When to Make Your GPT Public vs Private

Gary Whittaker

Should You Make Your GPT Public or Keep It Private? Here’s What Creators Need to Know

✍️ You Built a GPT. Now What?

If you’ve created a custom GPT — or you’re thinking about it — you’ve probably asked this question:

“Should I make this public, or keep it private?”

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
But if you’re building a GPT to support your brand, mission, or audience — the choice you make will shape how people experience your work.

In this guide (Part 3 of our series on custom GPTs), we’ll break down what “public” vs “private” really means, when each one makes sense, and how to decide what’s right for you.

🔒 Private GPTs: Your Personal AI Engine

A private GPT is only visible to you (or your team, if shared directly). It doesn’t show up in search. It’s a behind-the-scenes tool.

💡 Why Keep It Private?

  • You’re using it for internal planning or execution

  • You want to test your prompts or logic before public release

  • You’re still refining tone, structure, or use cases

  • It includes sensitive strategy or brand IP

Think of a private GPT as your creative command center. You can use it to:

  • Write lyrics, scripts, or content in your exact style

  • Plan launches, email campaigns, or weekly content calendars

  • Generate ideas you don’t want public (yet)

✅ Best for: creators still building or those who want their AI to work for them — not others.

🔓 Public GPTs: Tools That Build Authority

A public GPT is searchable and shareable. It has a permanent URL (like this one) and anyone with ChatGPT Pro can try it.

💡 Why Make It Public?

  • You’ve built something that solves a real problem for others

  • You want to establish thought leadership in your space

  • You want to build SEO visibility and grow your audience

  • You want to educate, serve, or support your community at scale

Making your GPT public can drive:

  • Brand awareness

  • Blog traffic

  • Backlinks and shares

  • Deeper trust with your audience

✅ Best for: creators with clear systems who want to help others and grow with purpose.

🔁 What About Doing Both?

You don’t have to choose.

The smartest creators build both public and private GPTs — each with a purpose.

Here’s what that looks like:

Use GPT Type Example
Internal planning, campaign strategy Private Build weekly post rhythm, brainstorm product funnels
Audience support, education Public Share tools that reflect your method (e.g. brand-building, lyrics, content strategy)
Monetization layer Public → Private Public GPT teaches core, private version does premium/personalized work

This dual approach works especially well if you’re stacking GPTs as part of a bigger content or brand system.

🔗 Real-World Examples (Public GPTs That Do the Work)

Here are 3 of my public GPTs — all built with real systems, tested in private first, then shared publicly:

Each one was refined in private before going public — so it reflects a system, not just an idea.

🧩 Summary: When to Go Public vs Private

Use Case Go Public Stay Private
You’re still testing or refining logic ❌ ✅
You want to build brand trust & SEO ✅ ❌
The GPT is deeply customized to your workflow ❌ ✅
You want others to benefit from your framework ✅ ❌
You’re planning monetization or premium layers ✅ (lead magnet) ✅ (premium tier)

🔜 Coming Next in the Series:

  • Part 4: How to Connect GPTs to Your Business

  • Part 5: How GPTs Power AI SEO (With Real Examples)

This isn’t about building chatbots.
It’s about building scalable, usable, brand-aligned systems — in public and private — to support the next wave of creator-led growth.

🔗 Catch Up On The Full Series So Far:

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