ChatGPT ads are sponsored placements that appear inside ChatGPT, under the answer, when someone asks about the kind of thing you sell. We run them for clients now, from Los Angeles, alongside their Meta, Instagram, TikTok and Google Ads. Before a single dollar goes out, we install the tracking in your own ads account and confirm that a real lead or sale is being recorded, so from the first day the question is the same one we ask of every ad: what did it bring back?
What a ChatGPT ad is
People use ChatGPT the way they used to use a search bar, except they ask the whole question: which tailor near me can turn a suit around in a week, what should I look for in a production company, which dog food is best for a senior dog. When the conversation matches what you sell, ChatGPT can show a clearly labelled sponsored card below its answer, with your name, a short message and a link.
The ad is matched to what the conversation is about, rather than to a profile of the person. That makes it closer to search than to social: the person has just told ChatGPT what they want, and your ad is the next thing they see.
Why it is worth testing now
It is new. OpenAI opened its self-serve ads platform to US advertisers in July 2026, so most of your competitors are not there yet, and the people asking ChatGPT for a recommendation are often close to buying. That combination does not last. On Meta and Google the early advertisers had the cheapest attention, and I expect the same here.
I would rather you find out with a controlled test budget than read about it in a year. If it pays back, we scale it. If it does not, you have spent a small, agreed amount and you know.
How we run it
Everything is set up in your own account on OpenAI's ads platform, so you own the account, the data and the history. We never run your ads from an account you cannot see.
Tracking comes first. We install the OpenAI pixel on your site, set up the conversion that matters to you, usually a lead or a purchase, and test it until we can see a real one recorded. Every link carries UTM tags, so the visits show up correctly in your analytics next to every other channel. Only then do we launch.
Then we test the way we test everywhere else. Several messages, several angles, small budgets, a clear read on cost per lead or return on ad spend, and the budget moves behind what wins. You see it in the same dashboard as the rest of your ads.
Targeting and what to expect
Targeting is broader than on Meta or Google. Right now you choose the country, not a city or a radius, so for a local business we write the location into the ad itself and make the message clearly about the area you serve. For an ecommerce brand that ships nationwide this matters much less.
Some categories cannot advertise at all. Health and medical, financial products, political and dating ads are not allowed, so if you run a medical practice I will tell you that up front and point you to the channels that do work, like AEO, which gets you named in ChatGPT's answers without paying for an ad.
ChatGPT ads and AEO work together
There are two ways to show up in ChatGPT. AEO earns you a mention inside the answer, by making sure your website, your reviews and what other sites say about you give the AI a clear reason to name you. ChatGPT ads buy you a place right under it. The first takes weeks and keeps paying, the second starts the day you launch. Most of our clients will want both, and we run them as one plan with the rest of your paid ads.
Questions people ask
Can you advertise on ChatGPT?
Yes. OpenAI runs a self-serve ads platform, open to US advertisers since July 2026. Ads appear as labelled sponsored placements under ChatGPT's answers when the conversation matches what you sell.
How are ChatGPT ads targeted?
Ads are matched to the topic of the conversation, and you choose the country they run in. There is no city or radius targeting yet, so local businesses put their area into the ad copy.
How much do ChatGPT ads cost?
You set the budget and pay OpenAI directly for the ads. Our management starts from $1,500 a month, and the exact fee is confirmed after a short call. We start with a small test budget we agree together, and scale only what pays back.
Can medical practices run ChatGPT ads?
No. Health and medical ads are not allowed on ChatGPT right now, along with financial, political and dating ads. Practices can still be named in ChatGPT's answers through AEO.
How do you track results from ChatGPT ads?
We install the OpenAI pixel, set up the conversion you care about, and confirm a real one is recorded before launch. Every link carries UTM tags so the traffic shows up in your analytics next to your other channels.
Is this the same as AEO?
No. AEO earns you a mention inside ChatGPT's answer, ChatGPT ads pay for a sponsored placement under it. They work best together.
Let's talk
If you want to know whether ChatGPT ads make sense for your business, ask for a free ad audit or email me at info@robbp.com. I will tell you honestly whether your category is allowed, what a sensible test budget looks like, and how we would measure it.
