WP Subscriber Manager v2.1

A complete WordPress plugin for managing newsletter subscribers with double opt-in, CSV import/export, and cookie-based form hiding.

🚀 Features

Admin Interface

• Dashboard Overview: See total, confirmed, and pending subscribers at a glance
• Subscriber Listing: Full table with names, emails, status, and dates
• Bulk Actions: Select multiple subscribers and delete them at once
• Individual Actions: Delete subscribers one at a time
• Export CSV: Download all subscribers as a CSV file
• Import CSV: Upload a CSV file to bulk-add subscribers
• Real-time Updates: AJAX-powered for smooth interactions

Front-end Features

• Double Opt-in: Subscribers must confirm via email
• Cookie Tracking: Form automatically hides for subscribed users
• Duplicate Prevention: Won't allow the same email twice
• Styled Messages: Professional success/error/info messages
• Shortcode Support: Easy placement anywhere on your site

Security

• WordPress nonces for all AJAX requests
• Email validation and sanitization
• Capability checking (only admins can manage subscribers)
• SQL injection protection via prepared statements
• Unique email constraint in database

📦 Installation

1. Upload the wp-subscriber-manager.php file to /wp-content/plugins/
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
3. The database table will be created automatically

🎯 Usage

Adding the Subscription Form

Use the shortcode on any page or post:

[wsm_subscribe_form]

With custom title:

[wsm_subscribe_form title="Join Our Community"]

Always show form (even for subscribers):

[wsm_subscribe_form hide_for_subscribers="no"]

Managing Subscribers

1. Go to WordPress Admin → Subscribers
2. View your subscriber list with real-time stats
3. Use the bulk actions or individual delete buttons
4. Export or import as needed

Exporting Subscribers

1. Click "Export CSV" button
2. Downloads a file named subscribers-YYYY-MM-DD.csv
3. Includes: Name, Email, Status (Confirmed/Pending), Date

Importing Subscribers

CSV Format:

Name,Email,Status,Date
John Doe,john@example.com,Confirmed,2024-01-01
Jane Smith,jane@example.com,Confirmed,2024-01-02

Steps:

1. Click "Import CSV" button
2. Select your CSV file
3. Imported subscribers are automatically marked as "Confirmed"
4. Duplicates are skipped
5. See import results in the alert message

How Cookie Tracking Works

When a user subscribes:

1. User fills out the form
2. Receives confirmation email
3. Clicks confirmation link
4. Cookie wsm_subscribed is set (valid for 10 years)
5. Form no longer displays for that browser

Cookie Details:

• Name: wsm_subscribed
• Value: MD5 hash of email (privacy-friendly)
• Duration: 10 years
• Path: / (site-wide)

Benefits:

• Prevents repeat subscriptions
• Improves user experience
• No login required
• Privacy-friendly (hashed email)

🗄️ Database Structure

Table: wp_custom_subscribers

🎨 Styling

The plugin includes default styles that work with most themes:

Form Styling:

• Clean, modern input fields
• Blue submit button
• Mobile-responsive
• 500px max width

Message Styling:

• Success: Green background
• Error: Red background
• Info: Blue background

To customize, add CSS to your theme:

/* Override form styles */
.wsm-form {
    max-width: 600px;
}

.wsm-form button {
    background: #your-color;
}

/* Override message styles */
.wsm-message.success {
    background: #your-color;
}

🔧 Advanced Customization

Email Confirmation Message

Edit the wsm_init function (around line 314):

$subject = 'Your Custom Subject';
$message = "Your custom message with confirmation link: " . $confirm_link;

Cookie Duration

Change cookie lifetime (currently 10 years) on line 35 and 304:

// Change to 1 year
time() + (365 * 24 * 60 * 60)

// Change to 30 days
time() + (30 * 24 * 60 * 60)

Auto-confirm Imports

By default, imported subscribers are auto-confirmed. To change this, edit line 253:

'confirmed' => 0 // Instead of 1

🐛 Troubleshooting

Form doesn't hide after subscription:

• Check if cookies are enabled in browser
• Clear browser cache
• Check hide_for_subscribers shortcode parameter

Email not sending:

• Check WordPress email configuration
• Use an SMTP plugin (recommended)
• Check spam folder

Import not working:

• Ensure CSV is properly formatted
• Check for UTF-8 encoding
• Verify Name and Email are in first two columns

Subscribers not appearing:

• Check database table exists: wp_custom_subscribers
• Verify plugin is activated
• Check for JavaScript errors in browser console

📋 CSV Import Template

Download or create a CSV file with this format:

Name,Email,Status,Date
John Smith,john@example.com,Confirmed,2024-01-15
Sarah Johnson,sarah@example.com,Confirmed,2024-01-16
Mike Williams,mike@example.com,Confirmed,2024-01-17

Notes:

• Header row is required (but skipped during import)
• Status and Date columns are ignored (for export compatibility)
• Only Name and Email are imported
• All imported subscribers are auto-confirmed

🔒 Privacy & GDPR

Cookie Usage:

• Only stores hashed email (not personally identifiable)
• Used solely for form display logic
• Can be cleared by user
• No tracking or analytics

Data Storage:

• All data stored locally in your WordPress database
• No third-party services
• Full control over data

Recommendations:

• Add to privacy policy
• Include unsubscribe option in emails
• Regular data cleanup
• Inform users about cookie usage

📝 Changelog

Version 2.1

• Added complete admin interface with subscriber listing
• Implemented CSV export functionality
• Implemented CSV import functionality
• Added cookie-based subscription tracking
• Added bulk delete actions
• Added individual delete buttons
• Added statistics dashboard
• Improved duplicate email handling
• Added email validation
• Added AJAX for smooth UX
• Enhanced security with nonces
• Added unique email constraint
• Improved error messaging

Version 2.0

• Initial double opt-in implementation
• Basic form handling

🤝 Support

For issues or questions:

• Check the Troubleshooting section
• Review WordPress error logs
• Verify all requirements are met

📄 License

This plugin is provided as-is. Use at your own discretion.

Author: jkurzner
Website: https://mindshaft.com
Version: 2.1