Constant Contact WordPress Integration: Setup, Forms, and Best Practices

Constant Contact remains popular with small businesses and nonprofits for good reasons: straightforward interface, phone support at all pricing tiers, and strong event marketing features.

The WordPress integration is similarly straightforward. Unlike Mailchimp, which deprecated its official plugin, Constant Contact maintains official integration options.

But "straightforward" doesn't mean problem-free. We've seen clients frustrated by connection drops and limited automation.

Let me walk you through the best practices for setup and how to get the most from Constant Contact with WordPress.

Integration Options Overview

Option 1: Constant Contact Forms Plugin (Official)

The official plugin is the standard starting point.

Features:

• Custom form builder
• GDPR/CCPA consent options
• Google reCAPTCHA support
• Basic styling controls
• Recent updates added the Elementor widget and color picker

Setup Process:

1. Install "Constant Contact Forms" from the WordPress plugin directory
2. Go to Contact Form > Settings
3. Click "Connect to Constant Contact."
4. Authorize your Constant Contact account
5. Create forms using the built-in builder
6. Add forms via shortcode or widget

Recent Improvements:

Constant Contact has been actively updating the plugin:

• Elementor widget support
• Horizontal form layouts
• Enhanced color picker
• Better mobile responsiveness

Limitations:

• Form design options are decent, but not as flexible as dedicated form plugins
• Automation triggers are basic
• Some users report that the styling doesn't match themes seamlessly

Option 2: WPForms Integration

If you're already using WPForms (or considering it), their Constant Contact integration is built into the free version.

Advantages:

• No additional plugin needed if using WPForms
• More form design flexibility
• Conditional logic available
• Consistent with other WPForms forms

Setup:

1. Create or edit a form in WPForms
2. Go to Marketing > Constant Contact
3. Connect your account
4. Map form fields to Constant Contact fields
5. Configure list assignment

Why This Might Be Better Than the Official Plugin:

WPForms gives you more control over form design while handling the integration with Constant Contact. If form styling matters to you, this path often produces better results.

Option 3: WP Fusion

For more sophisticated needs, WP Fusion offers bidirectional sync between WordPress and Constant Contact.

What This Enables:

• Sync WordPress user data to Constant Contact
• Update Constant Contact records when WordPress data changes
• Tag subscribers based on WordPress activity
• Sync membership levels, course completions, and purchases

When You Need This:

If you're running a membership site or course platform and need Constant Contact to reflect WordPress user activity, WP Fusion bridges that gap.

Cost: Starts at $247/year

This is overkill for basic newsletter signups but valuable for complex integrations.

Option 4: Formidable Forms and Others

Other form plugins also support Constant Contact:

• Formidable Forms: Add-on available
• Ninja Forms: Has Constant Contact action
• Gravity Forms: Integration available

If you're already invested in one of these ecosystems, use their native integration rather than adding another plugin.

Option 5: Embed Codes

Constant Contact provides embed codes for quick implementation:

• Inline forms
• Pop-up forms
• Button triggers

The Styling Problem:

Same issue as Mailchimp embeds. We work with organizations that have invested heavily in their branding. Embed forms with wrong fonts or colors don't fly.

Embed codes work for quick implementations but rarely match brand standards.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Connection Drops

The Problem:

We've seen clients report needing to reconnect to Constant Contact every few months. The integration works, then mysteriously stops.

Why This Happens:

• OAuth token expiration
• Constant Contact API changes
• WordPress or plugin updates affecting authentication
• Server environment changes

Prevention:

• Keep plugins updated
• Monitor form submissions regularly
• Set up test submissions to catch failures early

When It Happens:

• Go to plugin settings and disconnect
• Reconnect and re-authorize
• Verify list connections are intact
• Test a submission

Forms Not Matching Theme

The Problem:

Constant Contact forms don't automatically inherit your theme's styling.

