Why do my form messages go to spam?

Email companies check that a message really comes from the address it claims. Many websites skip that setup, so their mail looks forged.

Can I get back the messages I missed?

Sometimes. If your form plugin keeps entries, they’re still in WordPress. If it doesn’t, those requests are gone.

Will I get a text when someone fills out the form?

The form emails you the moment someone sends it, and your phone shows it like any other email. Text alerts need carrier registration first, so they’re quoted on their own.

What if it’s already fixed?

Then I’ll tell you so, and you owe nothing.

My website’s contact form isn’t working

A broken form is easy to miss. The site says “Thanks,” and the request goes nowhere. Here’s how to test yours and find where the messages are going.

You’ll work with Isaac Riehm, founder · Scottsdale, Arizona

Rather hand it off?

(623) 252-4330

Call Text

Call or text anytime. If I don’t pick up, I’ll call you back the same day.

Why requests go missing

It sends to an old addressThe form still emails a former employee, an old web person, or an inbox nobody checks.
It lands in spamEmail from a website often looks forged to spam filters, so it goes to junk.
The site can’t send email properlyMany sites send mail in a way email companies don’t trust, and the messages never arrive.
An update broke itA plugin or WordPress update changed something, and the form quietly stopped working.
The spam check brokeA “prove you’re not a robot” box that stops working can block real customers too.
It was never connectedSome forms were built to look right and never set up to send anything.

Check it yourself

1Fill out your own form from your phone. Use a different email than the one it sends to.
2Watch the screen. “Thank you” or “Message sent” means the site took it. An error means the form itself is broken.
3Wait ten minutes. Then check the inbox it should reach, including the spam or junk folder.
4Find the address it sends to. In WordPress, it’s in the form plugin’s mail or notification settings.
5Some form plugins keep a copy of every message. Look for “Entries” or “Submissions” in the WordPress menu.

Or let the free site checker look for you

What you can fix yourself

If it went to spam, mark it “Not spam” and add the sender to your contacts.
If it sends to the wrong address, change it in the form’s settings and test again.
Put your phone number right next to the form, so people who give up can still call.
After every update to the site, send yourself a test.

When to call me

The first call and a look are free. You know the price before any work starts.

Your test never arrives, even in spam.
You can’t find the form’s settings.
Messages arrive some days and not others.
The form shows an error when people send it.

$150A small fix
One setting: the address it sends to, or a broken spam check. Fixed and tested.
Paid in full when you sign. Done within 2 business days of payment and access.
$450Repair or upgrade
The site needs a proper way to send email, as part of bringing it up to date.
Half to start, half when it’s done. Done within 5 business days of the deposit and access.

What each flat price covers

Tell me your web address and what you see.