Setting Up Email Notifications

Pro. This feature requires WB Member Blog Pro. The free plugin must be installed and active first. See the Pro index for every Pro module.

Keep your admins informed when posts need review and notify members when their posts are approved. Set up email notifications to streamline your editorial workflow.

What You’ll Learn

How to enable the Notifications module Configuring admin email recipients Setting up member approval notifications Customizing email templates

Before You Start

WB Member Blog Pro active with Notifications module enabled WordPress email working (consider using an SMTP plugin) BuddyPress or BuddyBoss for on-site notifications (optional)

Step 1: Enable Notifications Module

Go to Member Blog → Pro Modules Find Notifications in the list Toggle it to On Click Save Changes

Step 2: Configure Email Settings

Navigate to Member Blog → Notifications to configure your email settings.

Enable Master Toggle

First, make sure the main notification toggle is enabled. This is the master switch that controls all email notifications.

Select Admin Recipients

Choose which administrators should receive notification emails:

Find the Admin Recipients field Click to open the selection dropdown Check the administrators who should receive notifications You can select multiple admins

This way, notifications don’t all go to one person - spread the workload across your team.

Step 3: Configure Notification Types

SettingWhat It DoesRecommendedNotify on New PostsEmail admins when posts need reviewOnNotify on ApprovalEmail members when posts are approvedOnNotify on RejectionEmail members when posts are rejectedOn

Step 4: Customize Email Templates

Personalize your email messages using placeholders that automatically fill in the relevant information.

Available Placeholders

PlaceholderWhat It Inserts{site_name}Your WordPress site name{site_admin}Admin email address{blog_name}The post title{blog_content}Post content excerpt{publisher_name}Author’s display name{post_link}URL to view the post{approval_link}Link for admin to approve

Example: Admin New Post Email

Subject: New post pending review on {site_name}

Hi Admin,

{publisher_name} has submitted a new post for review:

Title: {blog_name}

Preview: {blog_content}

Review and approve: {approval_link}

Thanks, {site_name}

Example: Member Approval Email

Subject: Your post has been approved!

Hi {publisher_name},

Great news! Your post “{blog_name}” has been approved and is now live.

View your post: {post_link}

Thanks for contributing to {site_name}!

Testing Your Setup

Verify notifications are working:

Create a test member account (or use an existing member) Have the member submit a post for review Check that admins receive the notification email Approve the post from the admin dashboard Verify the member receives the approval email

Troubleshooting

IssueSolutionEmails not sending at allInstall an SMTP plugin (WP Mail SMTP, Post SMTP)Admin not receiving emailsCheck they’re selected in Admin RecipientsEmails going to spamUse authenticated SMTP to improve deliveryPlaceholders showing as textMake sure placeholders match exactly, including braces

Tips for Site Owners

Use SMTP - Default WordPress email often fails. Use a plugin like WP Mail SMTP for reliable delivery. Check spam folders - Test emails often land in spam initially. Keep it short - Brief, clear emails get read. Long emails get ignored. Include action links - Always include the approval link for admins and post link for members.