How to use a free SMTP server to send WordPress emails?

How to use a free SMTP server to send WordPress emails?

Do you receive spam WordPress emails? Are you not sure about the delivery of WordPress emails? Sending emails in WordPress is an easy task but it won’t happen without the help of an SMTP server. In default, WordPress uses the PHP mail function to send emails. Later, users face problems in sending spam emails and reliability. To ensure the delivery of WordPress emails, we recommend you use an SMTP server as the main configuration. The SMTP server is free to use so, don’t worry about its efficiency.

There is a situation where users often give a complain that WordPress emails are not delivering properly and sends spam mail. To get all your emails in your inbox, kindly use the SMTP server. As said, the PHP mail function is the default configuration for sending emails but the problem exists in WordPress hosting servers. Configuration takes in middle between the hosting servers and the default mail function may get wrong. It is a serious issue that the emails are landing in spam folders. Spam emails will be deleted automatically so that, you can’t see the emails anymore.

Get out from the problems which shake your business in reality! SMTP server gets the honor to establish as standard protocol. It not only leaves emails in inbox also, it examines the emails whether it is sent by an authorized person or not.

It is easy to connect WordPress and SMTP with the plugin namely WP mail SMTP. Lookout free versions are available in Plugin “WP mail SMTP”.

How to install the WP Mail SMTP plugin in WordPress?

Step 1:
Open the WordPress dashboard; choose the option “Plugin” available on the left side of the screen. The plugin will show you a few menus choose “add menu” from the list.

Step 2: Search for the plugin “WP mail SMTP” in the search box. Tap on the button install and activate it to configure settings.

Step 3: Now, go to the WP Mail SMTP and it shows you options like settings, email log, and about us. Choose “settings” to edit the account.

Step 4: The settings page will show to update from the name and email. If you send an email, the name and email address will be the ones which you updated from name and email.

Step 5: Check on the box “Force from Email” so that, we can confirm that the mail address updated from email is used for sending emails in WordPress. It happens with the help of an SMTP server.

Step 6: Select SMTP mailing service from the below-listed choice:

  • Default one
  • SMTP.com
  • Sendinblue
  • Mailgun
  • SendGrid
  • Amazon SES
  • Gmail
  • Outlook
  • Zoho mail
  • Other SMTP
An SMTP server acts as the interface to send WordPress emails using Seninblue, Gmail, MailGun, and SendGrid.

Sendinblue WordPress emails:

It is possible to send more than 300 emails from your website to the opposite person in one day. It’s a good deal right!

Step 1: Go to the Sendinblue website for account creation and select the subscription plan as per your need. There are four types of the plan such as free plan, Lite, premium, and enterprise.

Step 2: We recommend you to go along with the free plans at starting. Once if you select the free plan, it asks you to enter the code which is sent in your email.

Step 3: After entering the -code, the website will redirect to the dashboard. It is a must to create a subdomain for your website. For this, you need to visit the hosting account for subdomain creation.

Step 4: If your hosting account is HostingIndia, search for the domain present on the left side of the page. It shows a drop-down list such as my domain, register, assign, redirect, transfer, subdomain, and zone editor.

Step 5: Choose a subdomain for creating a subdomain. Enter the subdomain name and tap on the button create. Now, your subdomain has been created in HostingIndia. By now, it’s time to add the subdomain in the Sendinblue dashboard.

Step 6: Go to Sendinblue dashboard, tap on the option “settings” and so, you can see the settings such as default settings, test list, unsubscribe pages, global calculated values, webhooks, and your senders and domains.

Step 7: Choose “your senders and domains” and then tap on the button “configure” present below. It redirects to another page where you can see the button “Add a new domain”. Enter the subdomain that you created in your HostingIndia account.

Step 8: Check the box “I would like to use this domain name to digitally sign the emails” and tap on the Save button. A pop-up message will be displayed in front of you to ensure the domain name. Before hosting a file is the default option but now it has changed the method to create an HTML file and upload it by using FTP.

Step 9: Check on the below option “add a DNS entry” so that, it will make your process easy by getting the code for verifying the subdomain. Go to your web hosting account to choose a DNS record for viewing the TXT.

