This article is part of our comprehensive SaaS Growth Strategies Guide.
What is Building in Public?
Building in public means sharing your work, progress, challenges, and learnings openly as you build your product or business. Instead of waiting for a polished launch, you share the journey.
Examples:
- Sharing revenue numbers monthly
- Posting about features you're building
- Discussing failures and learnings
- Showing behind-the-scenes of your work
Why It Works
1. Stories > Products
People follow journeys, not companies. The narrative of building something creates emotional investment that product marketing never achieves.
2. Authenticity Wins
In a world of polished corporate content, raw honesty stands out. Vulnerability creates connection.
3. Built-in Content
You're doing the work anyway. Building in public turns that work into content without extra effort.
4. Accountability
Public commitment keeps you shipping. When followers expect updates, you deliver.
5. Early Feedback
Your audience helps shape the product. They tell you what they want before you build the wrong thing.
The 3X Engagement Effect
Why Impressions Triple
Personal journey content outperforms product content because:
- Higher comment rates: People share opinions on your journey
- More shares: "Look at this founder's journey" > "Check out this product"
- Algorithm favor: Engagement signals boost distribution
- Community building: Followers become advocates
Content Type Comparison
| Content Type | Avg Engagement |
|---|---|
| Product announcement | 1x (baseline) |
| Feature update | 1.5x |
| Personal milestone | 2.5x |
| Failure/learning | 3x+ |
| Revenue/metrics share | 3-5x |
What to Share
High-Engagement Content
- Metrics: Revenue, users, growth rates
- Milestones: First customer, first $1K, new feature
- Failures: What didn't work and why
- Process: How you make decisions
- Learnings: Insights from your experience
What to Avoid
- Every meal: Not relevant to your audience
- Constant promotion: Balance sharing with value
- Fake struggles: Authenticity means real honesty
- Sensitive data: Customer info, security details
Building in Public Framework
Weekly Content
- Monday: What you're working on this week
- Wednesday: Mid-week progress or learning
- Friday: What you shipped + weekend plans
Monthly Content
- Metrics update: Revenue, users, key numbers
- Reflection: What worked, what didn't
- Next month: What you're focusing on
Quarterly Content
- Detailed retrospective: Deep dive on the quarter
- Strategic changes: Direction shifts explained
- Thank you: Acknowledge community support
Platforms for Building in Public
Twitter/X
Best for: Real-time updates, quick thoughts
Format: Short updates, threads for depth
Frequency: 3-5 posts per week minimum
Best for: B2B products, professional audience
Format: Longer posts, business framing
Frequency: 2-3 posts per week
Blog/Newsletter
Best for: Detailed updates, searchable content
Format: Monthly updates, specific topics
Frequency: Weekly to monthly
Best for: Community feedback, niche audiences
Format: Detailed posts, AMA style
Frequency: Monthly updates in relevant communities
Common Concerns
"What if competitors copy me?"
Execution matters more than ideas. By the time they copy, you're ahead. And the attention helps more than secrecy.
"What if I fail publicly?"
Public failures get support, not mockery. The community respects honesty. And most successful founders have public failures in their history.
"I'm not interesting enough."
If you're building something, you have something to share. Start small. Consistency matters more than individual post quality.
Getting Started
- Start today: Share what you're working on right now
- Be consistent: Post at least weekly
- Engage back: Respond to comments, build relationships
- Track results: Notice what content gets engagement
- Iterate: Do more of what works
Ready to start building in public? Schedule your first "building in public" post with OneUp and watch your engagement grow.