Once you’ve chosen the best hosting plan for you, registered a domain name, and created your website, the next logical thing to do is to create an email address for you and your team (if you have one). The emails that are connected to your domain name differ from the ones that everyone might register for free on the net, as they are more professional and naturally more trustworthy.
Related: How to Register a Domain Name: The Right Way
Depending on the size of the business or the target groups that you have, you might need more than one email address. The basic one is the email address that will get all the emails from the contact form on the Contact Us page. Others might include your email, an email that you will use to reach out to other businesses, an email for separate issues, like support@yourdomain.com, etc.
Related: Contact Page: 5 Reasons You Absolutely Need One on Your Website
No matter how many emails you have, you will need an Email Client to be able to read your inbox.
What is an Email Client
An email client is a software application that enables users to manage their email accounts. It allows you to send, receive, and organize email messages without needing to use a web browser to access your email service provider’s web interface. Email clients can be either desktop applications, web-based applications, or mobile apps.
Key features of email clients include:
- Email Management: Users can organize emails into folders or categories, flag emails for follow-up, and search through their email archives.
- Multiple Account Integration: Many email clients allow users to manage multiple email accounts from different providers within a single interface.
- Offline Access: Desktop and mobile email clients can store emails locally, allowing users to read and compose emails without an internet connection. The changes are synchronized with the email server once the connection is restored.
- Attachments: Users can easily attach files to their emails and download attachments from incoming emails.
- Customization: Email clients often offer a variety of settings for customization, including layout preferences, signature setups, and rules for automatic email handling.
- Security Features: Many email clients include built-in security features such as spam filtering, phishing protection, and encryption options to enhance email privacy and security.
Popular examples of email clients include Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, and for mobile devices, apps like Gmail and Outlook Mobile. Web-based email clients like Gmail and Outlook.com can also be considered email clients, though they operate within a web browser.
Popular Email Clients
Microsoft Outlook
- Overview: Microsoft Outlook is a part of the Microsoft Office suite, known for its comprehensive email management capabilities. It’s widely used in corporate environments due to its integration with Microsoft Exchange Server and Office 365, offering robust support for email, calendars, contacts, tasks, and more.
- Key Features: Outlook provides advanced email organization, search, and filtering capabilities. It includes a calendar to manage appointments and meetings, task management features, contact management, and the ability to work with multiple email accounts. Outlook also offers extensive customization options, including rules for automatic email handling, custom themes, and add-ins for enhanced functionality.
- Platforms: Desktop (Windows, macOS), Web, and Mobile (iOS, Android).
Related: How to Configure Your Email Account in Microsoft Outlook?
Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla’s Thunderbird is among the most popular desktop-based email clients.
- Overview: Mozilla Thunderbird is a free and open-source email client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. It’s known for its flexibility, security features, and support for various email protocols and extensions.
- Key Features: Thunderbird offers easy setup for email accounts, news feed subscriptions, and chat. It has strong privacy and security measures, including phishing protection and support for various encryption standards. Users can customize Thunderbird with themes and add-ons, and it also provides features like tabbed email, an integrated RSS reader, and smart folders.
- Platforms: Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux).
Related: How to Configure Your Email Account in Mozilla Thunderbird?
Apple Mail
- Overview: Apple Mail, also known simply as Mail, is the default email client included with macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices. It offers a straightforward, user-friendly interface and integration with Apple’s ecosystem.
- Key Features: Apple Mail supports iCloud Mail as well as other email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo! Mail. It offers features like VIP mailboxes, which prioritize emails from important contacts, and integration with Siri for voice commands. Apple Mail also provides a Focus mode to filter notifications based on current activity, and it works seamlessly across all Apple devices.
- Platforms: macOS, iOS, iPadOS.
Related: How to Configure My Email Account in Apple Mail?
Gmail (Mobile App and Web)
Gmail is one of the most popular web-based email clients.
- Overview: Gmail, developed by Google, started as a web-based email service and has expanded to include mobile applications. It’s known for its large storage capacity, powerful search capabilities, and integration with Google’s suite of applications like Google Drive, Docs, and Calendar.
- Key Features: Gmail offers robust spam filtering, categorization of emails into tabs (Primary, Social, Promotions), and support for email scheduling and confidential mode, which allows sending emails that expire. It also includes smart replies and nudges to follow up on emails. The mobile app provides a consistent experience with the web service, offering offline access and notification management.
- Platforms: Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
Conclusion
No matter what type of website you have, having a contact form is a must. Even for personal blogs, it is recommended to let people give you their opinions. That will both inspire you and help you understand how you are doing what you are doing.
To let people communicate with you, you need to have an email client. Without an email client, you won’t be able to send, nor receive emails.
