Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- ChatGPT Ads are sponsored placements shown separately from ChatGPT’s normal answers.
- Ads are matched based on relevance and conversational context, not only exact keywords.
- Advertisers can use campaigns for visibility, clicks and conversions.
- Malaysia is supported for self-service Ads Manager, subject to OpenAI’s advertiser requirements.
- Performance can be measured through impressions, clicks, costs and conversions.
ChatGPT Ads are paid sponsored placements that allow businesses to advertise to eligible users while they research, compare options or make decisions inside ChatGPT. Ads appear separately from ChatGPT’s normal responses and do not influence the answer itself.
On September 23, 2026, OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Ads into Southeast Asia and Taiwan, including Malaysia!
Naturally, that raises a lot of exciting questions for businesses here and even some of Rankpage’s clients are asking us what they can do to capitalize on the situation.
So this article does two things, it explains:
- What makes advertising inside ChatGPT different from running ads on a traditional search platform?
- How do ChatGPT ads work and how they differ from normal Google Ads
And since everything is so brand new and nothing much is announced yet, our SEO Agency don’t want to regulate the same “it’s game changing” every online article has out there. Let’s begin.
What Are ChatGPT Ads?
ChatGPT Ads are clearly labelled paid advertisements shown within the ChatGPT experience, Currently, they appear to eligible users on the Free and Go plans. Paid tiers such as Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu remain ad-free.
A standard ad may include:
- Advertiser name
- Headline
- Description
- Image
- Landing page
The ad appears separately from the AI-generated response as shown in this snapshot:
We have to stress that paying for ChatGPT Ads DOES NOT allow a business to influence what ChatGPT recommends organically.
OpenAI states that advertising and ChatGPT answers are kept separate, so that means there are two different types of visibility:
Organic AI visibility: Being mentioned or recommended within the answer, which businesses can improve through strategies such as GEO and AI search optimisation, which you can learn more about on our GEO service page.
Paid visibility: Appearing through a sponsored ChatGPT Ads placement.
Businesses may use both, but they serve different purposes.
Where Do ChatGPT Ads Appear?
ChatGPT Ads can appear below eligible ChatGPT responses when the system identifies a relevant advertising opportunity.
A simple user journey looks like this:
It’s important to stress that the ad supports the conversation without changing ChatGPT’s answer, at least according to OpenAi’s documentation on ChatGPT Ads.
Okay, So How Do ChatGPT Ads Work?
Advertisers create campaigns through OpenAI Ads Manager, choose an objective and budget, create ads and measure the resulting performance.
At a basic level, the process involves:
- Choose an objective such as reach, website traffic or conversions.
- Select what to advertise, such as a service or product category.
- Create the ad with messaging, creative and a landing page.
- Set campaign controls such as budget, country and supported platforms.
- Measure results and improve the campaign over time.
The exact process behind why one ad appears in one conversation but not another is more complex, but we will go in depth about it in a future article.
Regardless, just remember one basic rule of ChatGPT ads.
ChatGPT aims to show advertising that is relevant to what the user is discussing.
Ad Targeting
ChatGPT Ads use conversational relevance rather than relying entirely on exact-match keywords.
In other words, is this product or service relevant to the conversation the user is asking?
Traditional search advertising often starts with keywords such as:
- CRM software Malaysia
- Office renovation KL
- Business loan Malaysia
But in ChatGPT, users may instead describe a full situation of “We have 25 staff and manage leads in spreadsheets. We need a CRM that is easier for our sales team.”
Obviously this query is much more niche and specific but according to Semrush who analysed more than one billion lines of clickstream data, they found that 65% to 85% of ChatGPT prompts did not match any traditional search keyword in its database.
The same study found that traditional Google searches averaged around four words, while ChatGPT prompts were often considerably longer.
For advertisers, relevance can extend beyond matching a simple keyword.
The conversation may reveal details such as company size, existing tools, pain points and what the user is actually trying to accomplish.
How Are ChatGPT Ads Different From Google Ads?
Both can capture customer demand, but they reach people in different environments.
| Area | ChatGPT Ads | Google Search Ads |
|---|---|---|
| User behaviour | Conversation and research | Search queries |
| Ad environment | AI conversation | Search results |
| Relevance | Conversational context and campaign signals | Keywords, queries and campaign settings |
| Measurement | Clicks, costs and conversions | Clicks, costs and conversions |
IMPORTANT: Don’t Scroll Past This
ChatGPT Ads are getting a lot of attention right now, and yes, many agencies (including us) will be quick to promote them.
BUT! That does not mean you should move your Google Ads budget into ChatGPT Ads without understanding how the channel fits into your customer journey.
