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What Is Email & How Does It Work?

Email is something we all use, but few of us think about how it actually works. This page explains it in plain language — and why email on your own domain is worth having.

Email is a message sent between computers

When you send an email, it's a message that travels from your device to a mail server, which routes it to the recipient's mail server, where it waits in their inbox until they check it.

It's like sending a letter through the postal system — but instant, and delivered to a mailbox.

The two parts of an email address

An email address like you@yourbusiness.com has two parts:

  • you — the mailbox name (the person or department).
  • yourbusiness.com — the domain, which identifies where the mailbox lives.

That's why an email on your own domain looks professional: it says the mailbox belongs to your business, not a free service.

How email works (simplified)

  1. You type a message and hit Send.
  2. Your device sends it to your outgoing mail server (SMTP).
  3. The server finds the recipient's incoming mail server (via DNS records) and delivers it.
  4. The recipient's server stores it in their inbox (IMAP/POP3).
  5. They open it in their email app or webmail.

Why use email on your own domain?

  • Trust. you@yourbusiness.com looks far more credible than yourbusiness@gmail.com.
  • Ownership. You control the mailbox; it stays with your business, not a third party.
  • Branding. It reinforces your business name on every message you send.

How to set it up

Want to keep email out of spam? See Email deliverability — it explains the records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) that help your email land in the inbox.