Contrary to popular belief, your site's domain name does not play a big role
when it comes to website ranking. Even the default free Blogspot domain will
be able to rank on the first page of Google Search results if the content is
relevant and well-written. However, there are a lot of perks when it comes to
using a custom domain for Blogger.
A website with a free Blogspot domain is often used by spammers. That's why
people may be reluctant to visit the blog even if the content is good. For
those of you who want to increase the credibility of your blog, setting up a
custom domain is a very good idea.
(As of early 2023,
>AdSense requirement for Blogspot domains may have changed >) Having a custom domain in Blogger will also allow you to bypass AdSense's
eligibility waiting time. By default, a Blogger with a Blogspot domain
has to become eligible or qualified before it can be added to AdSense.
In order to become qualified, you need to wait, but the waiting time can be
very uncertain. It may take months. With a custom domain, you will be able to
ask for AdSense approval right away.
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Things to Consider Before Buying a Domain for Blogger
You need to choose a custom domain wisely so that it doesn't affect your
credibility. A bad domain name will deter visitors from clicking on your
website. A good domain name is typically short, unique, and memorable.
People often only use keywords for their domain names, hoping to get a better
ranking. This practice is obsolete and may backfire. According to
target="_blank"
>Search Engine Journal >, even though keywords are used in a domain name, it doesn’t mean that the
domain will automatically rank for those keywords.
For example, you have a blog about Blogger tips and tricks. Do not choose a
domain name that only contains keywords, such as
https://www.howtobecomethebestbloggerintheworld.com. This domain is too long
and not unique or memorable. Ultimately, ranking is heavily dependent on the
relevancy of your content.
A long domain name is also associated with spam. It may also not be able to
>
get indexed properly >. Users will also have a hard time when they need to type or share the URLs.
I recommend that you use less than 20 characters if possible.
Combining Keywords and Branding for Domain Name
You can use your own brand name or combine a nickname with a keyword for your
blog domain. For example, your personal branding is Max. You may be able to
choose https://www.maxblog.com as the custom domain for your Blogger. It is
much more elegant, and it looks more credible.
If you are using Blogger as a landing page for your local business, combining
the name of your company and the city where your business is located may help
you to rank better locally. For example, you have a barbershop named "Max
Barber" which is located in London. You may be able to choose
https://www.maxbarberlondon.com as the domain.
Moreover, I recommend that you avoid using hyphens (-) in your domain name.
For example, instead of choosing https://www.example-max.com, simply use
https://www.examplemax.com. I also prefer not to use numerical digits. While
hyphens and numerical numbers in a domain name do not affect ranking, they
potentially may confuse users.
Please take note that you should avoid using a copyrighted name for your
domain. You may potentially be penalized as a phishing website. Never try to
impersonate other websites by buying a similar-sounding domain name.
>How to Use Google Question Hub for Blogger to Create Original Articles > >
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Which Domain Name Should You Buy
A custom domain name is not expensive. Generic top-level domains (gTLD) such
as .com will only cost you about $10 a year. Country code top-level domains
(ccTLD), such as .id for Indonesia or .in for India, also have similar price
ranges. In some countries, second-level ccTLD may also be cheaper. In my
country, .my.id is less than $1 a year.
There are various domains available that you can choose from. However, .com is
still the best and the most recognized domain. Alternatively, choose
ccTLD, especially if you want to get a better ranking locally. If
your website is only targeted at Indians, for example, choose .in as your
domain.
Buy the custom domain from a trusted company such as Google Domain, GoDaddy,
or your local providers. Be careful of choosing a domain with promo prices
because you may get charged more when you need to renew it in the second year.
For Indonesian, I recommend Rumah Web. I have been using this provider for a
year, and the customer service is excellent.
Should I Change Blogspot Domain to Custom Domain Now?
Before you decide to set up a custom domain for Blogger, you have to consider
at least two important points.
How is the performance of your Blogspot website?
If your website with the Blogspot domain performs well, there is no reason to
change the domain. In fact, changing your blog's domain may result in a drop
in visitors and ranking. You should consider setting up a custom domain if
your Blogger doesn't have many visitors. The best time to use a custom domain
is when your blog is still new!
Is your Blogspot website eligible for AdSense?
If your blog is already eligible for AdSense, I don't recommend that you
change the domain. Instead, you can use the custom domain for a new blog. Now
you have two blogs that can be submitted to AdSense! If your blog is not
eligible for AdSense and you have waited too long, by all means, use a custom
domain. (Again, as of 2023, you don't need to be eligible to add Blogspot to
your AdSense account).
In the end, the decision of whether to use Blogspot or a custom domain is up
to you. Nevertheless, do not be hasty to change the domain of your blog. Use a
lot of considerations, and you can also ask for expert opinions. Leave a
comment below to discuss how a domain name should be used in Blogger.
As of right now, I own two blogs with custom domains. One of them is
https://www.omu.my.id. I bought this domain recently, and I have shared
my experience on
>how to set up a custom domain for Blogger in one of my posts > >.
to so that you can get a notification via email when a new article is being
posted.
>How to Get AdSense Approval for Blogger Domain > >