Website MIA? How to Restore Your HubSpot Site After a DNS Disaster

Uh oh! Accidentally deleting website records is a heart-stopping moment for any HubSpot user. It happens. The good news is, it's usually fixable. Let's break down how to recover if you find yourself in this situation, drawing on insights from a recent HubSpot Community discussion.

The Case of the Missing Website

In the HubSpot Community, one user posted about their website, rockgrow.com, seemingly disappearing. The DNS was no longer pointing correctly, and the content appeared to be gone. A classic case of accidental deletion!

The first question to ask (and the one posed by a helpful community member) is: Did you change anything in your domain's DNS settings or delete the domain within your HubSpot account?

The original poster confirmed they'd accidentally deleted the records and were struggling to reconnect by entering their domain provider credentials in HubSpot.

The Road to Recovery: Reconnecting Your Domain

Here's a step-by-step approach to getting your HubSpot website back online, based on the community discussion and best practices:

1. Assess the Damage: First, understand what exactly you deleted. Was it just the DNS records at your domain provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)? Or did you also remove the domain connection within HubSpot itself?
2. DNS Record Restoration: If you deleted DNS records at your domain provider, you'll need to recreate them using the correct HubSpot settings. These settings tell the internet where to find your website hosted on HubSpot's servers. You can typically find these settings within your HubSpot account under Settings > Domains & URLs. Look for the 'Connect a Domain' section.
3. HubSpot Domain Reconnection: If you also deleted the domain from HubSpot, you'll likely need to remove the domain within HubSpot and then reconnect it. Before doing this, ensure your DNS settings at your domain provider are clean and ready for the new connection. This means removing any old or conflicting records. Be careful here, as incorrect DNS settings can disrupt other services tied to your domain (like email).
4. Propagation Time: After making DNS changes, it takes time for these changes to propagate across the internet. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours, though it's usually much faster. During this time, your website might be intermittently accessible or show incorrect content.

Important Considerations:

• Backups: While this situation focuses on DNS and domain connections, it's a good reminder to regularly back up your website content. HubSpot offers various ways to export your data.
• Domain Provider Support: Don't hesitate to contact your domain provider's support team. They can often help you verify your DNS settings and troubleshoot connection issues.
• HubSpot Support: If you're still struggling, reach out to HubSpot support. They can provide more specific guidance based on your account setup.

ESHOPMAN Team Comment

Accidental DNS deletions are a common headache, and this thread highlights a solid recovery process. It's crucial to remember that DNS changes take time to propagate, so patience is key. For ESHOPMAN users with a built-in HubSpot storefront, ensuring a stable domain connection is even more critical for uninterrupted sales and customer experience. We recommend documenting your DNS settings and keeping a backup for quick restoration in case of errors.

Restoring a website after a DNS mishap can be stressful, but by following these steps and leveraging available support resources, you can usually get your site back online relatively quickly. Remember to double-check your DNS settings, allow time for propagation, and don't be afraid to ask for help!