Having a website is important to build your online presence in the digital landscape. After all, many customers visit the website before making the purchase. However, is it enough to assist with brand building? Absolutely not. 

Whether you are a small business or enterprise, it is essential to have a custom domain email address that represents your brand. For instance, joe@glimpsedigital.com. You can create many email addresses with your custom domain name for your employees. The addresses can be used for internal communication and for sending marketing emails, even cold emails, to collect lead information.

When it comes to setting up business email accounts, Outlook is the best option. With Outlook, you can create your personal account with a Microsoft email domain and build your business email account with Outlook's custom domain. Let’s see how you can do both.

How do you Create an Email Address with a Microsoft Email Domain?

Outlook, a part of Microsoft’s offerings, allows businesses to set up business email accounts even if they don’t have a custom domain. If you want to create your personalized email address for your business, you can utilize Microsoft’s email domain which is .onmicrosoft.com. Let’s look at the steps of how to set up Outlook with a Microsoft email domain: 

Step 1. Visit the website and click on Buy Now. 

Step 2. Choose your desired plan and click on Buy Now. 

Step 3. Now, you will have to enter your existing email address.

Step 4. You must enter your personal and company details, such as your first and last name, company name, and company size. 

Step 5. When you click on Next, you can set up your business email account using the Microsoft email domain. 

Step 6. Now, you will have to complete the payment details. Once everything is done, you can explore and use Outlook for business purposes with a Microsoft email address. 

This process was to set up Outlook with a Microsoft email domain. Still, if you use Outlook for business purposes, it might not allow a professional to send emails with a Microsoft domain. Let’s understand how to set up a Microsoft 365 account and utilize Outlook with a custom domain. 

How do you Set Up Email with Outlook Domain?

Just like other business email platforms, Microsoft Outlook allows you to create and purchase your custom domain. If you sign up to Google Workspace or Zoho, you can purchase your custom email domain while creating your account. This is possible with Microsoft Outlook, and you choose from the top TLDs, like .biz, .cloud, .com, .info, .me, .mobi, .net, .org, .tv, .co.uk, and org.uk. 

Besides, you have the option to bring your own custom domain. You will have to first register and purchase a custom domain with an independent domain registrar and then proceed with registering for Outlook with a custom domain. Here’s how you can: 

Step 1: Visit the Microsoft 365 website and select Your Microsoft 365 Plan.

Visit Microsoft 365’s website to start with the process. Review the respective plans that come with Outlook business email. All you need to do is click ‘Microsoft 365’ at the top of the page and choose the “For Business” button. This will show you the pricing plans for business users. 

Step 2: Compare the Microsoft Outlook Business Email Plans

Choose the plan that you require and click on the “Buy now” button. Each of these plans comes with a 30-day free trial:

The four plans offered by Outlook include:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($6 per user/month)
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard ($12.50 per user/month)
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($22 per user/month)
• Microsoft 365 Apps for Business ($8.25 per user/month)

Step 3: Connect Your Outlook Custom Domain or Purchase One

For the business email setup in Microsoft 365 Outlook, you must either connect an existing business domain name or buy a new one. 

1. Select “Use a domain name you already own.” If you already have a domain, enter your domain name in the bar and click “Verify ownership.” This helps you begin the domain verification process.
2. However, if you want to buy a new domain, select “Buy a new domain name” or purchase one directly from Microsoft by selecting “Get a Microsoft domain for now.”  

Step 4: Create Your Business Email Address

Next, you will be prompted to create your email user ID and confirm a password to complete the email setup process. This is how you eventually start using Outlook. The user ID is usually the username that you may want to use for your official email address (e.g., yourname@yourdomain.com).

You may need to learn more about choosing a professional or business email address format if you’re unsure what to use for your email ID. After confirming the credentials, click the “Sign up” button.

The format you decide on for your business email in Outlook is important to maintain brand consistency in the future.

Step 5: Complete Your Purchase

After verifying your domain and creating your email address, you will be asked to input the number of accounts you want to purchase. This is where you can add any additional users for your specific business under the same plan.

Step 6: Add payment Method

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The last step is to add your respective payment and billing details to the business email setup process. Click on “Add payment method,” like a credit card, and enter the payment details to complete the signup process. This will create your account and land you on the Office 365 dashboard.

Steps to Use Outlook with a Custom Domain

You must follow these steps to integrate and effectively use Outlook for all your business communications. This applies once you have set up your business email with an Outlook custom domain:

Step 1: Sign in to Your Microsoft 365 Account

• Open your web browser to navigate to the Microsoft 365 login page.
• Enter your newly created business email address (e.g., yourname@yourdomain.com) and password to sign in.

Step 2: Access Outlook

• Go to the Outlook app from the Microsoft 365 dashboard after you log in to your account.
• You can also access the account directly by going to Outlook.com and logging in with your business email credentials. You can change the look of Outlook if you want to personalize it your way. 

Step 3: Configure Email Settings

• Go to Settings (gear icon) in the upper right corner of Outlook.
• Select View all Outlook settings, which you will find at the bottom.
• Go to Mail > Sync email.
• Ensure your custom domain email settings are configured correctly. This includes setting up IMAP/SMTP settings if needed. However, most configurations should be handled automatically by Microsoft 365.

