Domain Email

Mad River Web offers domain email service on the FastMail platform at rates comparable to Gmail for Business (GSuite) and other choices. This platform was chosen after extensive research (for our own use) and provides exceptional spam filtering. Why not buy local?

Pros and Cons:

• If you use email software in your computer (and rarely use webmail), either service will work well. Robust documentation is available on our platform.
• If you regularly use GMail’s webmail interface and/or other Google tools, you may prefer to have us point your domain name MX records to Google and use their business email.
• Domain email accounts can easily be added to tablets and phones. Our service requires creating an “app” for each device for optimum security. Gmail may be simpler to set up. We provide limited setup support because robust documentation is available.

Mad River Web recommends using your domain name in your email address, whether it is set up as an alias or a pop/IMAP account. The numerous advantages are as follows:

• You are continually reinforcing your company name and domain name — marketing your firm rather than your ISP. Go into “Tools Accounts” or “Tools Options” in your email program and change the “from” and “reply-to” addresses to reflect your domain email address(es). If you need assistance, contact your ISP.
• If you decide to change internet services someday, the change in your email will be transparent. You’re network of prospects, clients and business associates will already have your domain email and it can be reprogrammed as needed. Analogy: your mailing address does not change if you move your place of business and you have a PO box. If your “network” has been using an actual email address, encourage them to use an alias/domain email address, and try to allow 6 to 12 months before changing or discontinuing services.
• Some places where you list your website do not allow a link to your website, or do not allow you to visibly display your URL. An alias/domain email address accomplishes the not-so-subtle task of making your domain known so they can type it in themselves.
• Domain email allows you to do targeted marketing and promotions. You can display a specific email address such as [email protected] to offer a special price, for example, only honoring it when people write to you using that address. This allows you to measure the effectiveness of specific marketing efforts.
• Domain email allows you to track abuse, too, if you use specific accounts or aliases for specific uses such as on other websites.

Occasionally an ISP’s email server programming is inadvertently changed, causing you to lose or temporarily lose emails. If you use your domain email on a regular basis, you would notice a disruption in email service quickly. In most cases, the lost emails are “hung” on the server and can be retrieved. For this reason, we suggest you establish a REGULAR schedule of testing all distinct email aliases or accounts. (This applies to forms, too—test the forms on your website once per month.)

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