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.
absolutely, once it grows in popularity
Great job! Any plan to expand outside UK?
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?
thats a good idea, at the moment it's more for people who run tours etc.