Avoid Domain Disasters: How to Let Developers, IT Support, and Marketers Work on Your Domain Without Sharing Passwords
Avoid Domain Disasters: How to Let Developers, IT Support, and Marketers Work on Your Domain Without Sharing Passwords
Your Domain is Valuable—Protect It Like It’s Your Business Address
As a small business owner, your domain name is one of your most important digital assets. It connects your customers to your website, your email, and your entire online identity.
But too often, business owners unknowingly put everything at risk by handing over their GoDaddy login to a web developer, IT consultant, or marketer.
It might seem like the fastest way to get something fixed — but it can lead to catastrophic consequences.
The Big Mistake: Sharing Your Domain Password
If you give someone your GoDaddy password, you’re giving them full control of your digital business — not just access to help.
They can:
Transfer ownership of your domain
Lock you out completely
Make unauthorized or mistaken changes
Expose your login credentials to hackers if they reuse passwords or don’t protect their devices
Even one innocent mistake can lead to website downtime, lost emails, or worse — total loss of your domain.
A Smarter Way: Use Delegated Access on GoDaddy
GoDaddy offers a secure feature called Delegated Access. It lets you give others permission to work on your domain settings without sharing your password or losing control.
Think of it like giving a spare key to just one office — not the entire building.
With delegated access:
You remain the domain owner
You invite others by email
You choose what they can access
You can revoke access anytime, instantly
What Do Developers, IT Support, or Marketers Actually Need Access To?
Here’s the good news: they don’t need full access to your account. Here’s what most professionals need and why delegated access is enough:
DNS Records: These connect your domain to your website, email, or platforms like Google Workspace.
Name Servers: Used to point your domain to a new hosting provider or platform.
Verification Tags: Marketing teams may need to add codes to verify ownership for analytics, ads, or SEO tools.
✅ All of this can be done securely through delegated access — without handing over the keys to your kingdom.
How to Set Up Delegated Access (No Tech Talk Required)
It only takes a few minutes:
Log into your GoDaddy account
Click your name (top right) > Account Settings
Choose “Delegate Access”
Click “Grant Access”
Enter the person’s email address
Choose their access level:
Products & Domains
Domains Only
They get an invite and access only to what they need
No passwords shared. No risk of being locked out. Just safe, secure collaboration.
The Price of Losing Control: Real Costs and Risks if You Get Locked Out
It’s not just frustrating — losing access to your domain can seriously damage your business.
Website Downtime = Lost Sales + Lost Trust
Small business downtime costs range from $137 to $427 per minute
Some estimate $8,000 to $25,000 per hour when considering lost revenue, productivity, and repairs
Customers who visit a broken or missing website may think you’ve gone out of business
Email Failure and Marketing Breakdown
Inbound and outbound emails stop working — and you may not even know it
Links in ads, emails, and social posts break
Your digital credibility takes a hit — fast
Recovery Can Be Long and Expensive
Reclaiming a domain may require days or weeks of back-and-forth with registrars or legal help
If it was transferred to another owner or registrar, you may face international roadblocks
Legal fees and lost time quickly add up
Worst Case? You Never Get It Back
That means:
Buying a new domain
Rebuilding your website
Updating business cards, signage, brochures, email addresses, and more
Informing every client and customer
Losing SEO rankings and starting over from scratch
It’s not just a hassle — it’s a brand and reputation killer.
Why Delegated Access is the Smarter Choice
You Stay in Control: You decide who has access and when to cut it off
It’s Professional: Shows you manage your business securely and responsibly
It’s Safe: Keeps your login credentials private and your brand protected
It’s Flexible: Ideal for working with rotating contractors, freelancers, or agencies
Conclusion: Don’t Risk Your Business — Use Delegated Access
Your domain is the digital doorway to your business. If someone else controls it — even for a short time — it can cost you more than money. It can cost you trust, customers, and your reputation.
So the next time someone asks for your domain login, just say:
“I’ll send you delegated access instead.”
Because owning your domain means protecting your business — and now you know how to do it right.
FAQs
Q1: What if someone I hired already has my GoDaddy password?
Change it immediately, then set them up using delegated access to avoid future risk.
Q2: Can I limit what someone can do with delegated access?
Yes. You choose between full product/domain access or domain-only access. They can only do what you allow.
Q3: Is delegated access free?
Absolutely. It’s built into every GoDaddy account — no extra cost.
