Tech Tip: Custom Domain Name for Blog

Earlier this week I discovered that for a mere 10 dollars, I could create a custom domain name for my blog in blogger. I'm going to outline the steps below in simple terms.

My blog for the last year has been found at http://thaxtonfam.blogspot.com/. Truthfully, I gave exactly three seconds to the name and rolled with it. Now that I have observed other blogs for a year, I realized having more of a "handle" like VodkaMom is cooler. As a self described "web-savy mom" I decided to make this my new blog-handle. It wasn't until after the fact that I realized I misspelled savvy and have for years.

First step:
Log in to your blogger account. Click on Settings and then in the top left click on Publishing.
At the top it will have your current setting to be "Publish on blogspot.com." Below it is an option to select "Custom Domain." Click on this and a new drop down option appears.
Second step:
Under Buy a domain for your blog is a box to enter in your desired custom blog address. After entering in your name, click check availability. I tried several and they were all available. In my case, I wanted http://www.websavymom.com/. Besides the reasonable $10 a year charge, your current URL or web address with .blogspot.com will automatically redirect to the newly registered name. Translation: You will not lose any web traffic.

In addition to the custom domain name, google provides:

• private domain registration to protect against spam (they keep your personal information private)
• full DNS control and domain mangement (DNS is domain name system which is basically the way the internet is configured into words vs. IP numbers like 187.32.344.1)
• easy configuration with other google services, email, calendar and instant messaging.

(Still with me?)

After you complete the registration process, entering in your personal information and credit card information in three easy steps, return to your blogger dashboard where the whole process began.

Now, select Swith to: Custom domain and if not already appearing, enter in your newly registered custom domain name.

It may take google a little time to flip the switch on their end, don't panic if you're typing in your newly registered address and nothing is appearing. I kept hitting F5 to refresh the page on the http://www.websavymom.com/ page until it finally appeared.

Meanwhile, I created an email address based on my new custom domain name which is deb AT websavymom.com. After you register, you can create multiple email addresses. I logged in to my new email account and have all mail forwarded to my primary email account which I check every day on my computer and blackberry. I've explained how to create custom email addresses here.

If you have specific questions about anything website-related, feel free to email me at deb AT websavymom.com and I'll try my best to either respond personally or make it a post on this site.

While you're here, please select "follow me" on the left-hand side. I'm also on twitter and try to tweet every day. Click for my Twitter for Dummies post.

Be sure to come back on Fridays for Flashback Friday and link up.