After looking into this in more detail I discovered the problem is caused by a potential hosting compatibility issue with BuddyPress.
As soon as I turned off the BuddyPress plugin WordPress was able to send out emails again.
I installed BuddyPress on a WordPress install on a different server with a different hosting company and it worked fine. BuddyPress didn’t stop emails being sent out from that hosting account.
The compatibility issue is with BlueHost.com where BuddyPress prevents emails being sent out. They use cPanel whereas the other hosting company where BuddyPress works doesn’t.
I totally agree with this. It’s quite confusing. I think more than a rewording of the text is needed.
Perhaps you can give people a series of simple steps they should go through to complete setting up their membership?
Step 1: Activate your membership
You give them instructions to visit their email account then click on the activation link in the email.
When they click on the activation link they’re taken to the next step page…
Step 2: Customize your avatar
They do this then press the button to complete, then they’re taken to the final step…
Step 3: They’re then directed to the activity page, at the top of this page could be a message to tell them their account is now active and they can start posting.
This 3 step process gives people a clear path to follow taking them to the page where they can then see what’s going on and begin taking part.
