FluentSMTP - Email Delivery Service

What FluentSMTP Does

FluentSMTP is an email delivery plugin that ensures your website's emails reach their intended recipients. It replaces your site's default mail function with reliable SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) delivery, significantly improving email deliverability and reducing the chance of emails ending up in spam folders.

Accessing FluentSMTP

After installation and activation, access FluentSMTP through your admin dashboard:

1. Log into your admin panel
2. Look for "FluentSMTP" in the left sidebar menu
3. Click on "FluentSMTP" to open the email settings

Initial Setup and Configuration

Getting Started Wizard

1. Navigate to FluentSMTP → Settings
2. Click "Start Setup Wizard" if it's your first time
3. Follow the guided setup process:
   • Choose your email service provider
   • Enter connection credentials
   • Configure sender information
   • Test your connection
4. Complete the wizard and save settings

Email Service Provider Setup

Gmail/Google Workspace

1. Select "Gmail" as your mailer
2. Choose authentication method:
   • OAuth (Recommended): More secure, requires Google app setup
   • App Password: Simpler but less secure
3. For OAuth:
   • Create a Google Cloud project
   • Enable Gmail API
   • Create OAuth credentials
   • Enter Client ID and Client Secret
   • Authorize the connection
4. For App Password:
   • Enable 2-factor authentication on your Google account
   • Generate an app-specific password
   • Enter your email and app password

Amazon SES (Simple Email Service)

1. Select "Amazon SES" as your mailer
2. Enter your AWS credentials:
   • Access Key ID
   • Secret Access Key
   • AWS Region
3. Verify your domain in AWS SES
4. Set up sender information
5. Test the connection

SendGrid

1. Select "SendGrid" as your mailer
2. Enter your SendGrid API key
3. Configure sender details
4. Test the connection

Mailgun

1. Select "Mailgun" as your mailer
2. Enter your Mailgun domain and API key
3. Choose your region (US or EU)
4. Configure sender information
5. Test the connection

Other SMTP Services

1. Select "Other SMTP" for any provider not listed
2. Enter SMTP settings:
   • SMTP Host: Your provider's SMTP server
   • SMTP Port: Usually 587 for TLS or 465 for SSL
   • Encryption: TLS (recommended) or SSL
   • Username: Your email account username
   • Password: Your email account password

Sender Configuration

Setting Up From Address

1. Go to FluentSMTP → Settings → General
2. Configure sender details:
   • From Email: The email address emails will appear to come from
   • From Name: The name displayed as the sender
   • Force From Email: Override plugin/theme email settings
   • Force From Name: Override plugin/theme name settings
3. Save your settings

Reply-To Configuration

1. In the same settings section
2. Set reply-to email address (if different from sender)
3. This is where replies will be directed
4. Save settings

Testing Email Delivery

Connection Test

1. Navigate to FluentSMTP → Email Test
2. Enter a test email address
3. Customize the test message (optional)
4. Click "Send Test Email"
5. Check if the email was received
6. Review any error messages if delivery fails

Troubleshooting Failed Tests

• Authentication errors: Verify credentials are correct
• Connection timeouts: Check firewall settings and ports
• SSL/TLS errors: Try different encryption methods
• Rate limiting: Some providers limit sending frequency

Email Logging and Tracking

Enabling Email Logs

1. Go to FluentSMTP → Settings → General
2. Enable "Save Email Logs"
3. Choose log retention period
4. Select which email types to log
5. Save settings

Viewing Email Logs

1. Navigate to FluentSMTP → Email Logs
2. Review sent emails with details:
   • Recipient information
   • Subject line
   • Send status (success/failed)
   • Timestamp
   • Error messages (if any)
3. Click on individual emails to view full content
4. Use filters to search specific emails

Resending Failed Emails

1. In the Email Logs section
2. Find failed emails (marked in red)
3. Click on the failed email
4. Review the error message
5. Fix any issues (credentials, settings, etc.)
6. Click "Resend Email" if available

Advanced Configuration

Email Routing

1. Go to FluentSMTP → Settings → Routing
2. Set up conditional routing:
   • Route different email types to different providers
   • Set fallback SMTP providers
   • Configure routing based on recipient domains
3. Test routing configurations

Rate Limiting

1. Navigate to FluentSMTP → Settings → Misc
2. Configure sending limits:
   • Maximum emails per hour
   • Delay between emails
   • Batch processing settings
3. Save rate limiting settings

Integration with Contact Forms

Contact Form 7 Integration

FluentSMTP automatically works with Contact Form 7:

• All Contact Form 7 emails will use FluentSMTP
• No additional configuration needed
• Monitor delivery in Email Logs

Other Form Plugin Integration

FluentSMTP works with most form plugins including:

• Gravity Forms
• WPForms
• Ninja Forms
• Formidable Forms
• Any plugin using the standard mail functions

Monitoring and Maintenance

Regular Health Checks

1. Weekly connection tests
2. Monitor email logs for failures
3. Check bounce rates and deliverability
4. Review sender reputation

Managing Email Quotas

• Monitor your provider's sending limits
• Track daily/monthly usage
• Set up alerts for quota warnings
• Consider upgrading plans if needed

Common Issues and Solutions

Emails Going to Spam

• SPF Records: Configure SPF records for your domain
• DKIM Signing: Enable DKIM authentication
• DMARC Policy: Set up DMARC for your domain
• Sender Reputation: Use reputable email services
• Content Quality: Avoid spam trigger words

Connection Problems

• Port Issues: Try alternative ports (587, 465, 25)
• Firewall Blocking: Contact hosting provider about SMTP ports
• SSL Certificate: Try different encryption methods
• Authentication: Verify username/password accuracy

High Bounce Rates

• Clean your email lists regularly
• Verify recipient email addresses
• Check for typos in recipient addresses
• Monitor for blacklisted domains

Best Practices

Email Deliverability

• Consistent Sender: Always use the same from address
• Proper Authentication: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
• List Hygiene: Remove bounced and invalid emails
• Engagement: Monitor open and click rates

Security Considerations

• OAuth Authentication: Use OAuth when available
• App Passwords: Use app-specific passwords instead of main account passwords
• Regular Updates: Keep credentials updated
• Access Control: Limit who can access SMTP settings

Performance Optimization

• Batch Processing: Process large email volumes in batches
• Queue Management: Use email queues for high-volume sending
• Provider Selection: Choose providers based on your volume needs
• Rate Limiting: Respect provider sending limits