Claim Your Business Identity Online — All at Once

Your online identity is part of your business infrastructure. Set it up before your first order — not after. The goal is consistency: the same name and handle everywhere so customers can find you no matter where they look.

Step 1: Register Your Domain Name

Your domain name is your business address on the internet. Even if you’re not building a website right now, register it — someone else could claim it.

• Use Namecheap, Porkbun, or Google Domains
• Cost: $10–$15/year for a .com
• Try to get a .com — it’s still the most trusted extension for small businesses
• If your exact name isn’t available as a .com, add “bakery,” “bakes,” or your city: yourbakery.com, yournamebakes.com, yourbakeryNJ.com

Step 2: Claim Your Social Media Handles

Claim your handle on all platforms at the same time — even ones you don’t plan to use immediately. If you wait, someone else may take the name you want.

• Instagram — most important for food businesses
• Facebook — especially important for reaching local customers and joining groups
• TikTok — high reach potential for behind-the-scenes content
• Pinterest — evergreen traffic for food/recipe content

Try to match your domain name exactly. If “@SugarCrumbs” is taken, try “@SugarCrumbsBakery” or “@SugarCrumbsNJ.”

Step 3: Create a Business Gmail

Create a Gmail account using your business name: hello@[yourbusiness].com isn’t possible with regular Gmail — but yourbusiness@gmail.com works until you set up custom email hosting.

Never use your personal email for business. It looks unprofessional and makes it harder to track business correspondence.

Alternatively, if you’ve registered your domain, you can set up a free custom email through Google Workspace ($6/month) or use Zoho Mail (free for up to 5 accounts).

Step 4: Get a Google Voice Number

Google Voice gives you a free business phone number that rings to your cell. You give this number to customers and on business forms — never your personal number.

• Go to voice.google.com and sign in with your business Gmail
• Search for a number with your area code
• Set up voicemail with a professional greeting for your business
• Calls and texts come to the Google Voice app on your phone

This keeps your personal number private and gives you a professional separation between business calls and personal ones.