How To Add a Custom Domain Name To Blogger: A Step-by-Step Guide

One of the best ways to enhance the professionalism, branding, and credibility of your blog is to connect it to a custom domain name. If you’re using Blogger—Google’s free blogging platform—you can remove the generic yourblog.blogspot.com URL and use a custom domain like www.yourname.com.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step how to add a custom domain name to Blogger, regardless of whether you bought your domain through Google Domains, Namecheap, GoDaddy, or another domain registrar.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a fully connected custom domain pointing to your Blogger blog, along with tips for improving SEO and securing your site with HTTPS.

Table of Contents

1. Why Use a Custom Domain?

2. What You Need Before You Start

3. Step 1: Purchase a Custom Domain

4. Step 2: Access Blogger Settings

5. Step 3: Enter Your Custom Domain in Blogger

6. Step 4: Configure DNS Settings at Your Domain Registrar

7. Step 5: Verify and Save in Blogger

8. Step 6: Enable HTTPS

9. Tips for Success

10. Troubleshooting Common Issues

11. Final Thoughts

Why Use a Custom Domain?

Using a custom domain on Blogger offers several key advantages:

• Brand Credibility: yourblog.com looks more professional than yourblog.blogspot.com.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Custom domains perform better in search rankings.

• Easier to Remember and Share: A custom URL is shorter and more memorable.

• Ownership: You control your domain and can move it to another platform in the future if needed.

What You Need Before You Start

Before connecting a custom domain, make sure you have:

• A Blogger account with a blog already set up.

• A registered domain name (from Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc.).

• Access to your domain registrar’s DNS settings.

Step 1: Purchase a Custom Domain

If you haven’t already bought a domain, do that first. Some popular domain registrars include:

• Namecheap

• GoDaddy

• Google Domains

• Bluehost

Tips for Choosing a Domain Name:

• Keep it short and simple.

• Use keywords related to your niche.

• Choose a .com if available.

• Avoid hyphens and numbers.

Once purchased, you’ll get access to your domain dashboard where you can manage DNS settings.

Step 2: Access Blogger Settings

1. Go to https://www.blogger.com and log in.

2. From your dashboard, click the blog you want to add the domain to.

3. In the left sidebar, click Settings.

4. Scroll down to the Publishing section.

5. Click Custom domain under your current blogspot URL.

Step 3: Enter Your Custom Domain in Blogger

1. In the Custom domain field, enter your domain with “www” at the beginning, e.g., www.yourdomain.com.

2. Click Save.

3. Blogger will show you an error message—but that’s expected. It will also display two CNAME records you need to add to your domain's DNS settings:

   • CNAME 1: Points www to ghs.google.com.

   • CNAME 2: A unique code to verify domain ownership (e.g., abcd1234 to gv-xyz.googlehosted.com).

Copy both sets of information.

Step 4: Configure DNS Settings at Your Domain Registrar

Now you’ll add the CNAME records into your domain registrar’s DNS settings.

Example for Namecheap:

1. Log in to your Namecheap account.

2. Go to Domain List > Manage next to your domain.

3. Click the Advanced DNS tab.

4. Under Host Records, add the following:

Add the Two CNAME Records:

Host	Type	Value	TTL
www	CNAME	ghs.google.com	Automatic
[Your unique code]	CNAME	[Google's unique verification code]	Automatic

Add A Records (Optional but Recommended for Naked Domain Redirection):

To redirect yourdomain.com (without www) to www.yourdomain.com, add the following A records:

Host	Type	Value
@	A	216.239.32.21
@	A	216.239.34.21
@	A	216.239.36.21
@	A	216.239.38.21

These IP addresses are Google's servers for Blogger.

⚠️ Important: Changes to DNS can take up to 48 hours to propagate, though it's often much faster.

Step 5: Verify and Save in Blogger

After adding the DNS records:

1. Return to your Blogger dashboard.

2. Go to Settings > Publishing > Custom domain.

3. Re-enter the domain (www.yourdomain.com) and click Save.

If everything is set up correctly, it will save without errors.

Now your blog is accessible at www.yourdomain.com.

Step 6: Enable HTTPS

Once your domain is connected, it’s important to enable HTTPS for secure browsing.

1. Go to Settings > HTTPS.

2. Turn on the toggle that says “HTTPS availability”.

3. Also enable “HTTPS redirect” so all traffic goes to the secure version of your site.

This protects your visitors and improves your SEO ranking.

Tips for Success

1. Be Patient With DNS Propagation

DNS settings can take time to update globally. If the domain isn’t connecting right away, wait a few hours before troubleshooting.

2. Use Only One Set of DNS Records

Avoid adding conflicting DNS records. For example, don’t have multiple www CNAME entries.

3. Test Your Domain

Use tools like:

• DNS Checker

• Pingdom

These help you see whether the DNS has propagated and if the site is accessible globally.

4. Keep WHOIS Privacy Enabled

If your registrar offers free privacy protection (e.g., Namecheap does), keep it turned on to hide your personal info from public records.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem 1: “We have not been able to verify your authority” Error

Solution: This means your CNAME records haven't fully propagated or were entered incorrectly. Double-check:

• Host and value fields

• That you're using CNAME, not A records

• There's no typo in your domain

Problem 2: Naked Domain Not Redirecting

Solution: Ensure you’ve added all four A records for your root domain (@) to point to Google's IPs.

Problem 3: HTTPS Not Working

Solution: HTTPS may take time to be available after setting up the domain. Wait a few hours, then try enabling it again.

Final Thoughts

Connecting a custom domain name to your Blogger blog is one of the simplest yet most impactful upgrades you can make to your site. It improves your branding, increases your SEO potential, and gives your audience a more professional experience.

To recap, here’s what you need to do:

1. Buy a domain from a registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy.

2. Go to your Blogger settings and enter the domain (with “www”).

3. Add the two CNAME records (and optional A records) in your domain registrar’s DNS settings.

4. Save the settings in Blogger.

5. Enable HTTPS.

6. Test and wait for DNS propagation.

Whether you’re blogging as a hobby or building a content business, your domain name is your first step toward building an authentic and lasting online presence.