Custom Domain Setup for Blogger Blog: A Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners

Setting up a custom domain for your Blogger blog is one of the best decisions you can make to enhance your blog’s professionalism, branding, and SEO potential. A custom domain gives your blog a unique identity, helps with search engine rankings, and provides a more memorable web address for your audience. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up a custom domain for your Blogger blog, step by step, while also optimizing the process with SEO-friendly practices to help your blog stand out in search engine results.

Why Should You Use a Custom Domain for Your Blogger Blog?

Before diving into the setup process, let’s quickly discuss why a custom domain is important for your blog:

1. Professional Appearance: A custom domain (e.g., www.yourblog.com) looks much more professional than a subdomain (e.g., www.yourblog.blogspot.com).
2. SEO Benefits: Custom domains can improve your SEO rankings, as search engines tend to give higher trust and authority to websites with custom domains.
3. Better Branding: A custom domain gives you more control over your blog’s name, allowing you to align it with your brand or niche.
4. Easy to Remember: Custom domains are easier for your audience to remember, making it more likely they will return to your blog.

Now, let’s go through the steps of setting up a custom domain for your Blogger blog.

Step 1: Purchase a Custom Domain

Before you can set up a custom domain on Blogger, you need to purchase one. There are several domain registrars available online where you can buy a custom domain, such as:

• Google Domains
• Namecheap
• GoDaddy
• Bluehost

Once you’ve selected a domain provider, go to their website and search for a domain name that fits your blog’s theme and niche. For example, if you run a food blog, you might want something related to food or cooking. Make sure the domain is easy to remember and relevant to your content.

Step 2: Access Your Blogger Settings

1. Login to Blogger: Go to Blogger.com, log in with your Google account, and select the blog you want to set up the custom domain for.

2. Go to Settings: Once you are on your Blogger dashboard, navigate to the Settings section on the left-hand side of the page. Click on the Basic option to find your blog’s URL settings.

Step 3: Update Blogger Settings for a Custom Domain

1. Find the “Publishing” Section: In the Basic settings page, look for the Publishing section, which displays your current blog URL (the one with “.blogspot.com”).

2. Click on “Set up a third-party URL for your blog”: Once you click this option, a box will appear where you can enter your custom domain name.

3. Enter Your Custom Domain: Type in the custom domain you purchased (e.g., www.yourblog.com) in the space provided. Click Save to proceed.

Step 4: Set Up DNS Records for Your Custom Domain

Now, you need to configure your domain’s DNS settings to point to Blogger. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Log into your Domain Registrar Account: Go to the domain registrar where you purchased your domain, and log in to your account.

2. Access DNS Settings: Find the DNS settings or DNS management page in your domain registrar’s dashboard.

3. Add CNAME Records: You will need to add two CNAME records that connect your custom domain to Blogger. These records tell your domain where to point.

   • First CNAME Record: The first CNAME record will link your domain to Blogger. Enter the following information:
     • Name: www
     • Value: ghs.google.com
   • Second CNAME Record: The second CNAME is provided by Blogger. In your Blogger settings, after you enter your custom domain, Blogger will show you a second CNAME record with a unique code. Enter this information in the DNS settings as well.
     • Name: A random code provided by Blogger (e.g., xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
     • Value: A URL provided by Blogger, which will look something like: gv-g7ab4thjkjw23dy6wwwhz1k8w0yybbwp7gqdr6gv63z

4. Save DNS Changes: After adding both CNAME records, save your DNS settings. This process might take some time (up to 48 hours) for changes to propagate across the internet.

Step 5: Redirect Domain to “www”

To ensure that visitors can access your blog whether they enter “www” in the URL or not, set up a redirect from the non-www version (e.g., yourblog.com) to the “www” version (e.g., www.yourblog.com).

1. Go back to Blogger Settings: In the Publishing section where you entered your custom domain, check the box that says Redirect domain.com to www.yourblog.com.

2. Save Settings: Once checked, click Save, and your blog will automatically redirect visitors to the “www” version of your domain.

Step 6: Test Your Custom Domain

After waiting for the DNS records to propagate, type your custom domain (www.yourblog.com) into your browser’s address bar. If everything is set up correctly, your Blogger blog should load with the custom domain you purchased.

SEO Tips for Blogger Custom Domain Setup

To ensure your blog ranks well in search engine results, follow these essential SEO practices:

1. Use HTTPS: Always use HTTPS for secure connections. Blogger offers a free SSL certificate for custom domains, which you should enable in your settings.

2. Submit Sitemap to Google Search Console: After setting up your custom domain, submit your blog’s sitemap to Google Search Console to improve indexing and visibility in search results.

3. Optimize Your Content: Focus on high-quality content, using relevant keywords in your titles, headings, and throughout your posts to improve SEO rankings.

4. Mobile Optimization: Ensure your blog’s theme is mobile-friendly. A responsive design helps improve user experience and SEO rankings.

Conclusion

Setting up a custom domain for your Blogger blog is a simple but powerful way to elevate your blog’s presence online. It boosts your professionalism, SEO, and branding efforts. By following this step-by-step guide, you can easily set up your custom domain and start enjoying the benefits of having a unique web address.

Happy blogging, and best of luck with your custom domain setup!