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Using The "Buy A Domain For Your Blog" Wizard

The Blogger "Google Custom Domain" product, which gives bloggers a much requested ability to use a non-BlogSpot URL with a Layouts template, was first offered over a year ago, in January, 2007. I've been writing about Custom Domains ever since - the basic procedure of setting one up, and about the problems involved, and even about the many improvements that it's received.

One of the many improvements noted was the "Buy A Domain For Your Blog" Wizard, which replaces (and greatly simplifies) the painfully tedious, and needlessly technical, setup process for many bloggers. Yet all of my writing about the wizard was purely from observation, and from analysis of the problem reports in the forums. Until today, I didn't actually setup a domain, using the wizard.

So, let's cut to the chase, Chuck. What's it like?

It started with a bit of apprehension. I decided to do this, as I do many things, based upon a practical goal. A goal of having my own personal domain - "nitecruzr.net". And the apprehension was two fold.
  1. Maybe the wizard will hose my domain, as it has so many others.
  2. Maybe I won't even be able to setup my domain. What if "nitecruzr.net" is already taken? Oh no, my own personal episode of "That URL is already taken.".
Ever mindful of the "Domibot" issue, I decided to not even check for availability, until I was ready to actually buy the domain, if available.

So this morning, I gathered myself together, and tackled the wizard. With credit card in hand, and disappointment in mind, I approached Settings - Publishing - "Switch to: • Custom Domain".


Select "Switch to: • Custom Domain".



Enter the domain name, and select the Top Level Domain. For TLD, we have the choice of "com", "net", "info", "org", or "biz".



Go for it. Check Availability.



Hooray! It's available. So, take it!



Of course, it's not free, like the rest of Blogger is.



Place The Order, Chuck. Note here, you need a working, major credit card, before starting the purchase process.



Yay! We have "nitecruzr.net".



Oh no! Not that!!


Fortunately, all is not lost. Simply recycle the domain settings, using Google Apps.

Maybe the latter test result is what motivated Blogger to now put newly setup custom domains into a three day "In Transition" period. Anyway, having setup the base custom domain, I am now able to add virtual hosts, and construct my domain cluster, Nitecruzr Dot Net, and include all of my blogs into one web site.

Note that use of the "Buy a domain" wizard is simply one alternative of three, in proper custom domain setup. And note the complementary activities, which you need to perform, during the three day Transition period, that starts when you successfully purchase the domain.

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Comments

I got ya chuck, all the way to the "recycle domain settings" part...don't get that.

Also, when you do this, does blogger become the host and we pay them per year for the domain? Is there a MB space limitation for the site? Like, i want to upload video of family vacation, etc.

thanks- Newbie
admin said…
Your blog is in transition

Your blog's new address is http://www.vivasaayi.com/ . Since it takes time for this new address to become available all over the Internet, you can still get to it at http://vivasaaji.blogspot.com .

Your new address should work for everyone after at most 3 days. At that time we will redirect your readers from your old address to the new one.

this is blogger message for my view blog but that message pass 3 days what about this ?
Nitecruzr said…
Viva,

The discussions about custom domain publishing, and the Transition period, can be intensely detailed. This would be so much better discussed in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2008/04/new-custom-domains-in-transition.html
Unknown said…
Hi!
I currently own the domain - www.debhalasz.com. It will expire in August 2012, and I'd like to transfer the domain registrar because right now, I'm paying way too much. Does the "wizard" allow for transferring a domain?

Thanks!
Deborah
Nitecruzr said…
Deborah,

The "Buy a domain" wizard only lets you buy new domains - there is no transfer capability. The best that you can do is to transfer DNS Hosting to GoDaddy.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2008/11/making-your-domain-into-google-custom.html

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