Step 10: Create a DNS TXT record newly so, you will get a code in Sendinblue for creating TXT data or TXT value. Save all the processes in your hosting account and then tap the button “record added please verify it” in the Sendinblue account.

Step 11: DNS record requires 2 or 3 days to change so, in meantime create DNS TXT record two more. By creating DNS, Sendinblue will get assurance that the emails are sent from the authenticated users.

Step 12: Tap on the button “manage” and then click on the button “authenticate”. After clicking on the button authenticate, a pop-up message will be displayed in front of you to show the DNS details.

Step 13: Add the two DNS record created at first and third you have added it already. No need to add the DNS record created 4th time. Now verify the record in the web hosting account by tapping on the button “record added please verify it”.

Step 14: Now, go to the WP mail SMTP setting page and then go to the API key box. Below, you can see the link called “Get v3 API Key” to copy the API key. Enter the API key in the WP mail SMTP setting and then tap on the button “Save settings”.

That’s it! Wait for the response of Sendinblue account creation.

Gmail SMTP server WordPress emails:

There are no rules or regulations for using an SMTP server in Gmails.

Step 1: Go to the WordPress dashboard, click on the WP mail SMTP to get the settings page. Choose Gmail as the acting interface and start entering the details such as client ID, client secret, authorized redirect URL, and authorization.

Step 2: Go to the website “Google developer’s console” and go through the terms and conditions properly. Tap on the button “create project” and start entering the name of the project as your wish. Now, you can see the project name displayed in the name you created in the dashboard.

Step 3: Tap on the + button “Enable APIS AND SERVICES”. It will redirect to the API library where you must type as GMAIL. Refresh it for proper fetch and then select Gmail API.

Step 4: Check the details on the Gmail API and tap on the button “enable”. API takes seconds for enabling so go to the next section to create credentials. Tap the button present at the right side of the page “Create credentials”.

Step 5: It redirects to another page, where you enter information’s like API you are using, API calls from, and data access. Choose Gmail API for API you are using for, Web browser (Javascript) for API calls from, and User data for data access. Again, tap on the button “what credentials do I need?”.

Step 6: By now, you will see a pop-up message to display the OAuth consent screen it opens in a new tab. The OAuth consent screen will ask you to click on internal or external. Choose the option “external” and then click “create”.

Step 7: After clicking on the create button, enter the app name, and choose user support email. Now, go to the section “authorized domains” and then tap on the button “add domain”. Enter the email address and don’t forget to tap on the button “save and continue”.

Step 8: Now, you are in the section “Test users”. Tap on the button “add users” and select the Gmail address you would like to use. Again, save it!! Set up the project credentials by entering the name or just leave it by the default name.

Step 9: Enter the domain name in an authorized Javascript origins box and enter the redirect URL in authorized redirect URL’s. Tap on the button “refresh” and then select “create OAuth client ID”.

Step 10: Google web application is created!! Finally, tap on the button “done”. Your web application is visible in a credential section so start editing it by clicking on the pencil icon button.

Step 11: Copy and paste the client secret and client ID into the WP mail SMTP settings page. Save the process by taping on the button “Save settings”. Refresh the page and tap on the button “allow the plugin to send emails using your Google account”.

Step 12: Select email after getting the pop-up message. A warning message will be displayed and then tap on “advanced link”. Again tap on “Go to wpmailsmtp.com link” and then the pop-up message will be displayed by saying deny or allow.

Step 13: Tap on the button “allow” and then you will receive a message stating “Google API project is linked successfully”.

MailGun SMTP Server WordPress emails:

One of the top-most email providers SMTP is MailGun. In terms of 3 months, you can send 5000 emails monthly. It's free!!

Step 1: Go to the website “MailGun” and then click on the button “start sending”. It redirects you to do account sign up. Enter your card details for payment if you are about to use emails of more than 5000 monthly.

Step 2: Next, tap on the button “create account” and then check your dashboard. Before starting the work, check your inbox for verifying the MailGun mail account. Click on the link to activate the MailGun account.

Note: You will get another email by saying the API key is added to the MailGun account. For verification, it will ask you to enter the mobile number.

