How to Set Up a Custom Domain on Blogger (Step-by-Step Guide)

Complete step-by-step guide to set up a custom domain on Blogger using GoDaddy

A custom domain is the single most important upgrade you can make to your Blogger blog. It instantly makes your site look professional, improves brand recognition, and gives you a real identity beyond the standard yourblog.blogspot.com address.

Once your domain is live, you may also want to optimize your images for faster loading, or create a custom favicon to complete your blog's branding.

The good news? You don't need to buy separate hosting or learn complex server management. Blogger handles all of that. You only need to buy a domain name (from GoDaddy, Namecheap, or any registrar) and point it to your Blogger blog using DNS records.

This guide walks you through the exact process — from buying a domain to enabling HTTPS — with step-by-step instructions, DNS record values, and fixes for the most common errors. By the end, your blog will be live on your own .com domain.

Step 1: Add Your Custom Domain in Blogger

First, tell Blogger that you want to use a custom domain. This generates the unique DNS records you'll need to add at your registrar.

1. Sign in to your Blogger dashboard and select your blog.
2. In the left sidebar, click Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Publishing section.
4. Click "+ Set up a third-party URL for your blog" (or "Custom domain").
5. Enter your full domain with www — for example: www.yourdomain.com. It is critical to include the www part here. Blogger requires it.
6. Click Save.

Blogger Settings → Publishing section where you add your custom domain

After clicking Save, Blogger will display two CNAME records on the same screen:

• Main Blogger CNAME: www → ghs.google.com
• Unique Verification CNAME: A random string (like abc123xyz) → gv-xxxxxxxx.dv.googlehosted.com

Copy these exact values — you'll need them in Step 3. The verification CNAME is unique to your blog and Google account, so don't use someone else's values.

Step 2: Copy Your DNS Records from Blogger

Blogger will show you these records on the same Settings page. Write them down or keep the tab open. Here's what a typical setup looks like:

The four A records point your root domain (yourdomain.com) to Google's servers, which then redirects visitors to the www version. The first CNAME handles the www subdomain, and the second CNAME is for verification.

Step 3: Configure DNS at Your Domain Registrar (GoDaddy)

Now log in to your domain registrar (we'll use GoDaddy for this guide) and open the DNS management panel.

Path in GoDaddy: My Account → Domains → Domain Manager → DNS → Add Record

3.1 Add the Four A Records

Click Add New Record and add each A record one by one. Use @ for the host/name field (in GoDaddy, @ represents your root domain):

3.2 Add the www CNAME Record

GoDaddy DNS panel with the required A records and CNAME records for connecting Blogger to your custom domain

If GoDaddy already has a www record (pointing to @ or a parked page), edit or delete it first. Conflicting records will prevent verification.

3.3 Add the Unique Verification CNAME

This is the second CNAME that Blogger generated — the one with the random string and the gv- prefix. Add it exactly as shown:

Step 4: Verify Your Domain in Blogger

After saving all DNS records, go back to Blogger → Settings → Publishing → Custom domain and click Save again. Blogger will now attempt to verify the CNAME records.

DNS propagation usually takes 10 minutes to a few hours. In rare cases, it can take up to 48 hours. Don't panic if it doesn't work immediately — this is completely normal.

Step 5: Enable HTTPS (SSL Certificate)

Once your domain is verified, you need to enable HTTPS. This gives your blog the secure padlock icon in browsers and is essential for SEO rankings.

1. Still in Settings, scroll to the HTTPS section.
2. Set "HTTPS availability" to ON (Yes).
3. Wait 15–60 minutes and refresh the page. Google needs time to generate your SSL certificate.
4. Once the status shows "Available" or "OK", set "HTTPS redirect" to ON (Yes).

Now all http:// traffic will automatically redirect to https://, and all non-www traffic will redirect to the www version of your blog.

Next step: Boost your blog's speed and branding by compressing your blog images and adding a custom favicon.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

Common Blogger custom domain errors with quick fixes for each

❌ "We did not find a CNAME record for this domain"

Cause: DNS has not propagated yet, or the CNAME value is wrong.

Fix: Wait 30–60 minutes. Check in GoDaddy that the www CNAME points to ghs.google.com (not to @ or a parked page). Verify using dnschecker.org.

❌ "Another blog is already hosted at this address"

Cause: The domain is already linked to a different Blogger blog.

Fix: Log in to the other Blogger account, go to Settings → Publishing, and remove the custom domain from that blog first.

❌ "ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED" or "This site can't be reached"

Cause: The domain is added in Blogger, but DNS records are still incomplete or conflicting.

Fix: Check for "Parked" A records in GoDaddy and delete them. Make sure all four A records and both CNAME records are present. Wait for propagation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay for hosting after buying a custom domain?

No. Blogger continues to host your blog for free. You only pay for the domain name (typically $10–$15 per year). No additional hosting fees are required.

How long does DNS propagation take?

Most DNS changes appear within 10 minutes to a few hours. However, global propagation can take up to 48 hours in rare cases. This is normal and not a sign of a problem.

Can I use a domain bought from Namecheap instead of GoDaddy?

Yes. The DNS record values are identical regardless of your registrar. Namecheap has an "Advanced DNS" tab where you add the same A records and CNAMEs. The process is very similar.

Will my old blogspot.com URL stop working?

No. Blogger automatically redirects your old .blogspot.com URLs to your new custom domain. However, you should update any internal links and sitemaps to use the new domain for SEO consistency.

Do I need to update Google Search Console?

Yes, and this is important. After your domain is live, add a new property in Google Search Console for your custom domain, verify it, and submit your new sitemap (sitemap.xml). This ensures Google indexes your new URLs.

Can I remove the custom domain later?

Yes. Go to Settings → Publishing → Custom domain and click the "X" to remove it. Your blog will revert to the .blogspot.com address. The domain itself remains yours — you can use it elsewhere.

You're Done — Now What?

Your Blogger blog is now live on your own custom domain with HTTPS enabled. This is a huge step — it instantly makes your blog look more professional and gives you a real brand identity.

The next steps are to update your Google Search Console with the new domain, submit your sitemap, and make sure all internal links point to the new URLs. Once that's done, your blog is fully SEO-ready.

If this guide helped you, feel free to share it with other bloggers. And if you run into any issues, drop a comment below — I respond to every question.

Recommended next reads: Free Image Converter & Resizer Tool and Favicon Generator for Blogger.

Happy blogging!