BLOGGING TIPS: Getting a Custom Web Address For Your Blog

Some of you out there might be looking at our fine URL and saying, 

"Gosh! Wish I had such an awesome and professional web address. That .blogspot extension is cramping my style worse than an over protective mother dropping me off at prom!"

Second only to having a failed bio-organic weapon project as a date

Fear not! For I, Jake Kirk: 1999 International Ballroom Champion and 2003 Academy Award Winner for Most Innovative Shot Involving 2 Wild Animals and a Former Child Star, will help you through this daunting but relatively simple task! 


This weekend I changed Alyssa's writing blog to alyssakirk.com as part of the Bloggiesta event. It's relatively simple and you can do it too!


Please Note: I recommend backing up your blog before you do any big changes.  It's always a good idea just in case. Then back it up after everything goes through. AND back it up periodically as regular maintenance.  
Google has help on this but here's the basic run through:

Create a folder on your computer, perhaps in My Documents file, called "Blog Templates - Back-Up" (or some such name).

If you have 'X' amount of Blogs, make 'X' amount of folders - one for each Blog.

Before, and After, working on the template, download a copy of your template to the relevant folder. It takes seconds to do.

In your Blogger account click Design, then the 'Edit html' tab. Then, select "Download Full Template" in the "Backup / Restore Template" section of the 'Edit html' option. You then 'save a copy' to the relevant folder. Easy and very important!

Now to your custom domain...


1. WE DON'T RECOMMEND BUYING YOUR DOMAIN THROUGH BLOGGER
We did this when we switched to teensreadandwrite.com and it was fine...until we wanted to switch it over to GoDaddy. Let's just say I had an easier time getting Scarlett Johansson to quit stalking me.

Look carefully upon the face of a woman who will go through your trash

It took three weeks of calling, e-mails, and frustration to FINALLY get it transfered.


2. Register Domain At GoDaddy
(there are other good places to purchase a domain name but we used GoDaddy so that's the process I'll explain)
Simply go to www.godaddy.com, enter your intended site name to see if it's available, and they'll walk you through the rest. 
Dot com extension cost: $12 a year.


3. Park Your Domain Edit Your CNAME Record

1. On GoDaddy login to your Account Manager.
2. In the My Products section, click Domain Manager.
3. Select the domain name you want to use with your Blogger account, and then from the Nameservers, select Set Nameservers.
4. Select I want to park my domains.
5. Click OK.
6. Click OK again

4. Edit Your CNAME Record

1. Log in to your Account Manager.
2. In the My Products section, click Domain Manager.
3. From the Tools menu, select DNS Manager. The DNS Dashboard displays.
4. For the domain name you want to use with your Blogger account, click Edit Zone. The Zone File Editor displays.
5. In the CNAME (Alias) section, click the www record.
6. In the Points To field, type ghs.google.com.
7. Click Save Zone File, and then click OK.

5. Forward Your Domain Name

1. On GoDaddy login to your Account Manager.
2. In the My Products section, click Domain Manager.
3. Select the domain name you want to forward to your Blogger blog.
4. From the Forward list, select Forward Domain.
5. Select http://
6. In the Forward to field, enter the complete URL, with the www, you want to forward your domain name to. For example, enter www.crazy-jakes-disco-emporium.com
7. To automatically update your nameservers to accommodate your forwarding changes, select Update my DNS setting to support this change.
8. Click OK.

6. Configure Your Blogger Account

1. Log in to your Blogger account.
2. From the Settings tab, select Publishing.
3. Click Custom Domain.
4. In the Buy a domain for your blog section, click Switch to advanced settings.
5. In the Your Domain field, enter your domain name. For example, enter www.crazy-jakes-disco-emporium.com.
6. Save your settings.

There you go! Your own professional extension!

Oh! Almost forgot.

Step 7 - Don't Panic! 
It can take up to 48 hours and while it can be scary to keep trying to pull up your page with your new domain and you only see a white page displaying:

This website is temporarily unavailable, please try again later.

Just relax. It will happen. And our experience with GoDaddy has been that they have excellent telephone and email support. It's a good idea to let your followers know what you're doing. A Friday is a good time - less traffic and you've got the weekend for it to change over. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at either

demonicattractions@gmail.com

or my new personal and professional email address (which, on a later post, I will explain how to get for yourself)

jakejkirk@jakejkirk.com


If you want a custom domain, you can do it!