What Was Going Wrong

A client’s contact form emails, sending emails via WP Mail SMTP and Twilio SendGrid, included a link to a key application page. But users reported that the link either broke, redirected incorrectly, or caused a 404. The emails contained tracking links, branded links, and links in outgoing emails. This often happens when links are broken, rewritten links fail, or email clients improperly render URLs.

Root Cause

Link Rewriting by SendGrid

‍ SendGrid’s click tracking feature, sendgrid click tracking, or SendGrid configuration was rewriting the original links (https or actual url) to go through their tracking domain. These rewritten links weren’t functioning as expected, causing a link issue or broken link in the email content.

️ DNS or Tracking Misconfig

‍ The click tracking subdomain, CNAME record, or DNS records hadn’t been correctly set or were not properly resolving. Sender authentication, proper DNS, and SendGrid account setup issues can lead to links being broken or emails containing improperly rewritten URLs

Steps to Fix It

1. Check the Setup

‍ Go to your WordPress WP Mail SMTP settings, SMTP configuration, and email sending options to confirm that SendGrid is the active mailer and correctly configured. Inspect the API key, backend, and server settings to ensure deliverability and email delivery.

2. Review Click Tracking Settings

‍ In SendGrid:

• Go to Settings > Tracking

• Look at the domain listed under click tracking

• Make sure the proper CNAME DNS record is set up and active

3. Test the Links

‍ Send yourself a test email or email campaigns. Inspect the source to diagnose rewritten link issues, original links, specific URLs, actual URL destinations, and final URL results. Try clicking them — if they fail, it’s definitely a SendGrid redirect or proxy issue.

4. Disable Click Tracking (if needed)

‍ The quick fix or solution is to disable SendGrid’s click tracking feature. This stops the URL rewrite, removes tracking links, and ensures links work correctly.

5. Clean Up the Template

‍ While testing, verify your email templates, email content, and links in outgoing emails are free from broken links, unnecessary tracking codes, or improperly rewritten URLs.

The Result

Once click tracking was disabled or corrected, links worked perfectly. The autoresponder emails, marketing campaigns, and contact form messages now route users to the original destination, helping the client avoid lost leads, improve email delivery, and prevent similar issues when sending emails.

Trouble with your WordPress emails or SMTP setup?

‍