✅ POLL: Do you buy the domain first or build the product first?
by•
Let’s settle this once and for all.
Do you spend 3 hours trying to find a clever .com before writing a single line of code? Or do you ship the MVP and slap on whatever domain wasn’t taken at the time?
Cast your vote and tell us why.
Bonus points if you’ve ever changed your product idea because the domain wasn’t available.
2.9K views
Replies
Product first for me. I build the MVP and use it hard myself, and only once I can picture it actually selling do I grab the domain. Sometimes I even change the name right before that lol
A product should only be started after you're done with the brand identity and required document things, which ofcourse includes the product name, about, pitch etc etc.
Then register domain, build and deploy.
Product first for me — I only buy a domain once the core workflow is real enough that I'd send someone a link. Names are easy to swap; months on the wrong idea aren't.
Build first for me — I only grab a domain once I can describe the job in one sentence and a friend would actually use a rough prototype. Cheap placeholder names are fine until that point.
Build first for me — I only grab a domain once I can describe the job in one sentence and a friend would actually use a rough prototype. Cheap placeholder names are fine until that point.
Reasons why domain first:
You need a landing page before deciding is this MVP worth building or not.
Really brandable domains are imaginary words which can't be squatted and resold so the dilemma is as simply as $10 for domain or $10 for few minutes of building time.
You can't convince someone your product worth something if you can't convince yourself to invest $10 for its domain
Sometimes subdomain also works - many of us remember famous del.icio.us acquired by Yahoo for >$15M.