In the world of digital communication, email has become an integral part of our lives. Whether it is for personal or business use, it is important to send emails efficiently. To ensure the smooth delivery of these virtual correspondences, you may want to use a tool such as SMTP. So, what is SMTP?
SMTP is a widely used communication protocol for sending and receiving email over the Internet. It acts as a relay agent, transferring email from one server to another until it reaches the intended recipient.
Understanding SMTP
SMTP, which stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is a communication protocol that plays an integral role in the world of email. It has become the widely accepted standard for sending and receiving email over the Internet. In essence, SMTP works behind the scenes as a digital postman. Its primary responsibility is to act as a relay agent, transferring email from one server to another until it reaches the intended recipient’s inbox.
It is useful to think of SMTP as a system of communication between email servers. When an email is sent, the SMTP server processes the email, decides which server to send it to, and then routes it accordingly. This process is repeated until the email reaches the destination server, which is usually the recipient’s email server.
SMTP in the Context of WordPress
If you manage a WordPress website, it is highly advisable to use SMTP for email transmission. By default, WordPress uses the PHP mail function to send emails. However, it may encounter delivery issues, as messages may be treated as spam by some email providers.
SMTP offers a more reliable and secure alternative. It sends emails through a specified mail server, unlike the PHP mail function which sends them directly from your web server, which often lacks proper configuration for email transmission. This use of SMTP increases email deliverability and reduces the chance of your messages being marked as spam, ensuring effective communication from your WordPress site to your users.
The only issue here is that WordPress does not support sending email via SMTP by default. You need a plugin to add that functionality to your site.
Plugins that provide the ability to send email through a website
There are a few plugins that can help you set up SMTP on your WordPress site.
Post smtp
Post SMTP will allow you to connect to all of our popular email service providers. It also has a range of advanced features and personalization options to improve your email delivery. You can customize the main content and add dynamic variables to give your messages a consistent and professional look. Furthermore, this plugin allows you to test your SMTP settings, log email activities, and set up email notifications for various events.
WP mail smtp
WP Mail SMTP is a powerful plugin that allows you to send email using an SMTP server. It provides a user-friendly interface for configuring SMTP settings and offers compatibility with all popular email service providers like Gmail, Yahoo Mail and others. Likewise it also helps in reducing the chances of your messages being marked as spam.
Easy WP SMTP
Easy WP SMTP is an easily navigable and secure plugin. It supports popular SMTP providers like Gmail, Yahoo mail etc. With this plugin, you can enter your SMTP server details, set up authentication, and choose what type of encryption you want to use for your email.
Final Thoughts: What is SMTP?
SMTP plays a vital role in ensuring the successful delivery of emails from your WordPress website. Plugins like WP Mail SMTP and Post SMTP provide convenient solutions for setting up SMTP on your digital platform. Now that you know what SMTP is and how to integrate it into your WordPress site, you can take the necessary steps to implement a better email delivery system.
