If you’re running a WordPress site and using forms to collect enquiries, leads, or orders, reliable email delivery is essential. Unfortunately, WordPress’s default email function (wp_mail()) often falls short – messages may go to spam or not arrive at all.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up an SMTP relay using WP Mail SMTP, Mailjet, and Avada Forms to ensure your emails are delivered reliably and securely.

Why Use SMTP for WordPress Emails?

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is a standard method for sending emails. Unlike the default PHP mail function, SMTP:

• Improves deliverability
• Authenticates the sender
• Reduces spam filtering
• Offers delivery tracking and logs

What You’ll Need

• A WordPress website with the Avada theme and Avada Forms
• The WP Mail SMTP plugin (free version is fine)
• A free or paid Mailjet account
• Access to your domain’s DNS settings (e.g. via GoDaddy, Cloudflare)

Step 1: Install WP Mail SMTP

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for WP Mail SMTP and click Install, then Activate.
3. Go to WP Mail SMTP > Settings.
4. Set your From Email (e.g. noreply@yourdomain.com) and From Name.
5. Under Mailer, select Mailjet.

Step 2: Get Your Mailjet SMTP Credentials

1. Log in to your Mailjet account.
2. Navigate to Account Settings > SMTP & Send API.
3. Copy your SMTP server (in-v3.mailjet.com), Port (587 for TLS), and your API key and Secret key (used as username and password in SMTP).

Step 3: Configure DNS for Better Deliverability

To prevent your emails from being marked as spam, you’ll need to authenticate your domain in Mailjet and add DNS records.

1. In Mailjet, go to Senders & Domains > Domains.
2. Add your sending domain (e.g. yourdomain.com).
3. Mailjet will provide DNS records to add – usually:
   • SPF: TXT @ v=spf1 include:spf.mailjet.com ~all
   • DKIM: TXT mailjet._domainkey with a long string value
4. Log in to your DNS provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, etc.) and add the TXT records.
5. Wait for DNS propagation – this can take a few minutes to several hours.
6. Return to Mailjet to verify that the records are correct.

Tip: If you already use another email provider with SPF, you can combine the include: statements into one SPF record.

Step 4: Complete WP Mail SMTP Configuration

1. Back in WordPress, under WP Mail SMTP > Settings:
   • SMTP Host: in-v3.mailjet.com
   • Port: 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
   • Encryption: TLS
   • SMTP Username: Your Mailjet API Key
   • SMTP Password: Your Mailjet Secret Key
2. Save the settings.
3. Use the Email Test feature in WP Mail SMTP to check that everything is working correctly.

Step 5: Configure Avada Forms

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Avada > Forms and create a new form.
2. Under the form’s Email tab:
   • Set the recipient email address
   • Customise the subject line and message
3. Save the form and add it to any page or post using the Avada Builder or shortcode.

Because Avada Forms uses WordPress’s wp_mail() function, form submissions will automatically be sent using your Mailjet SMTP relay via WP Mail SMTP.

Step 6: Test the Setup

• Submit a form on your site
• Check that the email is received correctly
• Confirm that email headers show SPF and DKIM have passed
• You can also view delivery logs and stats in your Mailjet dashboard

Pro Tips for Deliverability

• Use a business email address like hello@yourdomain.com rather than a free one
• Set up a DMARC record for additional security (Mailjet provides guidance)
• Monitor bounce and complaint rates in your Mailjet account
• Consider enabling email logging in WP Mail SMTP (Pro version)

Final Thoughts

Using Mailjet with WP Mail SMTP and Avada Forms ensures your WordPress site sends authenticated, trusted emails that are far less likely to end up in spam.

It’s a one-time setup that can save you countless headaches and missed enquiries. If you’re unsure about DNS changes, most providers have detailed help articles – or you can contact their support for help.

Need help setting up your email delivery from your website? Get Spotted. Contact us today.

AI was used to write this post. Post was edited by the author.

1997 was a pivotal year for the internet and popular culture. I was living and working in Sweden as an Art Director for Ad agency Ordpolen (The Word Pole). Completely absorbing its fabulous culture and celebrating everything Swedish. From trying to learn the language to making TV commercials in Stockholm. But one aspect of Swedish life fascinated me and that was the growing interest in the World Wide Web or as some people referred to as the Information Superhighway.

There were no ipads or smartphones and WiFi had just been launched. The film Titanic became a box office hit, and everyone was going mad for Tamagotchis. South Park premiered, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published and Larry Page and Sergey Brin registered the domain Google.com and the rest is history.

If you were a graphic designer or art director in the 90s, the Apple Mac was the go to platform and with it the Adobe suite of desktop publishing software. No such thing as generative AI back then. Even so, using Photoshop was considered cheating. With its tools, filters and macros, it felt like you could create anything and it would look impressive and impactful. It didn’t and would never replace conceptual thinking. You still needed the original ideas but executing them was a whole lot easier than using a drawing board.