DNS is one of those things most people never think about — until something breaks. A single misstep can take a website or email offline in minutes, especially during launches, redesigns, or migrations.
I’ve seen perfectly good websites disappear from the internet, email stop working, and SEO tank overnight — all because of a small DNS change made with good intentions.
This post covers the most common DNS mistakes I see when sites are launched, redesigned, or moved to new hosting — and how to avoid turning a simple update into a full-blown outage.
If you want a deeper explanation of how DNS works and why it’s so fragile, Austin Web & Design explains it well here:
Understanding DNS: Why You Should Leave It to a Pro
What DNS Actually Does (Quick Version)
DNS (Domain Name System) translates your domain name into the server where your website and email live. Think of it as the internet’s address book.
Change the wrong record, and your site may load the wrong server — or nothing at all.
The Most Common DNS Mistakes
1. Changing name servers without understanding the impact
Switching name servers sounds harmless, but it replaces all existing DNS records.
If you don’t recreate your MX, TXT, and verification records exactly, you can break:
- Email delivery
- Google Search Console verification
- Analytics tracking
- Third-party services
This is one of the fastest ways to take email offline.
2. Deleting TXT records you don’t recognize
TXT records often look confusing, so people delete them thinking they’re unused.
In reality, TXT records are commonly used for:
- Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- Google and Bing verification
- Security and spam prevention
Removing the wrong TXT record can cause email to land in spam — or stop arriving altogether.
Related: How to Add a TXT Record (and Why It Matters)
3. Pointing the domain to the wrong server IP
A records and CNAMEs must point to the correct server. If you point them to an old host, staging server, or expired IP, your site will appear broken or outdated.
This often happens during redesigns or migrations.
4. Forgetting to update DNS after a site migration
You can migrate a site perfectly — and still fail the launch if DNS isn’t updated.
Until DNS points to the new server, visitors will continue seeing the old site.
5. Mixing DNS between multiple providers
Having records split across multiple DNS providers leads to unpredictable behavior and painful troubleshooting.
Pick one authoritative DNS provider and manage everything there.
6. Ignoring propagation time
DNS changes are not instant. Propagation can take minutes or hours depending on TTL settings.
Refreshing the page repeatedly doesn’t speed it up — it just increases anxiety.
How to Avoid DNS Disasters
- Export or screenshot DNS records before making changes
- Change one thing at a time
- Lower TTL values ahead of migrations
- Confirm email functionality after any DNS update
- Use delegate access instead of sharing logins
Many providers now support safe account sharing. Austin Web & Design has step-by-step guides for this, including:
When to Call a Pro
If any of the following are true, DNS should not be a DIY task:
- You rely on business email
- You’re migrating or redesigning a site
- You don’t know what a record does
- The site generates leads or revenue
DNS mistakes are fast to make — and slow to diagnose.
For a deeper breakdown of DNS and why professionals handle it carefully, see:
Understanding DNS: Why You Should Leave It to a Pro