I have experience building various types of WordPress forms, yet despite using CAPTCHA and other anti-spam measures, my inbox continued to receive an overwhelming amount of junk submissions. Upon investigation, I discovered a pattern: most spam submissions originated from fake or suspicious email addresses.
Realizing that I could take preventive measures, I decided to block these problematic email addresses directly, which would eliminate spam before it reached my inbox. After testing various methods, I found a solution that consistently worked and significantly reduced the hours I spent cleaning up.
This approach enables the exclusion of disposable email services, known competitor domains, and typical spam email patterns, giving me complete control over the submissions I receive. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up this system on your site.
Why Block Spam Email Addresses in WordPress Forms?
Blocking spam email addresses is crucial for several reasons:
- Prevent Inbox Flooding: Fake submissions can obscure genuine entries. Clearing out unwanted emails right away allows for quicker response times to real leads.
- Protect Email Deliverability: Sending emails to invalid addresses can harm your sender reputation by boosting bounce rates, which, in turn, can lead to email deliverability issues.
- Focus on Real Users: By allowing only valid business emails while blocking disposable ones, you can ensure that only serious inquiries come through.
Here’s how I block unwanted email addresses in my WordPress forms:
Step 1: Install and Activate the WPForms Plugin
Start by installing the WPForms plugin from your WordPress admin panel under Plugins » Add New. Look for ‘WPForms’, install it, and then activate it.
Step 2: Edit Your Form and Find the Email Field
Navigate to WPForms » All Forms and click ‘Edit’ on your desired form. If you haven’t created a form yet, select WPForms » Add New Form and use the drag-and-drop builder to design your form, ensuring that the ‘Email’ field is present.
Step 3: Use Allowlist and Denylist Rules
Click on the Email field to access its settings and head over to the ‘Advanced’ tab. Here, you can switch the ‘Allowlist/Denylist’ option from ‘None’ to either ‘Denylist’ or ‘Allowlist’.
- Denylist: Enter email addresses or domains you want to block (like disposable emails). This option is best for filtering out spam.
- Allowlist: Only email addresses listed here can submit the form. This is stricter and should be used when you want submissions from a specific group (like employees or partners).
Step 4: Add Your Form to Your Website and Test It
After saving your settings, if the form is already on a page, updates will reflect automatically. Otherwise, use the WPForms block to embed it in any desired post or page. Preview the form to ensure your settings are functioning correctly. Test it by submitting a denial-listed email address to confirm it triggers the blocking mechanism.
FAQs About Blocking Email Addresses in WordPress Forms
- Can I block Gmail or Yahoo email addresses? Yes, this can be done through the denylist feature.
- Can I only allow company emails? Absolutely, using the allowlist option, you can restrict submissions to specific domains.
- Will these blocks affect legitimate users? When handled properly, using a denylist should not impede valid submissions.
By implementing this system, you can vastly reduce spam and maintain the integrity of your form submissions, ensuring that only genuine inquiries fill your inbox.
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