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7 Blogger Settings Mistakes Beginners Make (And How to Fix Them)

7 Blogger Settings Mistakes Beginners Make (And How to Fix Them)

Are you starting your blogging journey on Blogger? That’s awesome! But did you know that simple missteps in your blog’s settings can silently hurt your SEO and cause Google Search Console errors?

In this detailed guide, we’ll break down 7 common Blogger settings mistakes that beginners make—and show you exactly how to fix them. These tips are based on SEO best practices and real-world experience from running successful blogs.

Infographic showing 7 Blogger SEO mistakes and fixes

1. Not Enabling Custom Robots.txt

Why it matters: The robots.txt file tells search engines what to crawl. Blogger’s default settings can block content you want indexed.

SEO Impact: Your blog posts may not appear in Google search at all.

How to fix it:

  1. Go to Settings > Crawlers and indexing
  2. Turn on Enable custom robots.txt
  3. Paste the following code:
infographic showing Custom robot txt setting



User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: /

Sitemap: https://yourblog.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml

Tip: Update “yourblog” to match your actual blog URL.


2. Misconfigured Robots Header Tags

Why it matters: Incorrect header tags like noindex can prevent your homepage, posts, or labels from showing in search results.

How to fix it: Go to Settings > Crawlers and indexing > Custom robots header tags and use these settings:

  • Homepage: all
  • Archive/Search Pages: noindex, nofollow
  • Default for Posts and Pages: all

3. Not Submitting a Sitemap

Why it matters: A sitemap helps Google find and index your content efficiently.

How to fix it: In Google Search Console, submit these two URLs:

  • sitemap.xml
  • atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

This ensures Google can access all your blog posts, even older ones.


4. Missing HTTPS Redirect

Why it matters: If both HTTP and HTTPS versions of your site exist, it creates duplicate content issues.

How to fix it: Go to Settings > HTTPS and make sure HTTPS Redirect is turned on.

This ensures your blog loads securely and ranks better in Google.

infographic showing custom domain and HTTPS redirect setup



5. Not Using Meta Search Descriptions

Why it matters: Meta descriptions influence click-through rate (CTR) on search results.

How to fix it:

  • Go to Settings > Meta tags and enable Search Description.
  • Then, when creating posts, click on the right-hand panel and write a unique description under “Search Description”.

Use keywords and keep it under 160 characters.

infographic showing Meta search description setting



6. Weak Permalink Structure

Why it matters: Long or irrelevant URLs confuse both users and search engines.

How to fix it: Before publishing a post:

  1. Click on Permalink > Custom Permalink
  2. Use short, keyword-rich slugs like /blogger-seo-settings

Note: You can’t change permalinks after publishing, so set it correctly the first time.


7. Not Using a Mobile-Friendly Theme

Why it matters: Most traffic today is mobile. A poor theme results in Mobile Usability Errors in Google Search Console.

How to fix it:


🔍 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a custom robots.txt file in Blogger?

It’s a file that gives instructions to search engine bots. With it, you can control what pages are allowed or blocked from indexing. A well-structured robots.txt improves crawling efficiency.

How do I submit a sitemap in Google Search Console?

Log in to Google Search Console, go to the “Sitemaps” section, and enter: sitemap.xml and atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

Can I change a permalink after publishing?

No, Blogger locks the permalink after you hit publish. Be sure to customize it beforehand using keywords.

Is HTTPS really necessary for a Blogger site?

Yes. Google prefers secure sites. HTTPS helps with SEO rankings and makes your site trustworthy for users.


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