We periodically get queries from anxious blog owners, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger.
The ability to use an existing domain, for publishing a Blogger blog, is one of the neatest features of Blogger custom domain publishing. It's also one of the least obvious options.
Publishing a Blogger blog, into an existing domain, is easy.
DNS Addressing
Hoping that the "blog" domain URL is available, you would add a "CNAME" to the domain.
That is how you add a virtual domain host, for your blog. There will be a few limitations.
Like the normal task of setting up a custom domain, setting up an additional host in an existing domain is exceedingly simple - if you understand the rigid simplicity. Just add one host, using "CNAME" referral. For best results, do not attempt innovative addressing techniques, such as publishing to the domain root or "www" host, if either is already being used.
Since you're adding a host to an existing domain, you may not get instructions to add a second "CNAME" - even if Blogger instructions imply that you will. If you don't get instructions, you don't need a second "CNAME".
Don't try to use an alias pair - the option to refer an alias to the published URL only works, consistently, for the domain root / "www" pair. Just add a single new host, using "CNAME" referral to "ghs.google.com".
Please note the format of "ghs.google.com." The "." after "ghs.google.com" is not decorative. Be aware of how you would enter "ghs.google.com,", properly, using the zone editor provided by your DNS host / registrar.
Blog Publishing
Having added the correct virtual host DNS address to the domain, publish your blog.
Traffic Management
Get to work and manage the migration of blog traffic. For best results, combine the blog and website.
Blog Hosting
The blog content continues to be hosted by Blogger / Google - with the existing address continuing to work, and with the content unchanged. The new blog address is hosted by the DNS host or registrar.
Can I use an existing domain, that I own for my website, to publish my Blogger blog?
The ability to use an existing domain, for publishing a Blogger blog, is one of the neatest features of Blogger custom domain publishing. It's also one of the least obvious options.
Publishing a Blogger blog, into an existing domain, is easy.
- Add a DNS address, for the new URL, to the domain.
- Publish the blog, to the new URL.
- Manage the traffic, as part of any newly published custom domain blog.
- The blog content is hosted by Blogger / Google.
- The blog address is hosted by your DNS host / registrar.
DNS Addressing
Hoping that the "blog" domain URL is available, you would add a "CNAME" to the domain.
blog.mydomain.com. 3600 IN CNAME ghs.google.com.That is the DNS address entry for the URL "blog.mydomain.com", which will point to "ghs.google.com.". This example uses an extracted Dig log to describe the required DNS address.
That is how you add a virtual domain host, for your blog. There will be a few limitations.
- You probably won't be able to publish to the domain root, or to the "www" host. Those addresses are generally used by the website.
- If either the domain root or "www" host is used by the website, do not try to address the other.
- If the DNS host does not permit "CNAME" referral, you won't be able to create a virtual host - and you won't be able to publish your blog to the domain.
Like the normal task of setting up a custom domain, setting up an additional host in an existing domain is exceedingly simple - if you understand the rigid simplicity. Just add one host, using "CNAME" referral. For best results, do not attempt innovative addressing techniques, such as publishing to the domain root or "www" host, if either is already being used.
Since you're adding a host to an existing domain, you may not get instructions to add a second "CNAME" - even if Blogger instructions imply that you will. If you don't get instructions, you don't need a second "CNAME".
Don't try to use an alias pair - the option to refer an alias to the published URL only works, consistently, for the domain root / "www" pair. Just add a single new host, using "CNAME" referral to "ghs.google.com".
Please note the format of "ghs.google.com." The "." after "ghs.google.com" is not decorative. Be aware of how you would enter "ghs.google.com,", properly, using the zone editor provided by your DNS host / registrar.
Blog Publishing
Having added the correct virtual host DNS address to the domain, publish your blog.
Traffic Management
Get to work and manage the migration of blog traffic. For best results, combine the blog and website.
Blog Hosting
The blog content continues to be hosted by Blogger / Google - with the existing address continuing to work, and with the content unchanged. The new blog address is hosted by the DNS host or registrar.
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