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Just launched: Forgotten Atlas

A public directory of abandoned places across the UK — built in 2 weeks with WordPress, Outscraper, and a simple goal: test a repeatable model for lean, SEO-focused micro-products.

🧭 Why?
Every month, thousands of people search for “abandoned places near me”—urban explorers, photographers, filmmakers, and curious minds. I wanted to create something useful for them and test whether a fully templated, scalable approach to niche directories could work.

🛠️ How it was built:

  • WordPress + Hello Elementor

  • Custom CPT + ACF fields

  • Outscraper to source data

  • WP All Import for fast setup

  • RankMath for SEO

  • Gravity Forms for submissions

  • Elementor Template Kit for reuse

  • Custom PHP automations via WPCode

⏱️ Time:
~12 days from idea to launch (in between client work)

💡 Key features:

  • 600+ listings of ruins, forgotten buildings, and eerie sites

  • Filterable by location + category

  • User submissions enabled

  • SEO-focused, mobile-first, lightning fast

🧪 This is product #4 in my 12-product challenge
Next up: refine the premium listing process and adapt this setup to a new niche.

🌍 Explore it: https://forgottenatlas.com

Happy to answer any questions about building lean directories, scraping responsibly, or WordPress automation.

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Forgotten Atlas
  1. 1

    absolutely, once it grows in popularity

  2. 1

    Great job! Any plan to expand outside UK?

  3. 1

    Cool idea! What is in for the people submitting places? Maybe you could have a small selection of gems which only people that have submitted in the past can see?

    1. 1

      thats a good idea, at the moment it's more for people who run tours etc.