Advertising in ChatGPT: a useful test

Conversational interface with a separate advertising card

By Patricia Jarmek Digital Advertising 11 October 2026

5 min read

A new advertising channel can trigger a rush to be first or a decision to wait until everything becomes clearer. A more useful starting point is a concrete business question. In what situation might a potential customer seek help making a choice, and what could your business offer at that moment? The answer helps determine whether a test is worthwhile. A platform developing quickly is not, by itself, a business objective.

What is confirmed on 11 October 2026

OpenAI currently lists Croatia, Slovenia and Germany as available for self-service Ads Manager access. Eligibility depends on the country of the legal entity advertising and receiving invoices. [1]

Ads are labelled and separate from answers. Payment does not buy a recommendation in ChatGPT's response, and advertisers do not receive users' private conversations. [2]

On 5 October, OpenAI announced a visual format alongside image generation. Testing is planned for later in October in the US with an initial advertiser group. This does not establish availability for every campaign. [3]

Start with the customer's situation

Consider an office furniture retailer. A broad message about a large selection provides little reason to take the next step. Someone furnishing a small workspace may need dimensions, delivery details, a comparison of materials and a few practical options. Campaign preparation should begin with questions the sales team already hears. Write them down, group them by intention and choose one situation for the initial test.

This is our preparation recommendation, rather than a description of guaranteed targeting capabilities. Check the options in the actual advertising account. Do not build a plan around an assumption that you can choose every individual conversation or that an ad will always appear alongside an imagined question.

Make the ad and landing page answer the same question

If an ad offers a solution for a small workspace, do not send visitors to a homepage with ten unrelated categories. Prepare a destination explaining that specific offer. Show the price or how it is determined, the conditions, relevant limitations and the next step. The landing page should visibly support the promise made in the ad.

For a service business, this might mean a clearly defined problem, an explanation of the process and a form asking only for details needed for an initial discussion. For a retailer, it might mean a selection of suitable products. You do not immediately need a large new website. You need to remove the gap between the ad's message and what someone finds after clicking.

Design a test that answers a question

Before launching, write down the hypothesis, objective, spending limit and conditions for continuing. One possible hypothesis is that a clear offer addressing one problem can generate enough qualified enquiries to justify further testing. Define a qualified enquiry in advance. A completed form without a relevant need is not the same as a sales opportunity.

Avoid changing the offer, page, audience and measurement simultaneously if you want to understand what affected the outcome. Keep a short record of significant changes. Assess actual business outcomes rather than the attractiveness of a report. Treat a small number of results as a limited signal, rather than conclusive proof.

Compare cost with value

Separate clicks from useful conversations, sales and their value. Consider whether some customers already knew your brand or might have purchased through another channel. One platform's report does not describe the whole business. Equally, do not dismiss a new channel simply because the initial test has too little data for a firm conclusion.

For higher-value services, assessing several stages of the sales process can be useful. Agree how to follow an enquiry through to a proposal and a contract. Avoid putting unnecessary private conversation content into analytics or working notes. Involve the person responsible for data protection when assessing legal grounds and handling customer information.

Frequently asked questions

Should we move the whole existing budget?

We recommend a limited initial test while retaining channels already producing results. Justify further spending through your own evidence and the capacity to execute well.

What should be ready before the first ad?

A clear offer, a relevant landing page, agreed measurement and someone responsible for reviewing enquiry quality. Address any missing element before launching.

When should a test end?

When it reaches a predefined limit or its conditions are no longer met. Record why it ended so that the next decision can be an improvement or a different channel.

Assess advertising in ChatGPT as part of the wider marketing system. Launching a campaign is not always the most useful next step. Clarifying the offer and fixing measurement may come first. Verdera Agency starts with the business objective and selects activities that can serve it.