Introduction
Hello readers, this isn't a generic tutorial. It's a complete walkthrough of How I Migrated My Blogger Website to a Custom Domain (Step-by-Step Guide with Mistakes & Solutions)
So, after using Blogger.com for several years, I finally decided it was time to give my blog a more professional identity.
My website was running on a free Blogspot domain, and although it worked perfectly fine and trust me it has good features that I think enough for any blogger and even had Google AdSense approval with very less time, I always felt that a custom domain would make it look more trustworthy and memorable.
So I purchased hustlefly.in and started the migration. To be honest, I expected it to take 10–20 minutes. Instead, it turned into a learning experience.
I faced DNS errors, HTTP delays, Hostinger configuration issues, Google Search Console updates, and even temporary AdSense problems after the migration.
The good part? Every issue had a solution. 😊
So, In this guide, I'm sharing a complete process which I followed - from buying the domain to making everything work properly—including the mistakes I made and how I fixed them.
If you're planning to connect your Blogger website with a custom domain, this guide will save you a lot of time and frustration for sure.
Let's get started..
1. Why I Decided to Buy a Custom Domain
For a long time, my blog was running on the free Blogspot domain: https://hustlefly.blogspot.com
Honestly, there wasn't anything technically wrong with it. The website was working well, Google had already approved AdSense, and I was publishing articles regularly.
But every time I shared my website with someone, I felt that the Blogspot URL didn't represent the brand I wanted to build.
A custom domain makes your website:
- More professional
- Easier to remember
- More trustworthy for readers
- Better for long-term branding
I knew that if I wanted to keep growing HustleFly, investing in a domain was the right step. After exploring different extensions like .com, .co, and .in, I finally chose hustlefly.in.
Why???
The .com version was already taken, and I didn't want to spend a large amount on buying a premium domain because blogging is currently my side project and hobby.
For my audience and budget, .in was a practical choice. It keeps the brand name short, looks professional, and can always be upgraded in the future if needed.
My Tip: Don't wait for the "perfect" domain. Choose something memorable, affordable, and aligned with your brand. Your content and consistency will matter far more than whether your domain ends with .com or .in.
2. Things to Know Before You Start
Before I purchased the domain and started changing DNS settings, I spent some time understanding how Blogger works with a custom domain. Looking back, this saved me from making even bigger mistakes later.
If you're planning to migrate your Blogger website, here are a few things I'd recommend checking first.
✔️ Take a Backup of Your Theme
Even though the migration doesn't usually affect your Blogger theme, it's always a good idea to download a backup before making any changes.
Go to: Theme → Backup → Download Theme
It only takes a minute and gives you peace of mind if something unexpected happens.
✔️ Understand the Difference Between a Domain and Hosting
This confused me in the beginning.
Since Blogger already hosts your website for free, you do not need separate web hosting just to connect a custom domain.
All you need is:
A Blogger website
- A domain name (from Hostinger, GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
Blogger continues hosting your website, while the domain simply replaces the Blogspot URL with your own branded address.
✔️ Be Prepared for DNS Propagation
One mistake many beginners make is expecting everything to work immediately.
After updating DNS records, the changes need time to propagate across the internet.
Sometimes it takes only a few minutes.
Sometimes it takes several hours.
During this time, your website may show different results on different devices or networks.
This is completely normal.
✔️ Keep Your Google Accounts Ready
Before starting, make sure you have access to:
- Blogger
- Google Search Console
- Google AdSense (if you're already using it)
You'll need them after the migration to verify your website and update the new domain.
✔️ Don't Rush the Process
This is probably the biggest lesson I learned.
I initially thought the migration would be finished in half an hour.
Instead, I encountered DNS issues, HTTPS delays, and later an AdSense review.
None of these were difficult to fix—but they required patience.
My Tip: Keep 1–2 hours free before starting the migration. Most of the time isn't spent configuring settings—it's spent waiting for DNS changes to propagate.
3. Buying the Domain
Choosing a domain was actually more difficult than connecting it to Blogger.
My first choice was hustlefly.com, but it was already registered.😞
I also considered a few alternatives like thehustlefly.com, hustlepoint.com but eventually decided to keep the brand simple and affordable by purchasing hustlefly.in.
Since blogging is currently my side hustle, I didn't want to spend a huge amount on a premium domain.
For my use case, .in was a practical and cost-effective choice.
I purchased the domain from Hostinger with a three-year plan at once, which also included one year of free Business Email + some other AI site builder.
If you're choosing a registrar, there are many good options available. The most important thing is to buy from a trusted provider that gives you full control over your DNS settings.
A Few Things I Recommend During Checkout
While buying the domain, you'll probably see several optional add-ons.
Here's what I chose.
✔️ Purchased
- Domain registration
- Multi-year plan (3 years)
- Free Business Email (included with the offer)
❌ Skipped
- Premium security add-ons
- Paid SSL certificates (Blogger already provides free HTTPS)
- Other optional upsells that weren't necessary for my current needs
This helped keep the overall cost reasonable while still getting everything required for a Blogger website.
Use a Dedicated Email
Instead of registering the domain with my personal email, I used a separate email account dedicated to my blog.
Later, I also created a professional business email using my domain.
For example: hello@hustlefly.in / Connect@XYZ.com/ Support@XYZ.com
It may seem like a small detail, but having a professional email builds trust and looks much better on your Contact page, About page, and social media profiles.
