Google Cloud Apps for Domains : How to Setup

Google Cloud Apps for Domains is multifaceted, it has some free offers like Custom Domain Email with limited features to Cloud Apps for power applications. Prevously we have published various on Google Cloud Apps, like Google Cloud Storage.
Most basic users usually use Google Email service – GMail for custom domain names while the other options are more robust. Most Google Cloud Apps are freemium apps – limited on features with the free option and robust with paid option. In this article, we will discuss two aspects – first is whether you will use Google Cloud Apps for domains and if yes, how you can start using these Google Cloud Apps for domains. This will cover dual aspects.

Whether you will use Google Cloud Apps for Domains or not

Situation 1 : You have just another website and do not have mail server with your hosting service

You have just another website and do not have mail server with your hosting service or it is underpowered, definitely Google Cloud Apps for domains is a far better and probably the only option.

Situation 2 : Your website has Cloud based mail server with your hosting service

If you are using good web hosting which has bundled enough for you mail server and other services, like some plans of Rackspace has or our Managed WordPress Cloud Hosting (running pilot projects at the time of writing) has some good Cloud based services those are enough for you, there is no need to use Google Cloud Apps for domains. You are already paying for the similar service in that bundled package.

Situation 3 : You are running an Enterprise and thinking for Google Cloud Apps

For our Managed WordPress Cloud Hosting, you need not to decide anything as we will add Premium Google Cloud Apps for you, understanding your usage. For the Rackspace users, there are various free and paid quite good third party services too.

How to setup Google Cloud Apps for Domains

This is what probably you were searching for – Google Cloud Apps for Domains. We are taking that you are in Situation 1 model and that is the sole reason for seeking Google Cloud Apps for Domains. The perspective of writing for Situation 2 and 3 will differ, although technically the things remains at some level same for any Google Cloud Apps for Domains.

The new Google Cloud Apps for domains has changed a bit in look, you can get started with Google Cloud Apps for Domain by clicking here. After signing up, you have to verify the domain ownership by adding record from your domain control panel and you need to change the MX records with Google’s one.

Step 1 of getting started with Google Cloud Apps for Domains

Click Submit and fill the form properly. After doing everything rightly, you will be on a page of Google Cloud Apps for Domains. You will get two options – Custom and Express as pop up Window. We are showing Custom one on this guide on Google Cloud Apps for domains. So we are here now :

We have already verified our domain, so Google Cloud Apps for domains is showing us as verified. Click the Set up your apps link to get started with Google Cloud Apps :

Just keep everything as default (you can change later) in your Google Cloud Apps setup and click the next buttons until you reach here :

Select your domain host and click Next :

And no further settings is required for Google Cloud Apps of this example – this is Gmail for custom domain name. You have to login to your server account and add the MX records. This is very simple step for Google Cloud Apps for domains setup and if you can not add MX records to complete the setup of Google Cloud Apps for domains, just ask your web host or determine what control you have and search with the appropriate words.

Here is an overview video of Google Cloud Apps for Domains, it is not a how to for Google Cloud Apps for Domains, still worth watching :