How to hide and encode your email address on your website.

Article Index - How to hide and encode your email address on your website.

Author: Steve Dawson

If you have to have your email address visible on your website, even though it is an open invitation to receive spam, you should take a few precautions. One step you can take is to encode your email address so the email harvest programs cannot find it when they spider you website.

I have written a free script for you to use which will encode your email address in JavaScript format. Take a couple of simple steps to prevent you from getting spammed. Click for the JavaScript Email Address Encoder.

Example Email Address Code:

This is by no means foolproof as the writers of email harvesting programs are getting cleverer every day at ways to grab your email address. Most harvesters are quite simple webpage spiders looking for the @ symbol, as this is mainly used in email addresses. When a spider comes across one it takes the address and adds it to a large list of emails from which, these will be used for spamming purposes.

Another option is not to put your email address anywhere on your website but use an email response form or more commonly known as a 'contact form'. This hides you email address in a script and the visitor to your website fills in the form and then this information is sent to your email address without the sender even knowing what your email address really is.

This is a good, all round and more professional solution to displaying your email address on your website and as it happens (!) I have written a simple PHP contact form which can be easily adapted to suit your website and your needs. The PHPContactMe form can be downloaded here.

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