What Is DNS, and Why Does It Matter for Your Domain?
The system that quietly connects your domain name to your website and your email — explained without the jargon.
DNS in one sentence
DNS (Domain Name System) is the phone book of the internet: it translates a domain like yourcompany.com into the actual server address where your site and email live. Without it, you'd have to type a string of numbers to visit any website.
The records that actually matter to you
- A record — points your domain to the server hosting your website.
- MX record — tells the internet where to deliver your email. Get this wrong and email silently disappears.
- CNAME record — points a subdomain (like shop.yourcompany.com) somewhere else, often a third-party tool.
- TXT record — used for verification (Google, Meta) and email security (SPF, DKIM) that keeps your email out of spam folders.
When you'll actually deal with DNS
Most business owners touch DNS exactly three times: setting up the domain initially, switching hosting or email providers, and connecting a new marketing or verification tool. Outside of that, it just works quietly in the background.
What to check before switching hosting providers
Before you migrate, export or screenshot every existing DNS record — especially MX and TXT records for email. A hosting migration that only moves the website but forgets to carry over the email records is one of the most common (and completely avoidable) ways businesses lose email for days.
Migrating hosting and not sure what could break?
We handle the DNS side so your email and site never go dark during a switch.