How to Choose the Best Custom Domain Name for Blogger
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, 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.
Read also: How to Use Google Question Hub for Blogger to Create Original Articles
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.
