Setting Up A Custom Domain

Having written my referential guide Troubleshooting Your Custom Domain Problems, I have seen more than a few questions in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken that are solved by use of the guide. Maybe you can avoid use of that guide, if you plan ahead of time.

The vast majority of all bloggers, when seeking to publish their blog to a custom domain, will do quite well to use the "Buy A Domain For Your Blog" wizard.

1. Have a major bank issued credit card, for an account that's in good standing, in hand.
2. Pick an available domain.
3. Provide the credit card information.
4. Get the email from Google Apps.
5. Setup your new Google Apps account.
6. Get to work planning and managing the transition to the new URL.
7. If you just completed step #6, please skip to the end of the article, now. What's below is not your concern.

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As of 2013/06/23, "Buy a domain" is no longer offered, as part of "Add a custom domain".

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Maybe you can't use "Buy A Domain", for your purchase.

• Maybe you want a Top Level Domain other than what is offered.
  • .biz
  • .com
  • .info
  • .net
  • .org
• Maybe you cannot provide a major credit card for payment.
• Maybe you want to use a local or personal registrar, for any of many different reasons.
• Maybe you already have a domain, and want to setup an additional host.
• Maybe you let the domain expire, and now you have to setup the DNS addresses on your own.

If you're in this group, I suggest that you plan the setup process, and similarly, the domain renewal options. Save yourself (and us) a lot of headache, by considering the details, before you purchase.

1. Choose a registrar that will provide the proper DNS services, and the required support. Even if you cannot use "Buy A Domain", you may do well to use eNom or GoDaddy as your registrar, if possible.
   • We are more familiar with their procedures and wizards. We can provide corrections, for well known problems.
   • Their CSRs are becoming increasingly familiar with needs of Google Custom Domains.
   • We are reasonably certain that they are able to provide the necessary services.
   • As a GoDaddy customer, you can use the Blogger / GoDaddy "Update your DNS records" wizard, to setup your DNS, after your domain is registered by GoDaddy.
   It's your choice, but you can make it easier for yourself, and for us.
2. Setup the DNS addresses properly, using one of three models. For details, please see:
   • My guide, Your Blog, Custom Domains, And Righteous Solutions.
   • My tutorial The Simplicity Of A Custom Domain Setup.
   • The Blogger guide, Custom Domains.
3. Re publish the blog to the new domain. Select the "Redirect" option (if desired). Note that even if you do not (or cannot) redirect one URL to another, using one of the three models is seriously recommended.
4. Setup a new Google Apps account (if necessary).
5. Get to work planning and managing the transition to the new URL.

This is simple advice, but it will be worth your while to understand the requirements, and to execute the details, religiously. Custom domains are very simple, in concept - but if you set one up wrong, you can have all sorts of problems.

Get it right, from the start. Make it easier, for everybody.

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