Getting emails landing in your inbox is key to ensuring you don’t miss any contact form submissions from your website. Read on to find out how SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is your friend in this case.
What exactly is SMTP?
The standard way of sending emails over the internet is SMTP. Despite many changes since it was first developed in the ‘80s, it’s still the foundation of email today.
If you work in aspects of IT, network administration or digital communication, for example, you need to know SMTP, as it’s key to secure and reliable email delivery.
Knowing the basics of SMTP is important in understanding how emails are sent and received, and implementing it will ensure that your emails always end up where they need to be.
How SMTP works with contact forms
User action
This is where the user fills out a form on a website, enters their information and message, and hits submit.
Form submission
This validates the information (for example, makes sure required fields are filled).
If the data is valid, the SMTP server prepares to send the message to the recipient email.
Email notification
The server authenticates and sends the email to the recipient’s email address with the submitted data, using SMTP to deliver.
Confirmation
The user gets a confirmation message on the website that the form submission was successful.
Why you need SMTP for your contact forms
When you don’t use SMTP, your contact forms can have a lot of problems. For example, you might miss critical messages from your website’s visitors and lose out on a deal.
Users might also think they filled out their form and submitted their information, but if they have not received the email, they could be annoyed, wondering if their information was even sent.
If you’re unsure whether your SMTP is set up or working correctly, then don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of tech wizards. The Engage Web team is here to help troubleshoot any issues and ensure contact forms work smoothly.
- How to ensure contact form submissions hit your inbox - April 10, 2025