Solutions:

1. Use WPForms instead (better styling control)
2. Add custom CSS to target form elements
3. Use API integration with custom-built forms

Limited Automation

The Problem:

Constant Contact's automation is less advanced than Mailchimp's. If you're expecting sophisticated triggered sequences, you'll hit walls.

What Constant Contact Automation Does:

• Welcome emails
• Birthday/anniversary emails
• Resend to non-openers
• Event-related sequences

What It Doesn't Do:

• Complex behavioral triggers
• Multi-branch automation flows
• Deep segmentation-based sequences

The Reality:

For many organizations, especially nonprofits and associations, basic automation is sufficient.

"If you're doing nonprofit or association email, you're doing communications for the sake of communications and proving value to people. Regular, consistent, less flashy communications. You're not looking for immediate traffic spikes."

You might not need Mailchimp's 100+ automations. "Most of our clients who consider themselves nonprofits or associations are typically not doing heavy donor-based marketing. They're not doing email marketing. They're doing communications for the sake of communications."

WooCommerce Integration Limitations

The Problem:

Constant Contact's WooCommerce integration exists, but it isn't as deep as Mailchimp for WooCommerce.

What Works:

• Basic customer sync
• Post-purchase emails
• List assignment based on purchase

What's Limited:

• Abandoned cart (less sophisticated)
• Product recommendations
• Purchase behavior segmentation

If e-commerce email automation is critical, Mailchimp or Klaviyo serves WooCommerce better.

Constant Contact vs. Mailchimp WordPress Integration

Mailchimp's advantage: Better automation, deeper WooCommerce, and a more mature third-party ecosystem. See our Mailchimp WordPress integration guide for setup details.

Constant Contact's advantage: Official plugin maintained, WPForms free integration, phone support when things break.

For a detailed head-to-head comparison, see our Mailchimp vs Constant Contact guide.

Best Practices for Constant Contact WordPress Integration

1. Pick One Integration Method

Don't layer multiple integration plugins. We see this mistake often: an official plugin, a form plugin integration, and embedded codes. Pick one approach and remove others.

2. Use WPForms If You Need Styling Control

The official plugin is adequate for basic forms. If styling matters, WPForms offers better design flexibility while handling the connection cleanly.

3. Monitor Regularly

Set up a monthly test submission to catch connection failures before they affect real signups. Connection drops happen. Catching them early minimizes lost subscribers.

4. Consider the Automation Limitation

If you're choosing Constant Contact for WordPress integration, understand you're trading automation depth for support access and simplicity. Make sure that the tradeoff works for you.

5. DNS and Deliverability

Even with Constant Contact handling delivery, verify:

• SPF includes Constant Contact
• DKIM configured (Constant Contact settings)
• Custom sending domain if applicable

When Constant Contact WordPress Integration Makes Sense

Good fit:

• Phone support is important to you
• Event marketing is central to your operations
• Your needs are newsletters and simple automation
• You value Constant Contact's support reputation
• WPForms is already your form plugin

Consider alternatives if:

• You need deep WooCommerce integration
• Sophisticated automation is required
• You're frustrated by connection reliability
• Budget is tight (no free tier)

For budget-conscious organizations, MailerLite offers a 30% nonprofit discount and maintains an official WordPress plugin.

Our Recommendation

Constant Contact's WordPress integration is workable but not exceptional. The official plugin is maintained, WPForms integration is convenient, and basic use cases work fine.

The frustrations we see (connection drops, limited automation, styling challenges) are real but manageable.

If you've chosen Constant Contact for its support and simplicity, the WordPress integration won't prevent you from succeeding. It's not the integration that determines success. It's organized lists, relevant content, and reasonable sending frequency.

The platform is infrastructure. What you do with it matters more.

For more on how email platforms integrate with WordPress and the tradeoffs between different approaches, see our comprehensive guide to WordPress email marketing. If you need help setting up Constant Contact or troubleshooting integration issues with your WordPress site, our website support services can handle the technical implementation.