DNS records connect your domain name to your website and email. When they're configured correctly, visitors find your site and emails arrive. When they're wrong, your site shows an error page and important emails bounce.
Most business owners never need to touch DNS directly. But understanding what these records do helps you spot problems, ask the right questions, and avoid getting overcharged for simple changes.
Why DNS Matters for Your Business
Your domain name is useless without DNS. It's the address book that tells the internet:
- Which server hosts your website
- Which service handles your email
- Whether you're authorised to send from that domain
Get it right and everything works invisibly. Get it wrong and you could lose customers for hours - or have your emails marked as spam for months.
The Records That Actually Matter
There are dozens of DNS record types, but only a handful affect most businesses:
A Record: Where Your Website Lives
This points your domain to a server's IP address. When someone types your domain into a browser, the A record tells them where to go.
What can go wrong: If this points to a dead server or wrong IP, your website shows an error. Common after switching hosting providers.
MX Records: Where Email Goes
These tell other mail servers where to deliver emails sent to your domain. Essential for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any business email.
What can go wrong: Missing or incorrect MX records mean emails never arrive. You won't get an error - the sender might, eventually - but you'll never know what you missed.
TXT Records: Proving You're Legitimate
These store text information used for verification and email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). They prove to Google and Microsoft that emails from your domain are genuine, not spoofed.
What can go wrong: Without proper TXT records, your business emails land in spam folders or get rejected entirely. Clients never see your invoices or proposals.
Email deliverability is technical. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC need to be configured correctly or they can make things worse. If your emails aren't reaching clients, I can audit your DNS and fix the issues.
Common Problems and Warning Signs
Website Not Loading
- "This site can't be reached" errors
- Site works on one device but not another
- SSL certificate warnings
Usually an A record or CNAME pointing to the wrong place, or DNS changes that haven't propagated yet.
Email Issues
- Emails bouncing back to senders
- Emails going to spam folders
- Not receiving emails at all
Often MX records pointing to old providers, or missing authentication records.
After Changing Providers
Most DNS problems happen when switching web hosts or email providers. The old configuration needs updating, but it's easy to miss records or set incorrect values.
How Long Do Changes Take?
DNS changes don't happen instantly. Each record has a TTL (time to live) that determines how long computers cache the old value.
- Quick changes: 5-30 minutes if TTL was set low beforehand
- Standard changes: 1-4 hours for most records
- Worst case: Up to 48 hours if TTL was set very high
During this time, some people see the old configuration and some see the new. This is why "it works for me but not for my client" happens.
Planning a website or email migration? I lower TTL values beforehand so changes propagate faster with less downtime. Get in touch to discuss your timeline.
Should You Manage DNS Yourself?
Many domain registrars and hosts offer DNS management interfaces. They're fine for simple setups, but:
- Mistakes can take your site offline for hours
- Email authentication is complex and easy to misconfigure
- Troubleshooting requires understanding how records interact
If you're comfortable with technical configuration and have time to learn, you can manage it yourself. If DNS problems would cost you business or stress you out, outsourcing makes sense.
What I Do Differently
I manage DNS for businesses across 50+ domains. This means:
- Proper email authentication from day one (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- Fast propagation using appropriate TTL values
- Cloudflare setup for security and performance
- Documentation of what points where and why
When something goes wrong at 9pm, I know exactly what to check and how to fix it.