The world of digital marketing is quietly entering its next big revolution—and most businesses haven’t noticed it yet.
Right now, you cannot officially buy ads on ChatGPT the way you do on Google or Meta. There is no self-serve dashboard, no “Boost Post” button, and no keyword bidding system.
Yet, marketing on ChatGPT has already begun—just not in the way people expect.
With over 400 million weekly users, ChatGPT is no longer just a chatbot. It’s a decision-making engine. People come here to research, compare, learn, and choose. And wherever attention and intent exist, advertising inevitably follows.
This article explains how to “run ads” on ChatGPT today, how smart brands are already positioning themselves, and how you can prepare for the expected official launch around 2026—before your competitors catch on.
Why “Ads on ChatGPT” Are a Game-Changer
Traditional digital ads interrupt users: banners, pop-ups, skippable videos.
AI advertising will work differently.
ChatGPT represents the rise of LLM-native advertising—ads that are woven into helpful answers, not slapped onto a screen.
Instead of:
“Buy this product!”
The future looks like:
“Based on your needs, this option might work best.”
When users ask questions, they are already in high-intent mode. That makes conversational recommendations far more powerful than scrolling-based ads.
1. Running Ads Inside Custom GPTs (Yes, It’s Already Happening)
While OpenAI does not yet offer official advertising, third-party platforms have created a workaround—especially inside Custom GPTs.
How It Works
Platforms like Hintloop allow brands to place ads inside popular Custom GPTs available on the GPT Store.
Targeting:
You can choose specific GPT categories—such as:
Ad Experience:
Ads appear inside the conversation flow of Custom GPTs.
This feels less like advertising and more like a trusted recommendation—similar to micro-influencer marketing.
This is the closest thing to running ads on ChatGPT today.
2. Using ChatGPT to Build Ads for Other Platforms
Another powerful interpretation of “running ads on ChatGPT” is using ChatGPT as your ad-creation engine.
Smart marketers already do this.
Image & Creative Generation
With ChatGPT’ image feature, you can generate:
- Product visuals
- Social media creatives
- Promotional banners
For example:
- A bakery can generate cake visuals for Instagram
- A fitness brand can design workout ad creatives
- A coaching business can create branded promo images
All within 30 minutes.
Prompt Engineering = Better Ads
The quality of output depends on prompts.
Many marketers:
- Use Claude to write ultra-detailed prompts
- Feed those prompts into ChatGPT or DALL-E
This ensures:
- Correct logo placement
- Pricing visibility
- CTA buttons like “Order Now”
- Brand-consistent colors and tone
Style Customisation
You can easily match your brand voice:
- Elegant for wedding products
- Playful for kids’ brands
- Premium for luxury services
ChatGPT becomes your 24/7 creative agency.
3. Preparing for the Official ChatGPT Ads Launch (Expected 2026)
Most experts believe official ChatGPT ads are coming as early as 2026.
Why?
- OpenAI is hiring monetisation leaders from Meta and other tech giants
- Investor pressure is increasing
- Sam Altman has publicly said ads could add value if done right
Some early ad tests were paused in late 2025 to improve quality—not abandoned.
What Will Future Ads Look Like?
They won’t be banners.
They’ll be intent-based recommendations.
Example:
- Ask: “How do I train for a marathon?”
- AI suggests a hydration plan—and naturally recommends a hydration pack
This is LLM-native advertising in action.
What You Must Do Right Now (Before Ads Exist)
1. Master GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Just like SEO for Google, GEO is for AI models.
Your goal:
- Make your brand easy for AI to find, trust, and summarize
This includes:
- Clear brand messaging
- High-quality content
- Structured information
- Authority signals
2. Rank on Bing (Yes, Bing Matters Again)
ChatGPT often uses Bing for real-time information via RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).
Studies show:
Brands ranking at the top of Bing are up to 63% more likely to be cited by AI responses.
Ignoring Bing today is like ignoring Google in 2005.
3. Advertise in Custom GPTs
Third-party Custom GPT ads are:
- Cheaper
- Less competitive
- High intent
Early movers will enjoy first-mover advantage, just like early Facebook and Google advertisers once did.
4. Use AI to Build Your Existing Ads
Even if you’re running ads on:
- YouTube
Use ChatGPT to:
- Write better copy
- Test hooks
- Generate creatives
- Improve conversion angles
The Bigger Shift Most People Are Missing
Running ads in the AI era is not about buying slots.
It’s about:
- Influencing AI outputs
- Being present at the moment of decision
- Becoming the default recommendation
This is a fundamental shift in how the internet works.
The Bottom Line
ChatGPT advertising is not fully live—but the race has already started.
- Brands that prepare now will pay less later
- Competition will explode once official ads launch
- Waiting means playing catch-up forever
Preparing for this shift is like planting a tree.
The best time was years ago.
The second-best time is right now.
The conversational future is coming.
The only question is: will your brand be part of the answer—or replaced by one?
