By the Seovoro Team · Last updated October 27, 2026
Key takeaways
- Public emails usually sit on contact, about and footer pages. Prefer addresses on the business's own domain.
- A tool saves hours, but it can only find what is published. Some sites show no email at all.
- Finding an address is not the same as having permission to email it. The rules differ by country.
- In Australia, the Spam Act limits when consent can be inferred and restricts address-harvesting tools and lists, so get advice before bulk campaigns there.
Most small businesses publish an email address somewhere on their website. The skill is knowing where to look and how to check it. Here is a simple method, and the legal points to know before you send anything.
In this guide
- Where public emails usually hide
- A simple manual method
- Finding emails from a list of websites
- Check the emails before you use them
- Know the rules before you email
- A routine for checking 100 websites
- Why some emails bounce
- Which email to use if there are several
- FAQ
- Sources
Where public emails usually hide
- The Contact page (by far the most common place).
- The footer of every page.
- The About or Team page.
- Privacy policy or Terms pages, which often list a contact email.
- Links that start with
mailto:. - Emails written as "name [at] site [dot] com" to avoid spam bots.
A simple manual method
- Open the website and go to the Contact page.
- Look at the footer and the About page.
- Prefer an address on the business's own domain (info@theirsite.com) over a random one.
- Save the email, the page you found it on, and the date.
This works well for 10 websites. For 500, it takes a day, which is why people use a tool.
Finding emails from a list of websites
Our Website Contact Finder reads each site's contact and about pages and returns the public emails it finds, with the business's own address listed first. It skips addresses that belong to web designers or hosting companies. If a site builds its page with JavaScript, it can also try a real browser as a last step. It is built to work through long lists quickly.
If you do not have the websites yet, you can build the list from Google Maps first. See how to build a local lead list.
Check the emails before you use them
- Does the domain match the business?
- Is it a role address (info@, contact@) or a named person? Role addresses are fine for a first message.
- Does the website still exist and look active?
- Remove duplicates and anything that looks like a template placeholder.
Know the rules before you email
This is general information, not legal advice. Finding an address and having permission to email it are two different things.
- United States (CAN-SPAM): business-to-business email does not need prior opt-in, but you must not mislead, must identify yourself and include a valid postal address, and must honor opt-outs promptly.
- Australia (Spam Act 2003): you generally need consent. Consent can be inferred from a published address only if your message is relevant to the person's role, and not if the page says unsolicited messages are unwelcome. You must identify yourself and include a working unsubscribe option. The Act also restricts supplying, acquiring or using address-harvesting software and harvested-address lists, so take advice before sending bulk email to Australian addresses.
- UK, EU, Canada and elsewhere: each has its own rules, often stricter for sole traders and individuals. Check them before you send.
In every case: send relevant, honest messages, keep volumes small, and stop when someone says no.
A routine for checking 100 websites
- Put all the website addresses in one list, one per line.
- Run them through a contact finder and download the results.
- Sort the results into three groups: sites with an email, sites with none found, and sites that failed to load.
- For the "none found" group, open a handful by hand. Often there is only a contact form. Note which ones.
- For the sites that failed to load, check whether the business has closed or moved to a new address.
Expect some sites to show no email at all. That is normal and not a bug. Many small businesses only publish a contact form or a phone number.
Why some emails bounce
- The address is old and nobody has updated the website.
- The mailbox is full or no longer used.
- The domain is set up with strict spam filters.
- A typo on the website itself.
Send in small batches and watch the bounce rate. If it climbs, stop and clean your list before sending more.
Which email to use if there are several
Prefer an address on the business's own domain. If you see both info@ and a named person, a named person who owns or runs the business is usually the better first contact, as long as the address is clearly published for business enquiries.
FAQ
Why do some websites show no email?
Some businesses only use a contact form or social media. No tool can find an email that is not public.
Is it legal to collect public emails?
Reading public information is usually allowed, but what you do with the emails is regulated, and in some countries so is collecting addresses automatically. Follow the rules for the countries you email.
Should I guess emails like info@ for a business?
We do not recommend it. Guessed addresses bounce, hurt your sender reputation and may not be someone who agreed to be contacted.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission: CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business
- Federal Register of Legislation (Australia): Spam Act 2003
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Written by Seovoro SEO Team
SEO, AEO & AI Search specialists at Seovoro. View author profile