Step 3: Again, create a subdomain for the website by using a website hosting account. Go to the domain and then select sub domain option. It will ask you to create a new domain by clicking on the button “add new domain”.

Step 4: Enter the subdomain created in the website hosting account in the MailGun dashboard. Choose the domain region EU or US. Here, you need to open the settings of DKIM so, tap on the advanced settings option.

Step 5: Check the box “create DKIM authority” and to get DKIM key length to tap on 2048. Click on the button “add domain”.

Note: Now, you receive instructions for verifying the domain. Check below “add DNS records for sending” to ensure the instruction.

Step 6: Go to your website hosting account for adding a DNS record. Scroll towards the TXT section for creating a DNS TXT record. You may have a page to enter all the DNS records or may one or two.

Step 7: Under the section on entering this value, copy the value, and save the entire process. The copied value is used in creating the 2nd DNS TXT record and don’t forget to add record MX.

For selecting each TXT record simultaneously work on MX record too. To track the account, you don’t need to look after DNS hereafter.

Step 8: Verify the settings of DNS by entering the MX record and TXT record. It will ask you a suggestion to send emails in a way you like. No need to process this and so, go directly to the settings page. Tap on the API key page and copy the private API key to enter it in WP mail SMTP.

Step 9: Start updating the subdomain and cross-check the domain region is selected as per your choice. Click on the button save settings.

Cross-check whether the mail is working or not!

SendGrid SMTP Server WordPress emails:

It is a great offer to deal with 40000 emails in your 30 days firstly. Yes! It is free to use 40000 emails in your first month. Later it will be changed as for a day you can use 100 emails.

Step 1: Go to the website SendGrid and then start creating your account by tapping on the option “start for free”. Get into your SendGrid dashboard to create the identity for the sender.

Step 2: Tap on the button “create a single sender” and enter the details such as mailing address, email address, and name. Note it – You need to copy the same email which you used in setting page WP mail SMTP.

Step 3: Check the details mentioned in the sender table. You need to work on business email address verification by clicking the button “verify single senders”.

Step 4: By now, you have a verified email address so, go to the dashboard and click on the button “start” in SMTP Relay. Update the name for the API key and tap on the button “create key”.

Your API key will be visible in front of you!

Step 5: Go to the WordPress dashboard, search for WP mail SMTP, and then select settings. Enter the copied API key and save by clicking the button “Save settings”. Make sure, integration is processing or not!

Step 6: In your WP mail SMTP, select the tab “email test” and add the email address. Tap on the button “send email”. If it goes good you will receive a message stating “Test email is successful”.

Step 7: Go to SendGrid, check the box “I’ve updated my settings” and then tap on the button “Next: verify integration”. Again, tap on the button “verify integration”.

Step 8: It’s time to create and verify a sub domain for easy deliverables. Go to your web hosting account and then select the domain. Choose subdomain and start creating it.

Step 9: After the creation of the subdomain, add it to the account of SendGrid. Go to the settings page in SendGrid and then select sender authentication. Tap on the button “Get started” to authenticate the domain.

Step 10: Authenticate domain will ask two questions such as which domain name server do you want? Choose the required DNS host here.

Second question: Would you also like to brand the links for this domain? Click on the Yes button! Tap on the button “next”. Start entering the domain in the box “domain you send from” and then tap on advanced settings.

Step 11: Advanced settings show you two options such as use automated security and use a custom return path. Check the box “use custom return path” and don’t forget to tap on the button “next”. Now, you will be listed with a DNS record so choose the one which suits you.

After adding the DNS record, tap on the verify button only so, it's possible to receive a successful message.

Working condition of SMTP Mail:

Make sure whether the SMTP mail is working or not!

Go to WP mail SMTP and tap on the second tab “email test”. Enter the mail address that you want to send from and tap on the button “send email”. Check the inbox to ensure the mail is received or not.

If you get test mail, then confirm SMTP server is in good working condition.

I Hope, you got an idea of using an SMTP server for sending WordPress emails. There are so many additions and verifications in using MailGun, Gmail, SendGrid, and Sendinblue. Deal with care and give your best to make a new strategy! All the best!
Author
bhawanisingh
Views
2,543
First release
Last update
Rating
0.00 star(s) 0 ratings
Top