⚠️ Warning (October 2026): this method stops working in January 2027. Google is removing Gmail’s “Send mail as” feature for third-party addresses — including custom domains like chris@ibeck.com — on the web and in the Gmail mobile apps, whichever SMTP server the address uses. Receiving mail forwarded by ImprovMX into Gmail is not affected; only sending as your branded address from Gmail is.

• Google: Learn about changes to third-party email account support in Gmail
• ImprovMX: Alternatives to Gmail’s “Send mail as”

You just set up your new organization and you have your spiffy new web site. You look like a pro, now you need to communicate like a pro.

For this example, I’m using the ibeck.com domain to send email as chris@ibeck.com rather than my Gmail address.

It takes 2 things to pull that off:

1. Create my branded chris@ibeck.com email addresses with improvmx.com
2. Configure Gmail to use my newly branded email address.

Gmail account settings

1. Go into Gmail and click on the Settings option.

1. Now click on the See All Settings option.
2. You will see a navigation bar at the top of the page. Click on the Accounts and Import option:
3. You will get a screen like this:

1. Now click on the Add another email address link:

1. Enter your Name and Email Address
2. Ensure that Treat as Alias is checked
3. Click on Next Step

1. Add smtp.improvmx.com as your SMTP Server on port 587
2. Enter your full branded address as the Username — e.g. chris@ibeck.com (ImprovMX)
3. Enter the Password that I’ve provided you in a DM
4. Use Secure connection using TLS
5. Click on Add Account

1. Click on Close Window
2. Now go to your Gmail Inbox and look for confirmation email like this:

1. Click on the Confirmation Link

1. Then click on the Confirm button
2. Your settings should look like this

1. Click Make Default to make your new email your default