Crystal Ball checks covered

VISIBLE_EMAIL_FOUND

Guide detail

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Practical explanations and page-specific steps. Recommended for most readers.

What the flag means

Crystal Ball reports visible email addresses when it finds plain email text or mailto links. This is an informational privacy and maintenance check, not an SEO failure.

Automated collectors can harvest visible addresses, especially from sitewide footers. At the same time, hiding every direct route can frustrate visitors or create accessibility problems. The right balance depends on how the business handles support.

Common causes

Common causes include footer emails, staff bios, contact pages, mailto buttons, support addresses, and old template text. Sometimes the email is intentional; sometimes it was left behind after a contact form was added.

What to check next

Check whether the issue appears on one page or every page using the same template. Review recent content, theme, plugin, deployment, and server changes, then compare the live output with a known-good page.

How to fix it

Confirm the warning first and make a backup before editing the live site. If the change involves templates, code, DNS, redirects, or server settings, switch to Intermediate or ask for help before proceeding.

  • Custom HTML/static: Keep a visible email if it is useful, or use an accessible contact form when spam becomes costly. A contact-page link can replace a sitewide mailto, but visitors still need a dependable route and clear error handling.
  • WordPress: Use a well-maintained contact form plugin or protect visible email addresses carefully. Avoid obfuscation that makes the address confusing to screen readers or keyboard users.
  • Shopify: Use the built-in contact form, customer service pages, or a protected support email. Plain email in the footer may attract spam.
  • Wix: Use Wix Forms or a contact section. If you keep a visible email, make sure it is intentional and monitored.
  • Webflow: Use Webflow forms or a support page. If you publish an email address, expect some spam and consider a role-based address like support@.

Need help?

If the fix gets murky, visit Support and send the details. Bug reports and Crystal Ball questions are free support. Implementation and development work may be paid support, but we will tell you clearly before anything becomes paid. No surprise invoices from the tower.