Have you ever submitted a form on a website and instantly received a friendly email in your inbox? That’s the magic of autoresponders! If you run a WordPress site, you can use autoresponders to send emails automatically when someone fills out a form. It’s easier than you think, and it will make you look super professional!
Why Use Autoresponders?
Autoresponders save time and make people feel important. Whether someone is signing up for a newsletter, downloading an ebook, or just asking a question, you can send them an automatic reply.
This keeps users happy and shows them that you’re organized.
What You’ll Need
Before we dive in, let’s go over the tools you’ll need:
- A WordPress website
- A form plugin (like WPForms, Ninja Forms, or Contact Form 7)
- An email marketing service (such as Mailchimp, AWeber, or ConvertKit)
Once you have these set up, you’re ready to add some automation magic.
Step 1: Create a Form
First, you need a form on your site. This could be a contact form, a newsletter signup, or even a feedback form. Let’s use WPForms as an example because it’s beginner-friendly and fun to use!
- Go to your WordPress dashboard
- Click on WPForms > Add New
- Choose a template like “Simple Contact Form”
- Customize the fields however you like
- Click Save when you’re done
You now have a form—yay!
Step 2: Connect to Your Email Service
We want the form to “talk” to your email marketing service. This way, emails can fly out every time someone hits submit.
Still using our WPForms example, here’s how to set it up with Mailchimp:
- Go to WPForms > Settings > Integrations
- Find Mailchimp and click “Add New Account”
- Paste in your Mailchimp API key
- Click Connect
Now your form and your email service are besties.
Step 3: Set Up Your Autoresponder
This is the fun part — writing the email that gets sent after the form is filled!
Go into your email marketing account and create an autoresponder campaign. Here’s an example with Mailchimp:
- Log into Mailchimp
- Click Automations > Customer Journeys
- Choose “Welcome Message” or create a new one
- Set the trigger as “User subscribes to a list” (this list will come from your form!)
- Write your email message
Your message can say something like:
“Hi there! Thanks for reaching out. We’ve received your message and will get back to you soon. Meanwhile, check out our awesome blog!”
Don’t forget to test it! Fill out your form and make sure the email arrives like magic.
Step 4: Add the Form to Your Website
Now that everything’s ready, let’s add the form to your site:
- Go to the post or page where you want the form
- Click the “+” button to add a new block in Gutenberg
- Choose WPForms
- Select your form from the dropdown list
Save the page and you’re done!
Bonus Tips to Make It Shine
- Add emojis to your email text to be more engaging 😊
- Use your name in the “From” field to look more personal
- Include helpful links like social media, blog posts, or freebies
- Double-check your grammar to look neat and professional
First impressions matter, even in an email!
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If things feel a little buggy, don’t worry. Here are some quick fixes:
- No email came through? Check your spam or junk folder.
- Email formatting looks weird? Switch to plain text or re-write the email using your email service’s editor.
- Form not connecting to email service? Refresh your API key, and make sure you used the right list or tag trigger.
If you’re still stuck, support teams of both WPForms and Mailchimp are usually quick to help.
Should You Use Double Opt-In?
This is a hot question! A double opt-in means users get an email asking them to confirm their subscription. You can enable it in Mailchimp or other services.
Why use it?
- Better email list quality
- Less likely to get fake signups
- Fewer spam complaints
Why skip it?
- One extra step might lose some people
- Immediate welcome email feels friendlier
It’s up to you. Just make sure you follow the rules for your country (like GDPR in Europe).
Use Automation for More Than Just Welcome Emails
Autoresponders aren’t just for saying hello. Think bigger!
- Deliver a freebie like an ebook or checklist
- Send follow-ups if no one replies after a few days
- Sell stuff! Add a discount code in your email for form submissions
Get creative. Automations can keep people happy and engaged long after they fill out your form.
Wrapping It All Up
Setting up autoresponders in WordPress is a breeze when you break it down:
- Create a fun and useful form
- Connect it to your email tool
- Write a warm and helpful autoresponder message
- Add it to your site and test everything
Your visitors will love getting quick emails from you. And you’ll save hours of manual work. That’s a win-win!
So go ahead and try it today. In just a little time, your site will feel like a well-oiled machine that’s ready to greet every visitor with a smile.
Happy automating! 🚀