With more and more people and businesses going online, communication has changed drastically. Long gone are the days of greeting customers face-to-face. To be successful, online businesses must still find ways to communicate with customers, and the best tried and true method online is via email.
When considering email accounts, a business must first determine their website goals and content. The hosting company you choose will offer either free email hosting or managed, fee based hosting with many extra email features.
The email needs for websites containing basic information or company credentials are not as in-depth as those of large websites with storefronts and major servicing criteria. For basic sites, setting up one standard email address will serve the company's needs and allow marketing to be as simple as printing the one address on the company business card.
Although web-hosting companies offer multiple and sometimes unlimited email accounts with a hosting package, large websites with retail sales will need to have a dedicated, fee-based email system. Standard web hosted email accounts do not provide stability to ensure that your email will not get stuck in cyberspace as their management systems change frequently.
Companies looking to develop their online presence by opt-in email, newsletters and even an email office network need look no further than email services such as Gmail, FastMail, Yahoo and more.
Google introduced user chat to their email system along with search and storage features. Their Gmail product also includes Google advertisements, POP access and a web-based interface. Yahoo provides filter software for Spam in their email package while AOL has an instant messenger service with large storage and spam filtering. A new provider on the email scene is Goowy that provides a software application that you download to your computer desktop that includes games, data feed and calendar feature.
With so many features and perks available in email hosting services, make sure to shop around for the best for your company.