For years, paid media for most small businesses meant two platforms: Google and Meta. This week, a third option became harder to ignore.
What did OpenAI announce?
On September 23, OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Ads to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. With those seven markets, ChatGPT Ads now runs in more than 60 countries.
OpenAI also shared traction numbers. It says ChatGPT Ads reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in less than 200 days, and that tens of thousands of advertisers are running campaigns. In other words, this is no longer a pilot for a handful of global brands.
How can businesses buy ChatGPT Ads?
There are four routes: OpenAI’s Ads Solutions team, agency partners such as dentsu, Havas Media, Omnicom Media, Publicis Groupe and WPP, technology partners, and Ads Manager, where eligible businesses can buy directly.
For a small business, Ads Manager is the route that matters. You do not need an agency to start.
Who sees the ads?
Ads appear only for people on ChatGPT’s Free and Go plans. Users on Plus, Pro and business plans do not see them. OpenAI states that ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers.
That detail should shape your expectations. You are reaching the large free audience, not the paid power users. Think about whether your customers are likely to be in that group before you set a budget.
Why does this channel need different creative?
People do not type keywords into ChatGPT. They ask full questions, often with context: “What is the best way to keep my bakery’s Instagram active when I have no time?” An ad that simply repeats a slogan will feel out of place next to a detailed answer.
Ads that fit this environment tend to:
- Answer a specific question your customers already ask
- Explain the next step clearly
- Lead to a page that continues the same conversation, not a generic homepage
If you already run Google Search ads, your search terms report is a good starting point. Look for the longer, question style searches. Those are the conversations your ChatGPT ads should join.
A four week test plan
- Week 1: pick one product or service and one question it answers well. Build a landing page that responds to that question directly.
- Week 2: launch with a budget you are comfortable treating as a learning cost. Track leads or sales, not just clicks.
- Week 3: adjust the ad wording based on what people do after they land. Keep the offer the same so you learn from the creative.
- Week 4: compare cost per qualified lead against your Google and Meta campaigns for the same offer.
How should you judge the results?
A new channel rarely wins on day one. The question after four weeks is not “did it beat Google?” but “is there a signal worth investing in?”
If ChatGPT brings leads at a cost within reach of your existing channels, it deserves a second round with a bigger budget. If it does not, you have spent a small amount to learn something your competitors are still guessing about.
ChatGPT Ads will not replace your core channels this year. But businesses that learn how conversational ads work now will be ahead when the auction gets busier.
Know where your budget should go
Want to know which channels deserve your budget? At 33 Genesis Road, we offer a free audit of your business, delivered in less than 24 hours. Request it on our free audit page, or message us on LinkedIn or Instagram. For one marketing lesson like this every week, join our free weekly newsletter. You can also see how we work on our services page.
Sources: OpenAI, ChatGPT Ads expands to Southeast Asia and Taiwan (September 23, 2026); TechNode Global, report on the ChatGPT Ads expansion (September 24, 2026).
