How To Connect Hostinger Domain To Blogger

Connecting Your Hostinger Domain to Blogger: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’ve purchased a domain from Hostinger and want to connect it to your Blogger blog, you’re in the right place. This guide provides a detailed step-by-step process to help you link your custom domain seamlessly. By connecting your domain, you can give your blog a professional touch and improve its branding and search engine optimization (SEO).

Why Use a Custom Domain on Blogger?

Using a custom domain instead of a default “.blogspot.com” address offers several advantages:

Professionalism: A custom domain looks more credible and trustworthy.
SEO Benefits: Search engines often favor custom domains.
Ease of Branding: Your domain name can reflect your brand, making it easier for readers to remember.

Hostinger provides affordable and reliable domains that are perfect for Blogger users. Let’s dive into the setup process.

Step 1: Purchase a Domain from Hostinger

If you haven’t already purchased a domain, follow these steps:

Go to Hostinger.
Search for your desired domain using the search bar on the homepage.
Add the domain to your cart and complete the purchase.
Once you’ve successfully purchased the domain, it will appear in your Hostinger dashboard.

Step 2: Configure Your Blogger Settings

Log in to your Blogger account at Blogger.com.
Select the blog you want to connect to your Hostinger domain.
Navigate to Settings in the left-hand menu.
Scroll down to the Publishing section and click on Custom domain.
Enter your domain name, including "www." (e.g., www.yourdomain.com). Ensure you use the correct format, or Blogger will return an error.
Click Save. Blogger will display an error message along with two CNAME records that you’ll need to configure in your Hostinger account. These records typically look like this:
- CNAME 1: Host: www, Destination: ghs.google.com
- CNAME 2: Host: Unique code (e.g., abcd1234), Destination: Another unique code (e.g., xyz1234)

Take note of these values as they are crucial for the next step.

Step 3: Add CNAME Records in Hostinger

Log in to your Hostinger account and go to the Domains section.
Select the domain you want to connect to Blogger.
Click on DNS / Manage DNS to access the DNS settings.
Add the two CNAME records provided by Blogger:
- For the first CNAME record:
  - Host: www
  - Type: CNAME
  - Points to: ghs.google.com
  - TTL: Leave it as the default value (usually 300 seconds).
- For the second CNAME record:
  - Host: Unique code provided by Blogger.
  - Type: CNAME
  - Points to: Unique code provided by Blogger.
  - TTL: Leave as default.
Save the changes.

Step 4: Add A Records for Non-WWW Domain (Optional)

To ensure your website is accessible without the "www" prefix (e.g., yourdomain.com), you need to add A records pointing to Google’s servers. Add the following A records in the Hostinger DNS settings:

Record 1:
- Host: @
- Type: A
- Points to: 216.239.32.21
Record 2:
- Host: @
- Type: A
- Points to: 216.239.34.21
Record 3:
- Host: @
- Type: A
- Points to: 216.239.36.21
Record 4:
- Host: @
- Type: A
- Points to: 216.239.38.21

Save these records once added.

Step 5: Verify Your Domain in Blogger

Return to the Blogger Custom domain settings.
Click Save again.
Blogger will attempt to verify the DNS settings. This process may take a few minutes to 24 hours, depending on DNS propagation.

Step 6: Enable HTTPS

Once your domain is verified and connected:

Go to the Blogger Settings page.
Under the Publishing section, enable HTTPS availability.
Wait a few minutes and ensure HTTPS redirect is also enabled.

This ensures that visitors are directed to a secure version of your site.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

DNS Propagation Delay:
- Changes to DNS records may take time to propagate globally. Be patient and check again after a few hours.
Incorrect CNAME or A Records:
- Double-check the values you entered in Hostinger’s DNS settings.
Custom Domain Not Working:
- Ensure your domain is active and properly configured. Use tools like DNS Checker to verify DNS record updates.

Final Thoughts

Connecting a Hostinger domain to Blogger is a straightforward process if you follow these steps carefully. A custom domain enhances your blog’s professional appeal and helps establish a unique online identity. With a bit of patience and attention to detail, your blog will be up and running on your custom domain in no time.

If you encounter any issues, both Hostinger’s and Blogger’s support teams are available to assist. Happy blogging!