Are you new to Blogger? Have you ever asked why some blogs have unique domains while others use the usual blogger.com subdomain? Well, a custom domain can help your Blogger site look more professional, increase your brand value, and improve search engine rankings. In this article, I’ll explain what a custom domain is, the benefits of connecting it to your Blogger blog, and provide a step-by-step tutorial to setup custom domain to your Blogger site.
What is a Custom Domain and Why Do You Need It?
A custom domain is a domain name that you own and manage, for example, www.yourblogname.com. This is different from the default blogger.com subdomain that is automatically assigned when you create a new blog on Blogger, like www.yourblogname.blogspot.com.
Go for a top-level custom domain when starting your first blogger blog.
The Benefits of Connecting a Custom Domain
Here are some of the key reasons why you should connect to a custom domain:
A Custom Domain Builds Your Brand
A custom domain helps build your brand’s value and credibility. People can easily remember it and associate it with your blog. Using the default Blogger subdomain doesn’t stand out as much.
Look More Professional
Blogger.com subdomains have the word “blogspot” in them by default. Using your own custom domain improves the look of your website, making it more professional and customized to your business.
Improve Search Engine Optimization
Search engines put more weight on sites using custom domains than subdomains. By connecting a custom domain, the URL structure is simpler for SEO, and you can rank better in search results.
How Custom Domain Works with Blogger
To connect a custom domain to Blogger, point the domain to Blogger’s servers. You purchase the domain from a registrar and then setup DNS to route traffic to your blog.
Blogger uses a “CNAME record” to route your custom domain to their servers. When someone types your custom domain URL into a browser, the CNAME record redirects it to your Blogger site.
It’s important to know that purchasing and mapping the domain are two separate steps:
First, purchase the custom domain from a domain name registrar. Popular choices include Google Domains, GoDaddy, and Namecheap. We recommend you Host Service.
Next, connect the domain to Blogger by configuring the CNAME record and pointing DNS to Blogger’s servers.
The rest of this guide will walk through exactly how to purchase a domain and get it hooked up with your Blogger blog.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setup Custom Domain to Blogger
Follow these steps to add a custom domain to your Blogger site:
Purchase a Domain Name
1. Decide on the good domain name you want and check availability. Make sure the .com is open.
2. Go to a domain name registrar site like Host Service and purchase it. The cost is very affordable.
3. For email services and other options, leave them unchecked for now to avoid extra fees. Streamline just the domain itself.
Verify Domain Ownership in Blogger Dashboard
1. In your Blogger dashboard, go to Settings
2. Under “Publish” settings, click on “Setup custom domain.”
3. Enter your new (unused) domain and click “Verify ownership.”
4. Firstly, you will get an error message in red letters. But It will provide verification steps to create a CNAME record or TXT record. Here you will get a unique CNAME record too. Leave this browser tab open.
Setup CNAME Record on Domain Registrar
1. Go back to your domain registrar control panel
2. Find DNS settings and create a new CNAME record
3. You will see there will be four A records.
Add “@” in the box of Symbol, then in the 4 boxes of Host, add A.
Then add the IP addresses given below, one by one.
216.239.32.21
216.239.34.21
216.239.36.21
216.239.38.21
4. Enter “www” under Host/Name/Alias and input the verification code in Destination
For example:
Host: www
Destination: ghs.google.com
It’s a common CNAME record. You will need to add a unique one to verify your domain on Blogger. You can find the unique CNAME in the above step, “Setup CNAME Record on Domain Registrar.”
5. Enter the unique CNAME record’s Host number in the box of Host, then add the destination.
For example:
Host: **tktyt2lz*x
Destination: gv-**gwfinz**eh**.dv.googlehosted.com
6. Save the CNAME record and allow up to 24 hours for propagation.
Verify Ownership and Finish Setup of Custom Domain to Blogger
After adding CNAME records, go back to the Blogger Dashboard > Settings > then enable the Domain Redirect and HTTPS options.
Once successful, it will change to custom domain fields:
1. Under “Publishing Settings,” the new domain will show in the Domain setting
2. In “Blog Address URL,” replace the blogger.com URL with just your custom domain. For example, “www.yourblogname.com”
And that’s it! Your custom domain is now connected to and working with your Blogger site. Traffic will seamlessly be routed from your domain over to Blogger without disruption.
Conclusion
Getting a custom domain connected to Blogger is simple yet very important for improving your blog in many ways. Not only will it present your site with a cleaner, more professional look, but it will also increase brand value and trust, separate you from the usual Blogger crowd, and help in search engine optimization.
The process involves purchasing the domain independently and then adding DNS settings to direct traffic to Blogger’s platform. While it does require a bit of initial setup time, the long-term benefits are worth it.
I hope this guide provides all you need to setup custom domain to Blogger blog. Now with this knowledge, go ahead and give your blog a unique name and identity!