A customer may use ChatGPT to research a problem, compare options, or narrow down what they need, then later turn to Google to search for specific providers, check reviews, or make contact.
For most businesses, we recommend ChatGPT Ads should be tested as an additional acquisition channel first! Don’t put all your budget in one platform.
How Much Do ChatGPT Ads Cost?
Much like Google Ads, there is no fixed cost for ChatGPT Ads. Pricing depends on the campaign objective, bids, competition, relevance and performance.
OpenAI currently supports:
- CPM: Pay per 1,000 impressions
- CPC: Pay for valid clicks
- Conversions: Optimise toward actions such as leads or purchases
For CPC campaigns, OpenAI currently recommends starting with a maximum bid of around US3 to US5 per click, again this is only guidance, not a fixed rate.
The one that caught our eye however, was that ChatGPT Ads also uses a relevance-weighted, second-price auction.
In simple terms: Highest bid does not automatically win, relevance and expected performance also influence ad delivery.
Which means a seller bidding can actually WIN over the higher ones if the relevance is closely matched to the user query.
How Can Businesses Measure ChatGPT Ad Performance?
ChatGPT Ads can be measured using standard paid advertising metrics and conversion tracking.
If you have handled any form of ad spend before, then this should be familiar. You can monitor metrics such as:
- Impressions: How many times the ad was shown
- Clicks: How many people clicked the ad
- CTR: The percentage of impressions that resulted in a click
- CPC: The average amount paid for each click
- CPM: The average cost per 1,000 impressions
- Spend: How much the campaign has used
- Conversions: Actions such as enquiries, purchases, sign-ups or bookings
UTM tracking can also be added to landing-page URLs so businesses can see how much website traffic and how many conversions came specifically from ChatGPT Ads.
A high CTR may suggest that the ad message is relevant, but if those clicks are not turning into enquiries or sales, the issue may sit with the landing page, offer or traffic quality.
Likewise, a lower CTR is not automatically poor performance if the campaign is still producing qualified leads at an acceptable cost.
Who Should Consider ChatGPT Ads?
ChatGPT Ads may be suitable for businesses where customers spend time researching, comparing options, asking follow-up questions or weighing several factors before making a decision.
So big purchases like tools, education or tech, qualifies for this.
Now, That does not automatically mean every business should advertise there. Let’s go over the industry Rankpage thinks is worth the buck.
For example, someone researching accounting software may ask about SST support and ease of use before deciding which providers deserve further research.
This makes sense because then users are actively narrowing a decision, your ad could pop out right then and there with the solution in hand!
How Can You Start Advertising on ChatGPT?
Businesses can sign up for OpenAI Ads Manager and create campaigns directly, or work with a partner to manage the process.
Regardless before launching the ads, define:
- What product or service you want to promote.
- Who the likely customer is.
- What action you want after the click.
- Which landing page should receive the traffic.
- How conversions will be measured.
- What budget you are prepared to test.
If you would rather get an experienced outside view before committing a budget, Rankpage offers ChatGPT Ads services covering campaign strategy, setup, creative development, landing-page recommendations, tracking and ongoing optimisation.
The platform may be new, but the advertising fundamentals are not, fundamentals which Rankpage have plenty of experience in.
We dominate AI, SEO and traditional search results, long before the market even took a whiff at it.
If you don’t believe us? That’s alright, talk is cheap after all. So why not open Incognito and search “Best SEO Agency in Malaysia”, we’re up there.
How many other agencies can claim the same?
Source:
- OpenAI, Ads in ChatGPT: The Basics
- OpenAI, Advertise in ChatGPT
- OpenAI, Ads Manager Availability
- OpenAI, Create Campaigns for ChatGPT Ads
- OpenAI, Our Approach to Advertising and Expanding Access to ChatGPT
Frequently Asked Questions About ChatGPT Ads
What Are ChatGPT Ads?
ChatGPT Ads are paid sponsored placements shown separately from eligible ChatGPT responses. They allow advertisers to reach users while they research, compare products or make decisions.
How Do ChatGPT Ads Work?
Advertisers create campaigns through Ads Manager, choose objectives and budgets, create ads and direct users to relevant landing pages.
How Does ChatGPT Ads Targeting Work?
ChatGPT advertising considers conversational relevance and campaign signals rather than relying only on exact keyword matching.
Do ChatGPT Ads Influence ChatGPT Answers?
No. OpenAI states that sponsored placements do not influence ChatGPT’s organic answers.
Are ChatGPT Ads Available in Malaysia?
Yes. Malaysia is currently supported for self-service OpenAI Ads Manager, subject to advertiser eligibility and platform requirements.
How Much Do ChatGPT Ads Cost?
There is no fixed price. Costs vary according to campaign objective, bids, competition, relevance and overall campaign performance.
