Wasn't indehackers the domain that posted about the domain squatters who made '$xxx in a month' just the other day? Is this a real site that people go to or a thinly veiled marketing service?
It's a big difference from other mainline news sites that seem to be only interested in unicorns or startups with millions in funding, or keep talking about the same dozen startups week after week.
Disclaimer: I have a startup, was interviewed by IndieHackers, and am listed on their site.
For readers (particularly developers interested in starting their own business), it's a source of inspiration, motivation, and community. There aren't many (any?) other places you can go online and read this many founder stories, complete with revenue stats, for smaller non-unicorn businesses.
For the people who agree to be interviewed, it's definitely free marketing for their businesses. It's also a chance to share their story, their successes, and their advice with the world. When you've been toiling away for years (likely in obscurity), sharing feels great.
So it's a win-win, really.
If someone reads it and it generates some interest, marketing started!