Step 4: Set Up Email Signatures

• Go to Mail > Compose and reply in the settings section. 
• Create and set your Outlook email signature to ensure all outgoing emails have a professional and consistent format.
• Include essential details such as your name, position, company name, and contact information.

Step 5: Organize Your Inbox with Rules and Folders

• Use the Rules feature to sort all your incoming emails into specific folders. This is usually based on criteria such as subject, sender, or keywords.
• Create folders for different projects, departments, or clients to keep your inbox organized.

Step 6: Integrate Calendar and Contacts

• Import your existing calendar and contacts to ensure all information is centralized.
• Use the Calendar feature to schedule meetings, set reminders, and share your calendar with colleagues.
• Keep your Contacts updated to facilitate effective communication within and outside the organization.

Step 7: Utilize Outlook Add-ins

• Enhance your Outlook experience by installing add-ins that integrate with other business tools you use.
• Popular add-ins include those for task management, CRM, and project management.

Step 8: Mobile and Desktop Applications

• Download and install the Outlook mobile app on your smartphone or tablet to stay connected on the go.
• Install the Outlook desktop application for Windows or Mac. This helps ensure you can access your business email even without a web browser.

Step 9: Security and Compliance

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) so that there is extra security.
• Update your password regularly to make sure it is strong and unique.
• Use Microsoft 365’s security features, such as Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP), to protect your communications and data.

Step 10: Training and Support

• Provide training sessions for your team to familiarize them with using Outlook effectively.
• Use Microsoft’s support resources and community forums for any technical issues or questions.

What Makes Neo a Better Option than Microsoft Email Domain?

Most Outlook users use the platform because it interfaces with the Microsoft suite and allows users to host a custom domain name on Outlook.com and create a custom email address with that domain name.

However, effective November 30th, 2023, the option to add a personalized email address to your Outlook mailbox has been discontinued for personal and family subscribers. You must opt for business plans to use a custom email domain in Outlook. 

This is where Neo comes in as a supportive platform for solopreneurs, small businesses, and entrepreneurs with small business needs. Here’s how users can consider trying Neo:

• Focus on Small Businesses: Neo is specifically designed for small businesses. That is why it offers features like appointment scheduling, email marketing tools, and a one-page website builder. These features might be particularly useful if you are a freelancer or entrepreneur.
• Cost: Neo offers free trial plans with custom domain email addresses. Besides, it allows you to create and purchase your own custom email domain for free with the .co.site domain extension. 
• Ease of Use: Neo is known for its user-friendly interface, which might be easier to explore for non-technical users. This makes it an efficient platform compared to setting up a custom domain with Microsoft 365.
• Growth Suite: Neo offers a "Growth Suite" with its paid plans. It often includes features like email marketing tools and website creation, which might be more cost-effective than acquiring these services separately.
• State-of-the-Art Tools: Neo regularly adds cutting-edge products to its portfolio to give companies a competitive advantage. Examples include Smart Write, which allows you to draft emails quickly, and a one-page website builder, which lets you create your own website and increase your online visibility.

Conclusion

Microsoft Outlook is one of the best email providers for businesses of all sizes. The process for setting up a business email with a Microsoft email domain may be straightforward. However, it doesn't offer the service of using Outlook with a custom domain anymore, which is why individuals and entities often look for an alternative platform that offers the same feature. 

You can use your custom domain with Neo, which offers advanced and varied features for sales, operations, marketing, customer service, and more. You also get your custom domain with a free one-page website for further use. Neo’s full suite of productivity and collaboration tools enables you to manage your business emails and tasks more efficiently. Get started with a free trial of Neo today to know more.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use my own business email address on Outlook?

Yes, you can create a Microsoft or Outlook.com account with a new business email address. You can also use your existing email address from a third-party email account to work on Outlook. Some common ones include Gmail or Yahoo emails. Yet, there are certain limitations to using these third-party email addresses as a primary alias for your Microsoft account. That is why using a Microsoft email domain for your business is recommended. 

2. How do you use a different domain on Outlook?

It is very easy to use a different domain on Microsoft Outlook. All you need to do is go to the settings section and click on the ‘Domains’ page. Then, you must also follow a couple of additional steps to confirm that you own that particular domain. Later, go to the users section to check the ‘active users’ page to check for the rest of the formalities.

3. Is there any better platform than the Microsoft email domain?

You will find several alternatives to the Outlook domain on the internet. One of them is Neo, a one-stop platform for all your business email requirements. This particular platform also offers you a custom email domain that often comes with a free one-page website. Apart from that, Neo also has some additional features to enhance your email management process. 

4. Can I use Microsoft Outlook for all kinds of business emails?

Yes, you can use the Outlook custom domain for any business email. This is because Microsoft is an email service provider offering its services to both businesses and individuals. Outlook is usually a free service for individuals. However, individuals or entities looking to use Outlook for business email may have to pay for all other additional features and functionalities.

5. Is Microsoft Outlook completely free?

Yes, Microsoft Outlook is completely free for use by any individual. However, it does have a paid version with additional features and functionalities. This premium version of the Outlook domain is suitable for entities who want to operate business emails from the platform.