I wanted to start by saying that marketing on AI platforms is nothing new. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), AI SEO: we\u2019ve had labels for this stuff for a while now. But let\u2019s be honest. The field is still very new in the grand scheme of things. We\u2019ve just been saturated in it so fast that it feels mature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s become a massive part of digital presence for many companies, and we\u2019re not used to having something this significant develop with so many blind spots in tracking, performance measurement, and best practices. It feels like there\u2019s a new play nearly every month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And as with any good platform category, advertising is entering the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ads in AI-powered experiences aren\u2019t new. Google Search has already been pushing ads into AI-generated results and overviews. Perplexity tested ads, pulled them back. Some platforms, like Gemini, have taken a stand on not having ads at all. Though Gemini is Google\u2019s, so AI ads already exist for the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there\u2019s ChatGPT. Depending on which metrics you use, OpenAI still holds over 70% market share in the LLM platform category. That\u2019s a lot in a world where it feels like everyone\u2019s suddenly switching to Claude. And Sam Altman, who was one of the most outspoken voices against AI advertising, is now rolling out ads faster than anyone else. Money talks, Sam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
OpenAI has been following the textbook platform ad rollout that we\u2019ve seen for decades:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The approach works well for validation. It\u2019s no secret that the biggest spenders bring the majority of revenue, even when millions of SMEs are also advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I\u2019m writing this, ChatGPT Ads are in phase four. Sponsored placements appear for Free and Go tier users, triggered by the context of the conversation rather than a single keyword. Early CPMs are reportedly in the $60 range, and CPC-based buying is becoming available. That means we\u2019re approaching mass market, and it\u2019s time for you to think about whether testing makes sense for your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are so many platforms to test all the time. I\u2019m not asking whether you should commit to ChatGPT Ads as a permanent channel. I\u2019m asking whether you should bother testing them at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agencies like us, we\u2019ll test them regardless. We need to understand how conversational AI advertising works and which clients could benefit. But for your B2B company, the calculus is different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With any passive platform like search, or in this case, AI-assisted discovery, you need to find out three things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re selling CRM software, the answers are probably yes across the board. Your buyers search, compare, and discover, and they\u2019re usually ready to take action from that kind of channel. It\u2019ll be competitive, sure, but there\u2019s clear intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if you\u2019re selling deep-sea drilling equipment? The answer isn\u2019t \u201cno,\u201d but it\u2019s definitely not an immediate \u201cyes.\u201d You need to do more homework first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This matters even more in AI advertising than in traditional search ads. ChatGPT ads are triggered by conversational context, not keywords. That means the platform needs to match your offering to what users are actually discussing. If nobody\u2019s having conversations about your product category, there\u2019s nothing for the ads to latch onto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before committing budget to ChatGPT Ads or any AI advertising platform, you want to know whether there are already signals worth amplifying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember: if you\u2019re seeing traffic, the actual appearance in AI-generated answers and conversations is probably multiples higher. These platforms aren\u2019t natural traffic drivers. Anyone clicking through to your site is going out of their way to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are visitors looking for general information to supplement a Wikipedia search, or are they showing buying signals based on their on-site behavior? There\u2019s a big difference between someone researching what a category is and someone comparing vendors in that category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are the platforms actually pulling information from your pages? You can dive into still-developing analytics tools to see whether your pages are being pulled and for what kinds of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When these signals are positive, testing becomes relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019re often among the first to test self-service ad platforms for clients, and we frequently get early access. It\u2019s usually a new world without established best practices, which means you need a proper approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most important thing? Move on to testing and don\u2019t debate it for weeks. I\u2019ve seen it too many times: people try to find an answer by talking in meetings for weeks when it could be acquired by actual testing and a few hundred or thousand dollars. Just go for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what to keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t try to do everything. Pick one product, one audience segment, one message. Remember that conversational ads work differently from search ads. Your copy needs to fit naturally into an AI conversation, not look like a banner ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the cost of insight, not the cost of customer acquisition. Minimum campaign budgets can start from hundreds per month during the beta phase, with most advertisers allocating a few thousand for meaningful testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re not going to explode your business success. You\u2019re dipping your toe in the water to see if it\u2019s worth wading in further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The goal is to validate the channel’s future potential. Nothing else. Yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When everyone\u2019s on board and expectations are managed, give it a whirl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to chat about whether ChatGPT Ads or AI advertising could work for your B2B brand? Get in touch!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n