My Tip: Don't overthink the domain extension. A memorable brand with useful content is far more valuable than chasing an expensive premium domain.
4. Connecting Blogger with the Domain
Once the domain was purchased, the next step was connecting it with Blogger.
The process itself is quite simple:
- Go to Blogger → Settings → Publishing
- Click Custom Domain
- Enter your domain with the www prefix (e.g.
www.xyz.com) - Click Save
At first, Blogger displayed a verification error. Don't worry dear, this is completely normal because the required DNS records haven't been added yet.
IMP: Instead of closing the page, copy the CNAME records shown by Blogger. You'll need them in the next step.
5. DNS Configuration (Hostinger.com)
After getting the DNS details from Blogger, I switched to my Hostinger account and opened the DNS Zone Editor.
Here, I added:
- The two CNAME records provided by Blogger.
- Four Google A Records for the root domain (
@).
After saving the changes, all that was left was waiting for DNS propagation.
Depending on your DNS provider, this may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't panic if your website doesn't open immediately. DNS propagation takes time, and that's completely normal.
6. HTTPS Setup
Once Blogger successfully verified the domain, I enabled HTTPS from:
Blogger → Settings → HTTPS
Initially, the status showed "Pending", which is expected while Google generates the SSL certificate.
After some time, it changed to Available, and I enabled HTTPS Redirect so every visitor automatically uses the secure version of the website.
7. Common Issues During Blogger Domain Migration (And How I Fixed Them)
This was probably the most valuable part of the entire migration. The setup itself wasn't difficult -> but I ran into a few issues that aren't covered in many tutorials.
Here are the main ones:
1. Couldn't Add Google 'A' Records
Issue: Hostinger showed:
"Cannot add A/AAAA record when CDN is enabled."
Solution: An existing ALIAS record created by Hostinger was blocking the A records. After removing it, I was able to add Google's four A records successfully.
2. Root Domain Opened the Hostinger Landing Page
Even after the www version started working, the root domain (hustlefly.in) still displayed Hostinger's default "Coming Soon" page.
Solution: Removing the old ALIAS record and adding the correct Google A records fixed the issue.
3. HTTPS Stayed in 'Pending' Status
Initially, I thought something had gone wrong because HTTPS wasn't available immediately.
Solution: I simply waited. Blogger automatically issued the SSL certificate after the DNS changes finished propagating.
4. Google AdSense Stopped Showing Ads
After moving to the new custom domain, all ads disappeared, even I had approved running AdSense account. I worried initially..
Solution: I added the new domain inside AdSense and requested a review immediately . During this process, I also realized my website needed improvements in content quality and overall user experience before requesting another review.
💡 Lesson I Learned: Most migration problems aren't caused by Blogger—they're caused by DNS settings or simply by not waiting long enough for the changes to propagate.
8. Google Search Console Setup
Once the custom domain was live, I updated Google Search Console to help Google discover and index the new website faster.
Here's what I did:
- Added the new domain property.
- Submitted the sitemap (
/sitemap.xml). - Requested indexing for important pages.
Within a short time, Google started indexing the new domain successfully.
💡 Pro Tip: If you're moving from Blogspot to a custom domain, don't forget to update Search Console. It helps Google understand that your content has moved.
9. Google AdSense Issues After Migration
After migrating to the new domain, your all ads may disappeared.
Initially, I thought something had gone wrong with the my migration, but the actual reason was much simpler.
Since Google considered www.hustlefly.in as new website, I had to add the new domain inside my AdSense account and request a review.
Although the review wasn't approved immediately due to issue like Low Value Content/ Not Proper Pages etc., but it also helped me realize that my website needed better content, cleaner design, and improved user experience.
when I Look back, I'm actually happy this happened because it motivated me to improve HustleFly instead of chasing quick approvals.
📝 Lesson I Learned: Don't treat an AdSense rejection as the end. Treat it as feedback to build a better website.
10. Final Checklist
Before considering your migration complete, make sure you've verified the following:
✅ Custom domain connected successfully
✅ HTTPS enabled
✅ Domain redirects working correctly
✅ DNS records configured properly
✅ Search Console updated
✅ Sitemap submitted
✅ ads.txt accessible
✅ Business email configured (optional)
✅ Internal links updated
✅ Website tested on desktop and mobile
11. Lessons I Learned
This migration taught me much more than just connecting a domain. 😪
Here are some of my biggest takeaways:
- Be patient. DNS changes don't happen instantly.
- Always double-check existing DNS records before adding new ones.
- Don't panic when HTTPS shows Pending.
- Keep backups before making changes.
- Don't rush your AdSense review after migrating.
- Most importantly, spend more time creating quality content than tweaking technical settings.
A custom domain improves your brand, but it's your content that keeps people coming back.
12. Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts!
Migrating from Blogger to a custom domain may look intimidating to you at first, but once you understand the process, it's actually quite manageable, I believe.
I made a few mistakes, spent hours troubleshooting DNS issues, and even had to deal with temporary AdSense problems. But every challenge taught me something new.
If this guide helped you save time, frustrations to resolve issue or avoid the same mistakes, then sharing my experience was absolutely worth it. 😊
If you have any questions or faced a different issue during your migration, feel free to leave a comment below. I'd be happy to help.
Happy Blogging! 🚀
