Paid Media / AI advertising
Reach potential customers while they research, compare and decide.
The way people search for information online is changing. Consumers and professionals increasingly use AI assistants to compare products, research solutions and prepare purchase decisions. ChatGPT Ads creates a new way to be visible precisely during that research phase.
ClickEdge helps organisations deploy ChatGPT Ads strategically, from campaign setup and conversion measurement to optimisation and a smart allocation of marketing budget.
01 / Changing search behaviour
For years, many online purchase journeys started with a search engine: entering a few keywords, comparing results and visiting various websites. That way of researching remains important, but is now joined by a new development.
People increasingly ask their questions directly to AI assistants such as ChatGPT. Instead of loose keywords, they describe their situation, needs and problems. That creates a conversation with far more context about what someone is actually trying to achieve.
Google Search
"Best website monitoring software"
ChatGPT
"We have a SaaS platform with customers in Europe and the US. We're looking for a solution to detect performance issues, API errors and outages early. Which monitoring tools would fit our organisation?"
Both searches can carry commercial intent, but the second example makes much clearer what the user needs. ChatGPT Ads gives advertisers the opportunity to connect with relevant ads to the context and intent of such conversations.
Not just visible for what someone searches, but also for the problem someone is trying to solve.
02 / The advertising platform
ChatGPT Ads is OpenAI's advertising platform through which businesses can promote their products and services to ChatGPT users. Ads appear separately from ChatGPT's answers and are clearly identifiable as sponsored content.
The ad system can take various signals into account, including the context and intent of the conversation, the ad content, the landing page and additional advertiser input: so-called context hints. This creates a different approach than traditional keyword campaigns. It's not solely about individual search terms, but also about the relevance of a product or service within a conversation.
Within OpenAI Ads Manager, campaigns can be set up, ads developed and performance measured. Depending on the campaign objective and settings, different optimisation and billing options are available. That also means reliable conversion measurement and a clear advertising strategy remain important.
Relevance, context and measurable results form the basis of effective ChatGPT Ads.
Who it's for
Not every organisation benefits from ChatGPT Ads in the same way. The opportunities depend partly on the audience, the product, the purchase stage and the role research and comparison play in a decision. Businesses whose customers research extensively before purchasing tend to find the most interesting opportunities here.
For webshops, ChatGPT Ads offers interesting opportunities. Consumers use AI to compare products, research specifications and find solutions that fit their needs and budget.
Through product feeds, webshops can link their assortment to advertising campaigns. That makes categories such as electronics, interiors, sports equipment and other comparison-sensitive products interesting.
For travel, education and consumer services, several questions often precede a purchase. Users compare options, research providers and look for solutions that fit their personal situation.
ChatGPT Ads can help businesses stand out during this research phase.
Software is often researched extensively before a choice is made. Users compare features, prices, alternatives and suitable solutions. That creates opportunities for software companies and providers of digital services.
The actual reach and relevance of the available audience should be assessed beforehand.
Business decision-makers also use AI assistants to research products and services. Still, ChatGPT Ads is not automatically suitable for every B2B campaign.
Ads are currently only shown to eligible users on Free and Go plans. Users on Plus, Pro and business ChatGPT plans do not see ads. That's why, for B2B campaigns, we critically assess whether sufficient relevant reach is available.
03 / E-commerce
For e-commerce, ChatGPT Ads goes beyond traditional ads with an image and a landing page. Through product feeds, webshops can make their assortment available to advertising campaigns, so relevant products are shown to users who are researching, comparing and considering a purchase. Think product images, titles, prices, availability and other product information, presented in dedicated ad formats such as product carousels.
As with Google Shopping, the quality of product data matters. But where Shopping is strongly focused on search queries, ChatGPT Ads can link products to the broader context of a conversation. That makes it worth looking beyond a purely technical integration: a well-structured feed, clear product information and up-to-date data form an important foundation.
Product feed optimization
ClickEdge helps prepare, structure and optimise product feeds for ChatGPT Ads, from an initial feed import to improving product information and analysing campaign performance. For supplying product data, options include CSV files and automated feed integrations.
Marketing mix
The rise of AI assistants is changing how people research online. Where users used to mainly consult search engines, they now also use AI to gather information, compare alternatives and prepare choices. Part of online research is shifting to AI environments, creating new opportunities for advertisers to reach potential customers.
That doesn't mean ChatGPT Ads automatically replaces Google Ads or other advertising platforms. Google Search remains strong for concrete search queries and direct commercial intent. LinkedIn Ads offers ways to reach specific business audiences. ChatGPT Ads adds a new touchpoint within the research and decision process. The challenge is determining which channel adds the most value at which moment.
The question isn't which platform wins, but where you reach the most relevant customers.
That's why ClickEdge looks not just at the performance of a single advertising platform, but at its contribution within the overall online marketing strategy. Explore our other Paid Media services.
Approach
New advertising platforms offer opportunities, but also require a critical approach. Not every campaign delivers results right away, and not every measured conversion automatically means an ad generated extra revenue. That's why we combine experimentation with clear objectives, reliable measurement and a structured optimisation approach.
We first assess whether ChatGPT Ads is relevant for the organisation's audience and goals. We look at the offering, the market, the available reach and the existing marketing mix.
A new campaign needs a clear reason to exist.
We translate the strategy into campaigns, ad groups, context hints and relevant ads. We deliberately opt for a clear campaign structure.
Sufficient budget and measurement data matter more than unnecessarily many separate campaigns.
Good optimisation starts with reliable data. We set up relevant conversion actions, for example via the OpenAI Pixel and Google Tag Manager. Where useful, we explore additional server-side conversion measurement via the Conversions API.
Not every technical option needs to be used right away. Added value comes first.
We develop ads that align with concrete questions, needs and use cases. For e-commerce, we also focus on product feeds, product information and the fit between assortment and purchase intent.
We analyse reach, clicks, conversions, costs and traffic quality. We also look critically at the attribution method used: where possible, we assess conversions after an ad click and conversions after only an ad impression separately.
The goal isn't to collect as many conversions as possible in a dashboard, but to understand the real contribution of the channel. We advise scaling up when results support it.
ChatGPT Ads & AEO
ChatGPT Ads and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) respond to the same trend: the growing use of AI assistants during online research. But the mechanism is fundamentally different. With ChatGPT Ads, you buy advertising visibility within relevant conversations. With AEO, you work on the content, structure and discoverability of your website, so AI systems can better understand and use the information.
Importantly, paid ads have no influence on ChatGPT's regular answers. An advertising campaign doesn't automatically mean a brand is recommended more often organically by ChatGPT. That's why we assess both disciplines separately, while still considering them within the same online marketing strategy.
ChatGPT Ads offers new ways to reach potential customers during their online research. But a new advertising platform is not automatically a good investment.
ClickEdge helps organisations realistically assess the opportunities and set up campaigns with a results focus, from strategy and initial tests to conversion measurement and further optimisation.
Online marketing consultancy · Netherlands & international
