Thinking of going Build in Public, smart move or just extra work?
So, I’ve been toying with the idea of going "Build in Public" for my startup, but I’m torn. On one hand, it seems like an awesome way to grow an audience, get early feedback, and build trust. On the other, I’ve seen plenty of people burn out or struggle to balance actually building vs. constantly sharing updates.
I guess my main questions are:
🔥 What’s the best way to approach it without it feeling like a second job?
📢 Where do you actually build in public: Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, PH, or somewhere else?
⚡ Any success (or horror) stories from those who’ve done it?
Would love to hear what worked (or didn’t) for you!
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I think 'Build in Public' can attract developers of the same type, but it might not be as effective if your users are the general public.
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@zyi Yeah, that’s something I’ve been thinking about too. If your target audience is mostly other makers, then Build in Public makes total sense. But if your users are non-tech folks, they probably don’t care about the journey, just the final product. Maybe the trick is to do both: Build in Public to attract devs and potential collaborators, while also focusing on direct outreach to actual users. What do you think?
@hussein_r Yeah, may bey you are right.
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@nafissalauddin Yeah, I’ve seen some founders absolutely kill it on TikTok with Build in Public content. Short, engaging updates seem to work really well there, especially when they mix in storytelling and behind-the-scenes stuff.
But I feel like TikTok also requires a certain energy level and style, do you think it works for all types of startups, or only for certain niches?
@hussein_r i think it works for almost all types of startups. The trick is to create an hour long video and break them down to short forms and push them throughout the week
@nafissalauddin It's not just about the opportunities, it's about the story. You bleed everyday (but not with basic mistakes) & one day you win. Makes the win so much more meaningful imo.
I think that building your product in public gives you the highest chance of growing exponentially... so yes do it. It's what I'm doing. These days even Elon and Zuck are building in public to some extent.
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@matthew_hastings1 Yeah, that’s true, showing progress and engaging with people early can really help things take off. I guess the key is finding the right balance between sharing enough to build momentum vs. not oversharing to the point where it gets distracting. Curious, how are you approaching your Build in Public strategy? Are you mainly posting on Twitter/X, or using other platforms too?
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@matthew_hastings1 Appreciate your help and good Luck with the launch 🤝
Learn In Public! Build in Public! Just don't SHIT in public! (I had the same phase, then I looked at others who were doing it and that phase died), Learn in public is cool but I personally prefer learning in private to some good presentable level and showing off in public
It gives you more recognition with a burst of opportunities and you can hide any cringe mistakes you made along the way.
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@sabya_sachi2 Haha, I get what you mean! I guess it depends on how you do it. Some people overshare every tiny step (which can get messy), while others keep it structured and focus on valuable takeaways. For me, the idea of Build in Public is more about transparency and showing progress rather than just dumping everything out there. But I also see the appeal of refining things first before going public, definitely helps avoid the "cringe archives" later on. Curious though, do you think sharing mistakes and struggles along the way could actually build more trust and engagement? Or is it better to keep things polished?
I do think it's a good idea, I've been doing it in communities where there are more innovators rather than users, which is best for when you're starting out. They're a lot more interested in the behind-the-scenes and giving feedback than a polished product. I would recommend you take a look at two books that explain the concepts of building in public and why you should do it: "Show Your Work" and "Crossing the Chasm". The latter explains mostly the further steps to take, but still gives a great introduction on innovators.
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@olibonfire That makes a lot of sense, early on, engaging with innovators rather than end users can be super valuable for refining the product. And yeah, makers love the behind-the-scenes stuff way more than just seeing a polished final version. Appreciate the book recommendations!
I am a huge believer in building in public, and I have done it many times to share daily updates on my timeline. However, it can sometimes be exhausting. You can still do it without forcing yourself to post daily updates instead timely updates.
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@aryansharma17 Thanks, I like this approach 👍
minimalist phone: creating folders
Hey Hussein – what do you want to build (Target audience)?
📢 This culture is predominantly on Twitter and Reddit. I think that especially for the marketing part and here you can expect more support from makers like you. But when it comes to the product itself, your target audience may be on a different platform.
🔥 Try to create some schedule, e.g. sharing 2 updates per week, 2 learnings per week
1 post per day (TL;DR: Create some rules/schedule that help you to "promote your journey" but give you enough time and space to distance yourself from social media and dedicate more time to building).
⚡ I really enjoy Abishek's journey. https://x.com/eter_inquirer He is quite transparent about his journey, even when he had hard times.
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@busmark_w_nika Thanks for these great insights! 🙌 I was already leaning towards Twitter as my main platform, so this definitely reinforces that. I really like the idea of having a structured approach. Appreciate the recommendation too, I’ll check out Abishek’s journey for sure! 🚀
@hussein_r - It’s a smart move if you have the bandwidth to do it properly. It helps build trust, brings in early supporters, and makes marketing easier. But it’s also a time sink, and if you’re just forcing updates for the sake of engagement, it’s not worth it. If you’re naturally inclined to share and get feedback, do it. If not, don’t force it.
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@bradharrs Thanks, appreciate your help 👍
I've taken a stab at doing build in public.
My experience: Had a person comment on my post saying that they would provide feedback, only to later found out that the account was suspended.
Honestly have no idea who is human and who is AI/bot these days.
Smart move! Builds trust, gets feedback, and grows community.
Building in public can be a smart move if you want transparency, community feedback, and organic growth. However, it also requires extra effort in sharing updates consistently. It’s beneficial if done strategically, but draining if not well-managed.