Why Every Side Project Deserves Its Own Domain

You've got an idea. Maybe it came to you in the shower, or while procrastinating on your actual work. You spin up a quick prototype, deploy it to a free subdomain like my-cool-app.vercel.app, and share it with friends.

But here's the thing: that subdomain is holding you back.

The Psychology of Trust

When someone sees yourproject.com vs yourproject.netlify.app, they make instant judgments. A custom domain signals:

• **Legitimacy** — You're serious about this
• **Longevity** — You plan to stick around
• **Professionalism** — You've invested in your brand

Studies show users are 63% more likely to trust a website with a custom domain. That's not vanity—that's conversion rates.

SEO Starts Day One

Search engines treat subdomains differently than root domains. When you build on someone else's subdomain, you're essentially building their domain authority, not yours.

Every backlink, every social share, every bit of content you create—it all goes to the parent domain. Start with your own domain, and you're building equity from day one.

Domains Only Get More Expensive

Here's an uncomfortable truth: good domains don't get cheaper. The .com you skip today might cost 10x more next year when a squatter notices your traffic.

A $12/year domain registration is one of the highest-ROI investments in tech. Compare that to:

• A single coffee: $5
• A month of streaming: $15
• Your domain, forever: $12/year

The "What If" Protection

Your side project might stay a side project. But what if it doesn't?

Dropbox started as a side project. So did Instagram. So did Slack. The founders who secured their domains early avoided a world of pain later.

Don't be the founder who has to buy their own domain name back for $50,000 because you thought .vercel.app was good enough.

Taking Action

Your future self will thank you.

*Ready to find the perfect domain for your next project? Describe your idea and let AI find available options in seconds.*