Building in public is dead and it's a good thing

So they say building in public is dead.

Maybe it is. Maybe not.

Maybe so on Twitter/X. Tweets don’t get no reach no more. Building in public or not. The algo is too fickle now. One week it’s great, another it’s in the dumps. If you’re building in public on X for marketing—as the sole channel—then yes, you should be worried. Super worried. Time to divest into SEO, Youtube, or even Threads.

But if your building in public is not tied to marketing or monetizing a product, then it’s far from dead. Sharing cool stuff you did, telling a great story, will always make you friends. Connecting with other like minds, geeking out and learning together over shiny new tech is not algo-dependent. Sure maybe not as many people who are interested in your work will see it, but it won’t matter as much. Sooner or later they do. You’re in no hurry, because it’s not about money.

Maybe it’s a good thing then. A blessing in disguise.

The current, tainted version of building in public was co-opted into marketing, humblebragging, or self promotion. That can go. It’s better off dead.

The original gangster version of building in public can now return. FINALLY. Without the intention to make you buy something, maybe building in public will be better off now.

Back to it’s roots of collective fun, inspiration, learning, joy.

RIP ‘building in public’.
Welcome back, building in public.