Should I Create a Project or a Custom GPT?

When you're ready to set up ChatGPT as your brand copywriter, trained in your message and voice, you have two main options:

• CustomGPT
• Project

Each of these is a specific tool inside your ChatGPT account that has detailed instructions and access to a knowledge base.

In addition, you can also customize the overall settings inside your ChatGPT account—including instructions and memory. 

This Post Will Answer These Questions:

• What is a Project, and when should I use one?
• What is a Custom GPT, and what are the pros and cons?
• What are the key differences between Projects and Custom GPTs?
• How do I decide between using a Project or a Custom GPT?
• What other settings can I adjust in ChatGPT?

By the end of this post, you’ll have clear answers to these questions so you can start using ChatGPT strategically for your marketing content. 

Note: most of the features described in this blog post are only available for paid (‘Plus’) ChatGPT accounts. 

What is a Project and when should I use one?

When you are logged into your ChatGPT account, navigate to the left sidebar to find “Projects.” 

If you have never created a project before, there will be none listed there, but there will be a plus (+) sign you can tap to create a new project. 

→  Projects allow you to group and organize related chats into one place. 

This is a massive bonus that was never previously possible in ChatGPT (anyone else hate the long list of growing chats in the left sidebar that is impossible to navigate??). 

But there is another benefit to Projects that is really exciting: 

You can add instructions and upload “Project Files” to provide more context and background information that will be available for every chat in the Project. 

So, let’s say you use ChatGPT primarily for copywriting and content creation for your wellness practice, and you want to be able to train it more thoroughly and intentionally than what you can do with the general settings.

You can create a Project and upload documents that provide information on your brand message, example writing style, offer sales pages, you-name-it!

When you upload these as “Project Files,” ChatGPT can access them anytime you create a new chat (or pull up an old chat) inside of that Project. 

Some helpful things to know about Projects: 

• If you created a chat in the default ChatGPT window, you can drag it into any Project to stay organized. 
• Project chats DO access your account’s Memory (see below)
• You can edit Project instructions or upload new Project Files anytime as your brand changes
• Projects are for personal use and cannot be shared with other accounts

The Project feature is fantastic, but just to be sure it's the best option for you, let's also understand Custom GPTs. 

What is a Custom GPT, and what are the pros and cons?

A Custom GPT is a specific tool you can create inside your ChatGPT account that is trained to perform specific tasks or respond in specific ways.  

A Custom GPT is similar to a Project in that you can upload documents and input instructions that are always accessible to your Custom GPT and will ensure your content is consistently on-brand. 

There are also some specific things that make a Custom GPT unique:

• A Custom GPT does not access your account’s Memory (described below)
• You cannot move chats between your Custom GPT and default chat account (like you can with a Project)
• You can edit Custom GPT instructions or upload new documents anytime as your brand changes
• You can share a link to your Custom GPT with team members to keep all your content aligned

→  While you can create a Custom GPT to be the “Copywriter” for your brand, you can also create Custom GPTs to perform very specific tasks.

I have set up Custom GPTs, for example, with my frameworks and templates to quickly write practitioner bios, social media hooks, and emails.

These types of Custom GPTs are becoming more and more popular with marketers because they can be shared with clients for quick content creation—based on proprietary or proven formulas. 

What are the key differences between Projects and Custom GPTs?

Here are the main differences between Projects and Custom GPTs:

• Projects are for personal use (you cannot share outside your account), whereas Custom GPTs can be shared. 
• Projects tap into your general account settings (including Memory), whereas Custom GPTs function independently. 
• Projects help keep chats organized (they auto-save inside the Project), whereas chats in your Custom GPT just auto-save in the left sidebar without organization. 

There are also some important ways that Projects and Custom GPTs are the same: 

• Both Projects and Custom GPTs allow for documents to be uploaded and saved for reference. 
• Both Projects and Custom GPTs allow for custom instructions.
• Both Projects and Custom GPTs can be edited at any time. 

So, how do you choose? 

How do I decide between using a Project or a Custom GPT?

As with all things in marketing, business, and life—there is no one-size-fits-all, and what works for me is not necessarily what will work for you.

Here are some questions to help you choose which features will help you most in training ChatGPT to sound more human and more like you: 

Do I want to be able to share your custom settings with assistants or team members? 
If yes, you need to go with a Custom GPT. This is the only way to create a shareable tool. If not, keep reading. 

Do I use ChatGPT for multiple purposes (trip planning, sermon writing, and business copywriting)?
If yes, I strongly recommend that you go with a Custom GPT for each purpose. If you try to do a bunch of unrelated tasks in your ChatGPT account, it will be hard to clearly train ChatGPT in your business brand and voice. Projects tap into your general settings and Memory, whereas a Custom GPT stays clearly separate. If not, there’s just one last question:

Do I primarily use ChatGPT for the sole purpose of copywriting for your business and love organization? 
If yes, go with a Project. You can create a project that is trained in your brand message and voice, and it can continue to learn from having Memory turned on in your general account settings. 

In other words…

Choose a Project if:
✔  You want to feel organized
✔  You don’t need to share settings with a team
✔  You primarily use your ChatGPT account for marketing content

Choose a Custom GPT if:
✔  You need to share your AI assistant with a team or clients
✔  You want a version of ChatGPT that is completely separate from your personal chats
✔  You need a GPT trained for a specific task (e.g., social media hooks, bios, sales pages)

What other settings can I adjust in ChatGPT?

One setting you can adjust is custom instructions.

When you are logged into your ChatGPT account and click on your profile icon in the upper right corner, you will see an option to “Customize ChatGPT.” 

This will open up settings where you can answer questions like:

• What should ChatGPT call you?
• What do you do?
• What traits would you like ChatGPT to have?
• Anything else ChatGPT should know about you?

The exact questions in the settings may be different for you than at the time of writing this post, but the idea is the same. 

→  These custom instructions guide how ChatGPT will interact with you anytime you are using the default chat in your account 

Just remember that these instructions will not affect your CustomGPTs.

Another setting you can adjust is memory.

When you are logged into your ChatGPT account and click on your profile icon in the upper right corner, you will see an option called “Settings.” 

This will open up a box with several more options, where you will choose “Personalization.” 

Here is where you have the option to toggle memory on or off, delete memory, or manage memory. 

→  If you choose to turn memory on, ChatGPT will remember information and interactions from your chats to inform future chats.

This essentially allows the AI tool to learn about you or get to know you. With memory turned on, you don’t have to start from scratch every time you open ChatGPT.

Next Steps

ChatGPT is an incredible opportunity for health and wellness practitioners who want a more leveraged approach to content creation, but it's no fun figuring it all out on your own.

If you want a complete and guided experience to set up ChatGPT as your brand copywriter in one afternoon, grab the BrandVibe AI Starter Pack.

If you want to get a glimpse of what's possible with ChatGPT customization, grab the free guide here.