Email Plus Addressing: A Beginner's Guide (Part 1 of 2) (Copy)
Ever wondered how to take control of your inbox and track who's sharing your email address? Let me introduce you to a game-changing email trick called + addressing.
In this first part of our two-part series, we'll cover the basics and show you how to get started with this powerful yet simple feature.
What is Plus Addressing?
Think of it as creating unlimited variations of your email address while still receiving everything in your main inbox. Here’s how it works:
If your email is johnsmith@gmail.com, you can add +anything after your name, like:
✅ johnsmith+shopping@gmail.com
✅ johnsmith+social@gmail.com
All these variations still deliver emails to you, but now you can easily track who’s using your address.
Does It Work With My Email?
✅ Gmail
✅ Microsoft 365
✅ Yahoo Mail
✅ Most major email providers
Getting Started: The Basics
Here are some simple ways to use plus addressing:
📦 Online Shopping
Instead of your regular email, try youremail+shopping@gmail.com. Now you can spot if a retailer shares your email with third parties.
📰 Newsletters
Use youremail+news@gmail.com for signups. If you start getting spam, you’ll know exactly which newsletter sold your data!
📱 Social Media
Try youremail+social@gmail.com for all your social accounts—great for managing notifications.
Simple Business Uses
Even if you're just getting started, plus addressing has useful business applications:
📂 Shared Inboxes
Use variations like:
admin+backup@company.com → for backup alerts
admin+security@company.com → for security notifications
💼 Client Communications
Create dedicated addresses like projects+clientname@company.com to keep everything organised.
Pro Tip: Combine plus addressing with email filters to automatically sort incoming messages into folders. It’s like having a personal email assistant!
🔹 Quick Tips for Success
✔ Test it first—send yourself a test email with a plus address
✔ Start simple—begin with one or two categories
✔ Be consistent with your naming system
✔ Watch out—some websites may not accept the + symbol (though most modern ones do)
Coming Up in Part 2...
In the next part, we’ll explore:
🔐 Security applications
🔄 Integration with business systems
⚙ Power Automate & automation possibilities
📂 Advanced filtering techniques
...and much more!
For now, try using a plus address on your next online signup and see how it works for you. This small trick can make a big difference in managing your inbox.
Got questions or cool use cases to share? Send us an email info@viendo.net
