Insights

Recently I argued why OpenAI is going to launch Ads for (free users of) ChatGPT. My arguments were “free user monetization” being part of the revenue projection, Sam Altman’s change in tone and OpenAI’s ad DNA hires.

Since then I wonder how advertising on ChatGPT will look like from the marketer perspective.

The last time I got to experience a major new platform was TikTok in 2019. Campaign management there felt similar to Facebook. More limited at the beginning, different dynamics (like faster ad fatigue) in the longer term, but similar playbook (like creative focus). A big advantage was to be among the first on the platform. We had extensive support from the team, co-funding to test new features, access to beta functionality and were prominently featured with case studies.

This kind of early-mover advantage will likely exist on ChatGPT Ads too. The first wave of advertisers will get cheaper CPx, direct support, and spotlight.

So that’s paid social —> push marketing.

Then there’s paid search —> pull marketing.

ChatGPT Ads could be push marketing in the classic way or like ‘Brand Takeover’ ads on TikTok. Maybe for huge brands… I don’t think this would be relevant for smaller advertisers.

ChatGPT Ads could be pull marketing in the chat context. The user asks something, the algorithm knows the user + the context and displays sponsored entries. I imagine that the format they’ll start with. I doubt we’ll see individual keyword targeting like we have on Apple Ads. The industry is moving away from it and OpenAI will not implement a dumb system into a super smart product.

ChatGPT Ads could also be something new: conversational advertising. Initially, it pulls the ad into the conversation based on user profile and conversation context. From that trigger, the user can interact with it, ask questions, list features, compare competitors, and so on.

This is where conversational advertising differs from contextual advertising: the ad is not a one-shot placement anymore, it evolves into a dialogue.

I can see ChatGPT Ads coming in three scenarios:

1. Static sponsored insert: Think sponsored suggestion, like Perplexity added it. The user can follow up and ChatGPT itself answers, but drawing from its general knowledge, not your product feed. You control only the initial ad (headline, description), not the dialogue.
2. Advertiser-provided knowledge: Trigger as above, but you upload product data (feed, catalogue, structured attributes). The model can reference your supplied information to answer accurately upon follow-up questions from the user. You control what data the model has, but tone and flow are generated by ChatGPT, not scripted.
3. Advertiser-controlled conversational Ad flows: You design mini conversation trees. The system hands the thread over to your predefined conversational flow or your AI agent, which answers based on your rules. You dictate the responses, but must balance natural user experience with transparency.

The fully advertiser-controlled flow in Scenario 3 seems less likely under Sam Altman’s stance (”I kind of hate ads” + “Future models will make today’s limitations irrelevant”). Something predefined must be seen as not competitive with the ambition OpenAI has with its own models and progress.

In scenario 2, you might upload data yourself or point the model to relevant or preferred sources. ChatGPT still makes its own decision how to answer the user question as it’s designed to help the user as good as it can.

Trust in the platform is non-negotiable. Sam Altman said that explicitly. If ads degrade core usefulness or bias responses too strongly, trust in the general model would be undermined.

How ChatGPT Ads differ from Meta or Google Ads:

• Google/Apple: driven by user intent —> user clicks out directly
• Meta/TikTok: driven by audience —> user clicks out directly
• ChatGPT: driven by audience + context —> user has a multi-turn conversation before clicking out

For a campaign manager, the mechanics will look familiar. We’ll still track metrics (impressions, clicks, conversions, costs, return, …). We’ll still have auction-based bidding and we’ll pay per impression, click, or something performance based.

But strategically, creative and control dynamics change. We’ll have new challenges, like figuring out how conversational context affects ad placement, or how new creative formats should be designed:

• Creative may need to shift from headline & copy to Q&A formats
• Measurement will have new elements. In a multi-turn conversation, what’s an impression, what is a conversion?
• Brand guidelines could be interpreted more broadly. Good luck explaining ChatGPT paraphrasing your brand claims to the brand team!

That’s what I think “Conversational Advertising” is; ads become part of the content.

I grew up in a world where targeting and personalisation were at their peak. In the 2010s, Facebook had thousands of targeting options. We had a level of precision targeting that let us reach exactly the people we wanted to reach. As a result, marketing copy didn’t always need to do the best in class – targeting could compensate for messaging that was good enough. Copywriting took a back seat.

The “Mad Men” world of broad-market messaging, where one could be applauded for a “It’s toasted” headline, had nothing to do with the industry I was in at the time.

Then Cambridge Analytica, third-party cookie blocking, GDPR, ATT, etc. marked the end of unique identifiers and hyper-targeted advertising. Privacy regulations are pushing us back toward a marketing world that looks more like mass marketing. And that’s where great copywriting is rising in importance again.

Copywriting returns as a competitive edge!

The message itself is becoming the targeting. Since we’re speaking to broader audiences, the strength and clarity of copy matter more than they have in years. At the same time, AI is rapidly changing content creation – which opens up new questions about who writes what, and what role copywriters will play in this ecosystem.

Can AI replace your copywriter?

Yes. In interviews, I ask candidates how they use AI tools like ChatGPT. In 100% of the cases “writing ad copy” is part of the answer. AI lets every marketer level up in copywriting. People who struggle with writing can become solid writers, non-native speakers can articulate ideas clearly, and skilled writers get more ideas and angles.

Is the job of the copywriter going away?

No. The role isn’t just about writing ads, landing pages, or blog posts. Copywriters need to move away from daily content execution and focus more on crafting guidelines, structures, and strategies that empower others – like media buyers using AI – to produce on-brand copy at scale.

Copywriters need to…  

• to get comfortable with data and research, like understanding audiences, diving into customer insights, and shaping raw information into usable structures.
  
• become experts at identifying core customer problems and translating them into messaging frameworks.
  
• work hand-in-hand with AI tools. AI isn’t a threat, it’s a collaborator. By feeding AI with the above – precise guidelines, audience insights, brand voice standards – copywriters can use AI (and anyone using it!) to create content that aligns with the brand.

Copywriting doesn’t go back to being just about the words, but in a world where great messaging is again the primary means of targeting, copywriters who step into this expanded role will be a competitive edge for brands.