FTP Publishing - The Migration Is In Progress

If you're currently publishing a blog externally, using FTP, you've probably seen the handwriting on the wall - or maybe, on your dashboard.

FTP publishing will no longer be available after May 1, 2010
You currently have blogs that are published using FTP. You must migrate your blogs to a new custom domain URL or a blogspot URL. To learn more, see our dedicated blog and help documentation.

Start migration now

So, get started. Read the Blogger FTP Info. If you have any problems before, during, or after the migration, add them to the FTP Migration Issues Tracker database, so your problems can be properly diagnosed and resolved.

Remember, as I've said before, if you have a problem, and you don't report the problem, then you become part of the problem. So, report the problem, if you have a problem.

When you migrate, you have several possibilities for the new URL which will be progressively more complex, yet be offset by a varying effect upon page rank, search engine reputation, and traffic.

• BlogSpot. The simplest of all.
• Custom Domain - New virtual host. Here, you have to create new virtual Host DNS records, which you can do before you start the migration. The migration will not complete successfully, without DNS for the new virtual host properly setup.
• Custom Domain - Same virtual host. This one is tricky. Here, you have to update the existing Virtual Host DNS records, but you cannot do this until the migration from the current host is complete. As with the latter choice though, the migration will not complete successfully, without DNS for the new virtual host properly setup. You will need to be prepared to change the Virtual Host DNS records at the precisely correct time in the migration - after the migration from the existing host is complete, but before the migration to the Custom Domain starts.

In all 3 of the above choices, the migration process will create a redirection from the current URL to the new URL, as you choose. See Migration tool overview, for more information about the migration process in general.

If your blog has any photos hosted on the external server, that content will continue to be hosted there - to save you having to change blog code which references the photos (or any similarly hosted content). Using the Missing Files host in a custom domain will be essential to a successful migration. See Advanced setup: moving from www to www, for instructions on using the Missing Files host.

If you elect to go with the 3rd choice above, see Advanced setup: moving from www to www for additional details which you need to consider.

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