How To Use a Custom Domain For Blogger Blogspot

In this post, we will discuss How To Use a Custom Domain For Blogger Blogspot. By setting up a custom domain, the blog on Blogger will be accessible using the custom domain. Example: "www.yoursitename.com" instead of "yourblogname.blogspot.com". The first thing required for setting up a custom domain for Blogger blog is to have a custom domain name. So, if you do not have one already then go ahead and buy one from any domain registrant such as Go Daddy.

"Blogger" is an easy to use blogging platform from Google and one among the best to easily start blogging. The advantage of using Blogger is that we use a lot of Google products today such as Picasa Web / Google Photos, YouTube, Gmail etc. and it is very convenient to inter-operate. 

When we setup a blog on Blogger, the URL of the blog is something like "theblogname.blogspot.com". This is okay for casual bloggers but if you are setting up a blog or site on Blogger for something serious, then you might want to have a custom domain so that the name of the domain or website is of the business for which the blog or website is being setup for. Blogger can even be used to setup like a website, with static front page instead of the typical blog type front page. Read my previous blog post  - How To Create Static Home Page Website with Blog using Blogger? 


For setting up a custom domain for Blogger blog, the basic steps are:

• Buy a domain name
• Configure Blogger to use custom domain from Settings > Basic > Publishing > Blog Address > Add custom domain
• Configure CNAMEs and A records in the Domain's DNS Management

Watch this video tutorial for setting up custom domain for Blogger blog.

 

How To Use a Custom Domain For Blogger Blogspot

After you have a domain name purchased for your Blogger website, follow the steps below to Setup A Custom Domain For Blogger Blog 

 Step 1: Things to do on Blogger side 

• Login to Blogger 
• Go to Settings > Basic > Publishing > Blog Address > Add custom domain 
• Enter the domain name you bought for your Blogger website and Click Save. 
• You'll get the following error: 
• This error message contains important information for you to follow.
  

 

Step 2: Things to do on the domain provider side

We need to configure CNAMEs in the Domain's DNS Management.

• Go to your domain provider’s website / control panel and find the Domain Name System (DNS) management tool.
• Add the first CNAME displayed in BLOGGER to the domain DNS
  
  • In the Domain's DNS Management, find a CNAME with name = www, and click on edit. If there is no CNAME with 'www', then add new CNAME.
  • Before:
    • Host = www
    • Points to = @
  • Replace the default value (which is usually '@') and enter ghs.google.com
  • After:
    • Host=www
    • Points to = ghs.google.com 

 

• Add the second CNAME displayed in BLOGGER to the domain DNS
  • Find a button to add a new record
  • Select CNAME as the type of record to add.
  • Get the following (Name: xxxxx, Destination: gv-hf3xxxxxxx.dv.googlehosted.com) details from the Blogger custom domain settings page and enter here
    
    • Host=xxxxx
    • Points to = gv-hf3xxxxxxx.dv.googlehosted.com
  • Click save

Step 3: Add A record in the Domain's DNS to Redirect URL without subdomain to your blog’s URL

• While you are still in the Domain's DNS Management page, find a button to add a new record
• Select A record as the type of record to add.
• Host = @
• Points To= 216.239.32.21
• Save it
• Repeat the same process above for all the IPs address below
  • 216.239.34.21
  • 216.239.36.21
  • 216.239.38.21

After this you can go back to the Blogger domain setting page and turn on Redirect domain (mydomain.com to www.mydomain.com).

 

Now, try to save the custom domain settings. If every thing is fine, you should be able to save it without the previous error displayed.

 

NOTE: DNS settings can take up to 48 hours to change. Once it is applied, you can access your Blogger (Blogspot) site with the new domain name.

If all is well, enjoy your new domain!