don’t forget to setup and add your billing details before your trial expires so you don’t experience any interruption in service.

Now that you’ve got a Google Workspace custom email you may want to look into creating a Google Business Profile listing to allow your customers to easily find you on Google Search & Maps

Find out how you can quickly setup a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) listing.

If you have any other questions about Google Workspace or custom email addresses please don’t hesitate to reach out.

To your success,
Jackson