Gmail blocking my formidable forms responses

Hi @dan426

To begin, please note that Formidable Forms does not send emails directly, but rather composes the message and passes it to WordPress for sending. Therefore, troubleshooting issues with email delivery requires checking your WordPress email-sending configuration.

In most cases where email issues are reported, we find that emails leave the website correctly but are sanitized or deleted before delivery by internet spam protection measures. Spam protection rules are constantly getting stricter, and a form can sometimes stop working without any changes on your website.

If you’re currently not using an SMTP plugin to send your emails, I highly recommend installing and configuring one. Most SMTP plugins will do the job, but I’d suggest looking for one that includes message logging. One such free SMTP plugin that I’m aware of is called “Post SMTP.”

Using SMTP to send your messages can make them appear more legitimate than the built-in WordPress mail service, which can help them pass spam filters.

It’s also important to ensure that your email messages are configured correctly. Here are eight essential things to check:

• The SUBJECT line should not be blank.
• The FROM address MUST match the domain of your website. It’s best to set up a dedicated email for this, such as [email protected].
• The TO address should never match the FROM address as this looks unusual and can trigger spam deletion.
• If you specify a REPLY-TO address, it should never match the TO address.
• While you can include multiple addresses in your TO field, it’s best to use the CC and BCC fields for additional recipients.
• Many spam filters are triggered by too many recipients in one email. For large lists (50 or more recipients), consider a service like Sendgrid or SendInBlue.
• Minimize the number of links you include. Email messages with lots of links may trigger spam filters.
• Finally, contact your hosting provider and ask if the SPF record for your email address is properly configured.

Please let me know if this helps.

Best,

Nathanael

Thanks for your help! I have managed to get by Gmails filters but now the responses are coming in with HTML code. I changed settings to plain text which is better but not acceptable, since the entire entry is run together on one line and still hard to read.
How can I get the HTML to come through correctly? I installed the Post SMTP plugin but it requires an API key from SendInBlue. I tried to signup for an account but the signup page will not load.

Hi @dan426,

Emails coming through with HTML code is a sign that they are still being sanitized as spam. The SMTP plugin can be connected directly to the SMTP service in your hosting, and this is often quicker and easier than Sendinblue.

If you reach out to your hosting provider they can show you how to find the SMTP connection details in your account, and the POST SMTP support team will be able to help if you have any difficulty using those connection details.

Best,
Nathanael