If you’re setting up a business — even just as a freelancer or consultant — your domain, email, and DNS setup matter more than you think.

This guide breaks it down into practical steps. No jargon. No upsells. Just what you actually need to do to look professional, stay secure, and stay in control.

1. Register Your Domain — In Your Name

Your domain is the digital foundation of your business. It should:

  • Be registered using your own name and email
  • Be hosted with a reputable registrar
  • Be something you can access directly, not through a designer or agency

💡 See: Why You Shouldn’t Trust Your Domain to Your Web Designer

2. Set Up Email the Right Way

That old [email protected] address isn’t going to cut it once clients start paying you.

What you want:

  • An address like [email protected]
  • Hosted by Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
  • Properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

💡 See: How to Move from Gmail to a Branded Email Address
💡 See: SPF, DKIM, DMARC — The Email Security Trio Explained

3. Understand and Control Your DNS

DNS is what connects your domain to the services you use — like email, your website, and tools like Notion or Stripe.

At minimum, you need:

  • A DNS host you control (e.g. Cloudflare)
  • Accurate records:
    • MX (for email delivery)
    • TXT (for SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
    • CNAME / A (for website or services)

💡 See: What Is DNS and Why Does It Matter?

4. Secure It and Document Everything

Once things are working, don’t stop there.

Add:

  • TLS encryption (MTA-STS, SMTP TLS reporting)
  • Monitoring for expiry or delivery errors
  • A simple doc with:
    • Domain registrar login
    • DNS host login
    • Email admin login
    • What services are using the domain

💡 You can run a check on your current setup with ForgeScan

5. How Domain Forge Can Help

You don’t need to Google your way through DNS errors.

We offer:

  • Core and Secure packages to set everything up properly
  • ForgeFix to fix what’s broken (with a no fix = no fee promise)
  • ForgeScan to check domain health and email security
  • Full handover and documentation so you stay in control

✅ Download the Setup Checklist

Grab our one-page Domain Setup Checklist — ideal for freelancers, consultants, and anyone getting started right.

Need help getting set up?

If you're not sure what your business needs, we're here to help. 👉 Get started now