Avoid the Domain Graveyard: Tips & Solutions

If you have been in the indie hacker or startup world for a while, you probably know this feeling.

You get a new idea. You get excited.
You check if the domain is available. It is.
You buy it.
Then nothing happens.

A year later, you look at your domain list.
Now you have a pile of unused domains, renewing every year.

This is what I call the domain graveyard. And trust me, you are not the only one. I have been there too.

Why This Happens

Buying a domain feels good. It feels like a small win.

It is quick, easy, and cheap compared to building a product or validating an idea. But it also gives you a false sense of progress.

The problem is, nothing has been tested with real people yet.

Once you buy the domain, it is harder to kill the idea. You feel attached to it. It feels like you have already started, even if you haven't.

It is not just about the $10 or $15 per domain per year. Though that can add up too.

The bigger cost is mental clutter. Each unused domain is an unfinished project in your head.

It creates guilt and stress. And when you have too many of them, it feels like you are always behind.

After making this mistake too many times, I built a tool to help myself and others. It is called validatemy.app.

It helps you validate ideas before you buy the domain or start building.

You can:

All in under an hour.

Most ideas do not fail because of bad execution. They fail because nobody wanted them in the first place.

The sooner you figure that out, the better.

If you see real interest, then it makes sense to buy the domain and keep going. Now you are moving based on signal, not just a hunch.

Buying domains is fun. It is part of the creative process.

But next time you feel that spark of a new idea, take a moment. Validate it first.

Your future self (and your wallet) will thank you.