Custom Email Setup Guide for New Travel Blogger Websites

Updated 2026-05-26 · Hosting Reviews

Starting a travel blog is an exciting venture, but if you want to turn it into a business, you need to look the part. One of the easiest ways to lose credibility with tourism boards and hotel PR managers is to pitch them using a generic Gmail or Yahoo address. To land sponsorships and build a loyal audience, you need a **custom email for travel bloggers** that matches your website name. This guide walks you through exactly how to register a domain and set up professional email without wasting money on expensive enterprise tools.

The Importance of a Custom Email for Travel Bloggers

When you are just starting out, every detail counts. Using an address like jessica.travels2024@gmail.com signals that you are a hobbyist. Conversely, using jessica@wanderlustchronicles.com signals that you are a professional brand. Trust is the currency of the travel blogging world. If you want brands to pay you for a hotel stay or a campaign, they need to know you are legitimate. A professional email address is the first step in establishing that authority.

Domain & Business Email: Getting Started

Before you can create your email, you need a home for it. This falls under Domain & Business Email, which refers to the process of registering your website’s name (the domain) and connecting a professional inbox to it. You do not need to buy these services separately. In fact, the most cost-effective method is to bundle them.

Most beginners overcomplicate this by buying a domain from one company and hosting from another. This leads to DNS headaches and higher renewal fees. Ideally, you want a provider that offers both the domain registration and the email hosting infrastructure in one dashboard. This simplifies the technical setup, specifically the DNS records that tell the internet where to deliver your mail.

Choosing the Right Hosting Plan

When selecting a provider, you will see terms like Shared, VPS, and Cloud hosting. For a new travel blog, you do not need VPS or Cloud hosting. Those are for high-traffic sites with complex technical needs. You need Shared Hosting.

Shared hosting means your website lives on a server alongside other websites, sharing the resources. It is the most affordable option and perfectly capable of handling the traffic a new blogger receives. You should expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $15 per month for a quality shared hosting plan that includes a free domain name for the first year. Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true, and always check the renewal rates, as intro prices often increase after the first term.

This is where Hostinger shines for beginners. They offer affordable shared hosting plans that are optimized for WordPress. You get fast servers, which is crucial for a photo-heavy travel blog, and a free SSL certificate to keep your visitors secure. Their setup process is designed for people who aren’t IT experts, allowing you to get your site online quickly.

Step-by-Step: Configuring Your Address

Once you have purchased your hosting and claimed your domain, setting up the actual email address is usually a matter of a few clicks. Here is the general process you will follow with most modern hosts, including Hostinger:

1. Log in to your hosting dashboard (often called hPanel or cPanel).
2. Navigate to the Email section. Look for an icon labeled "Email Accounts" or "Business Email."
3. Create the account. Enter the name you want (e.g., info@ or yourname@) and set a strong password.
4. Choose an access method. You can use webmail to check messages in your browser, but most pros set up the account in an external client like Outlook, Gmail, or Apple Mail using IMAP/SMTP settings provided by the host.

DNS Essentials and Security Basics

To ensure your emails actually land in inboxes and not spam folders, you need to understand a tiny bit about DNS (Domain Name System). When you create your email, your host usually automatically configures the MX (Mail Exchange) records. These records tell other email servers where to deliver messages sent to your domain.

However, for the best deliverability—meaning your pitch emails actually reach PR managers—you should look into SPF and DKIM records. These are text entries in your DNS settings that verify you are authorized to send email from your domain. If you use a quality host like Hostinger, they often provide a toggle or simple wizard to enable these security features automatically. If you are setting this up manually, your host's support documentation will provide the exact records to copy and paste.

FAQ

Can I just use Gmail and forward it?

While you can set up forwarding, it is better to use a proper business email solution. Forwarding often looks unprofessional if the recipient checks the email headers, and you cannot send emails *from* your custom address using just a standard free Gmail account. You need Google Workspace or a host-provided email service to send and receive as @yourdomain.com.

How many email accounts do I need?

For a solo travel blog, you usually only need one or two. Start with yourname@yourdomain.com for personal outreach and info@yourdomain.com or contact@yourdomain.com for general inquiries or newsletter signups. Most hosting plans allow you to create multiple accounts at no extra cost.

Is custom email included in hosting?

Most reputable hosting plans include email functionality for free, but storage space varies. Some providers limit you to 1 or 2 email accounts or a small amount of storage space (like 500MB). Hostinger typically offers generous limits or unlimited email accounts on their standard plans, which is ideal for storing high-res photos or attachments exchanged with brands.