When to Make Your GPT Public vs Private
Gary WhittakerShould 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:
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Brand awareness 
- 
Blog traffic 
- 
Backlinks and shares 
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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:
- 
🧱 JR Brand Identity Architect 
 Helps creators define brand tone, values, and messaging.
- 
✍🏽 JR Righteous Lyrics Lab 
 Helps AI music creators write message-first lyrics.
- 
🗓️ JR Content Strategy Planner 
 Helps creators turn their brand into a sustainable content plan.
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:
- 
You are here → Part 3 
