Have you ever faced an email deliverability issue?
OR
Are you not receiving the email notifications for the contact forms?
Recently When I migrated my blog from Bluehost to Vultr, I was not receiving the email notification for the contact form. This is because when we take a new server by default the SMTP ports are blocked by the service provider.
We have a solution to resolve this issue. Recently, I have written a post about fixing email notification issues using the WP Mail SMTP plugin.
In this post, I will guide you about how you can configure the WP Mail SMTP plugin with Amazon SES (Simple Email Service) to fix all the email-related issues. Most people using Amazon SES for sending emails. It’s a very cheap and affordable service we have to opt for.
Prerequisites–
- Your site must have a valid SSL certificate installed.
- You should have your own domain email address to use as from email while configuring the WP Mail SMTP plugin.
Create an Amazon AWS account
The first step is to create an Amazon AWS account, if you have already an AWS account then you can use it.
Otherwise, create a new one below is the link.
Amazon offers 12 months of free service and you have to enter the billing information.
Select your region
The next step is to enter the region details if not detected automatically. You can choose the nearest location.
Create an IAM user
Now, it’s time to create an IAM user, it is required to get the access key.
Open the AWS IAM user page and sign in using the credentials.
Once you sign in, you have to add the users. Click on the Add user button.
Enter the desired username, you can choose which you want.
Once you choose the username, click on the Next: Permissions button.
Configure IAM User setting permissions
First, select the Attach existing policies directly.
Search for the “AmazonSESFullAccess” and you will get one result only. Select the checkbox. This will add the permission to the user we have created in the previous step.
Once, you are done a check on the Next: Tags
On the next page skip everything and click on the Next: Review button.
Review user details
On this page, you can review all the details about the user which you have created. Verify the details once again and click on the create user button.
You will get the success message along with the Access key ID and secret access key.
Keep this window open, we will need the access and secret IDs later.
Switch to AWS production mode
When you create the Amazon SES account, it opens in sandbox mode by default. In sandbox mode, we can only send the emails to the email addresses which is verified by the Amazon SES.
We have to switch it to the production mode, to do so you have to create a request to the Amazon web service. Here is the link to create a request.
Once you opened the link, click on the service limit increase.
The next step is to fill the Case clarification form. This is a very important form that tells Amazon that we are going to send the emails to the verified recipient and for a legitimate purpose. In this way, Amazon keeps spammers away.
Here are the details which you need to fill in the case form.
- Limit Type: SES Sending Limits
- Mail Type: Transactional
- Website URL: Your site’s home URL
- My email-sending complies with the AWS Service Terms and AUP: Yes
- I only send to recipients who have specifically requested my mail: Yes
- I have a process to handle bounces and complaints: Yes
- Region: Choose the same region as when you set up your AWS account (whichever is closest to where your site’s server is located).
- Limit: Daily emails you will send (it can be anything)
- New limit value: Estimate the maximum number of emails you expect your site to send per day.
Once you complete it, the next you have to fill in the case description. In this section, you have to describe what is your site about and what kind of emails will you send using Amazon SES.
Here, you have to write in detail about it because there might be a possibility that Amazon will reject your application.
Once you are done click on the submit button. You will receive two emails about the use case that has been created. It will take one business day to review your application, Amazon team will send you the email regarding the status.
Install the WP Mail SMTP plugin
The next step is to install the WP Mail SMTP plugin from the WordPress directory.
You can buy the premium version of the WP Mail SMTP Plugin to get more premium features.
After installing and activating the plugin go to WP Mail SMTP » Settings
At the top, you have to put the From email, you can use your domain-specific email address.
You can also check the box Force From Email to make you from email for all the emails which you are going to send.
Also, you have to put the From Name for the emails. This would be visible to the email recipient.
Now, you have to configure the Amazon SES with the WP Mail SMTP. Scroll down and choose the Amazon SES.
Along with that, you have to select the return path to match the From email.
Now, the next step is to enter the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. You have already both the keys, please enter them into the text box.
After that, you have to choose the region. You will get the one in the dropdown which is based on the hosting server location and make sure it is matched to what you have chosen in Amazon SES.
All done from WP Mail SMTP settings, now save all the settings.
Now, the next task is to add the From email and verified it. To do so click on the add an Email Address.
You have to enter the valid email address which will be your from email and click on the send the verification email.
You will get a verification email from Amazon SES, within 24 hours you have to click on the verification link.
Once you verified your email address go back to the WP Mail SMTP setting page and refresh it. You will see all the verified emails in one section. You can add another email address if you want.
Send a Test Email
The last step is to test all the setup is done properly. To send a test email, go to the Email Test section.
Since this is just for testing purposes, you can put your own email address in send to field. Enable the HTML for this and click on the send email. You will get the success message.
If you check your email inbox you should see the email.
This is how you can configure the Amazon SES with the WP Mail SMTP to avoid any email-related issues. Now, all the email issues with your WordPress site should be fixed. You should receive email notifications for your forms and so on.
Friends, if you like the above tutorial then share it with your friends and also read the below articles.
Here are some WPForms and WP Mail SMTP plugin articles
