01 · Discover
Find a contributor in Participants or open a profile from an entry.
Contest Gallery member features
Messages & friendships
WordPress private messages and friend requests
Let members connect through the people and content they discover in your galleries.
Private messages from the member profile
A photograph, video or useful resource can be the start of a conversation. Members open a public profile, choose Send message and write directly to that person. The message belongs to a private member conversation instead of the public entry comments.
Messages are also available from the member area. Members can return to their conversations and see unread-message indicators while using the gallery.
Let members build confirmed friendships
A friendship starts with a request. The recipient can accept or decline it. Members can withdraw a pending request, remove an existing friendship and explore confirmed friends from the profile.
People can discover each other through their published contributions. A friendship is a separate member decision.
Bring members back with optional email notifications
Enable separate notifications for new private messages and friendship requests. Configure the sender information to fit your website. Message notifications are grouped until the recipient reads the conversation, helping avoid repeated emails for the same unread exchange.
In PRO, you can edit the email subject and content. An optional message-preview placeholder adds a short text preview to message emails when the operator includes it in the template.
Give members and administrators communication controls
Members can block and unblock another person. Blocking prevents new messages and friendship requests between the two members and removes their friendship. Unblocking allows contact again without automatically restoring the friendship.
Administrators can open a member’s conversation overview and disable their ability to send new messages and friendship requests. Existing conversations remain readable. Private messages are visible to the people in the conversation and administrators with the required access.
The global community setting lets the operator turn private messages and friendships off while preserving existing conversations and connections.
One profile. A clear next step.
02 · Explore
Read public information and browse published contributions.
03 · Connect
Sign in to send a message or request a friendship.
04 · Return
Use Messages and Friends in your member area.
Messages and friendships: common questions
Are private messages and friendships included in FREE?
Yes. Both editions include the core private-message and friendship features. Editing the notification email subject and content is a PRO feature.
Do members need a friendship before messaging?
A friendship is not required to start a conversation from an available member profile. Members sign in before sending a message. Contact and blocking rules still apply.
Is this a live chat or a messaging feature?
It is private member messaging. Active views check for updates periodically. It is designed for conversations within the member experience.
Can guests send messages?
Guests can browse available public profiles. Sending messages and managing friendships require sign-in.
Add member conversations to your WordPress website
Use profiles and shared content to help people meet. Offer private messages and friendships when they fit your community.
Help members discover and connect
Manage friendship requests
Understand incoming, outgoing and confirmed connections.
Discover contributors
Build a directory around published work and chosen public fields.