Email delivery issues are almost always caused by WordPress’s default mail function rather than Influenzic’s email system. Here is how to diagnose and fix them.
No Emails Sent At All
By default, WordPress uses PHP’s mail() function which relies on the server’s local mail daemon. Many shared hosts and VPS providers disable or misconfigure this.
Solution: Install and configure an SMTP plugin:
- 1
Install WP Mail SMTP (free) or FluentSMTP (free).
- 2
Configure it using a professional transactional email provider: Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), Postmark, Mailgun, or Amazon SES. Do not use your standard personal email account (like Gmail or Outlook) to send thousands of automated transactional emails.
- 3
Use the SMTP plugin’s built-in email test tool to send a test message and confirm it is sent successfully.
Emails Going to Spam (DNS Authentication Checklist)
Spam classification is determined entirely by the receiving mail server (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo) checking your domain authentication. To ensure emails land in the inbox, you must add the following three DNS records in your domain registrar’s control panel (e.g. GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare):
| Record Type | Host / Name | Value / Destination Example | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
TXT |
@ |
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org ~all |
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Authorizes your SMTP provider to send emails on behalf of your domain name. |
TXT or CNAME |
k1._domainkey |
k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GN... |
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Signs each outbound email with a cryptographic signature, proving it was not altered. |
TXT |
_dmarc |
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com |
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication): Instructs mail servers what to do if SPF or DKIM fails (quarantine/reject). |
Email Queue Stuck
Influenzic’s email queue runs on WordPress Cron. If your site has low traffic, WP Cron may not fire frequently enough.
Solution: Set up a real server cron job to trigger the cron events every minute. Follow the step-by-step setup guides inside the Cron Jobs & Background Processes documentation guide.
Testing the Email Queue
Navigate to Influenzic → Tools → Email Queue to view queued emails, their delivery status, and any error messages. You can manually retry failed emails from this screen.