When it comes to establishing your Blogger blog, having a personalized domain adds a professional touch. If you're on a budget, fear not – here's a step-by-step guide on how to purchase a domain for your Blogger blog without spending a dime:
1. Choose a Reliable Domain Registrar:
- Start by choosing a reputable domain registrar that offers free domain services. Freenom is a popular choice for this purpose. Visit their website at www.freenom.com to get started.
2. Check Domain Availability:
- Once on the Freenom website, use the domain search tool to check the availability of your desired domain name. Freenom provides various domain extensions like .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, and .gq for free.
3. Select Your Free Domain:
- Once you find an available domain, proceed to select it. Freenom offers free domain registration, and you can choose the duration for which you'd like to register the domain (e.g., 12 months).
4. Create a Freenom Account:
- To proceed with the domain registration, you'll need to create a Freenom account. Provide the necessary information and follow the prompts to set up your account.
5. Configure Domain Settings:
- After registering your free domain, access your Freenom account dashboard. Navigate to the domain management section where you can configure settings such as DNS management and redirection.
6. Set Up Custom Domain on Blogger:
- Log in to your Blogger account and go to the Settings > Basic section of your blog's dashboard. Under the "Publishing" section, click on the "+ Setup a 3rd party URL for your blog" link.
7. Enter Your Free Domain:
- Enter your free domain (e.g., yourblogname.tk) in the provided field and click on "Save." You'll receive an error message, but this is expected for now.
8. Note Down Google's IP Addresses:
- Blogger will provide you with two IP addresses. Note them down as you'll need them for the next step.
9. Configure DNS Settings on Freenom:
- Go back to your Freenom account, access the DNS management section for your domain, and configure the DNS settings. Add the two IP addresses provided by Blogger as A records.
10. Wait for DNS Propagation:
- Changes to DNS settings may take some time to propagate across the internet. Be patient and wait for the DNS propagation to complete. This process usually takes a few hours to a day.
11. Complete Custom Domain Setup on Blogger:
- Return to your Blogger dashboard and re-enter your free domain in the "Publishing" section. This time, it should be successfully configured, and you'll be able to set it as your primary domain.
Congratulations! You've successfully secured a free domain for your Blogger blog. Remember, while the domain is free, you'll need to renew it periodically to keep ownership.
Happy Blogging with Your Personalized Domain! 🌐🚀