People are using ChatGPT to research products, compare options and make buying decisions. Now small businesses can show up in those moments. Here is how it works in three steps.
People have always used search engines to find businesses. But increasingly, they are turning to ChatGPT to do the same thing, asking it to compare products, suggest service providers and help them decide what to buy.
OpenAI has now opened that environment up to advertisers, giving businesses a way to appear in those conversations at the moment someone is actively working through a decision.
The ads are clearly labelled and kept separate from ChatGPT’s answers, so users always know what is paid and what is not. According to OpenAI, users also have control over how their data is used for ads, which the company says is central to keeping the experience trustworthy.
For small business owners already running ads on Google or Meta, this is a new channel worth understanding. The mechanics are different, and so is the opportunity.Getting your account set up
To get started, head to OpenAI’s advertising page and sign up for access to Ads Manager. Once your account is created, you land inside the dashboard where all campaign creation and management happens. OpenAI has built step by step Help Centre resources directly into the tool, so you do not need prior experience with a new platform to find your way around.
image via ads.openai.com
The setup process is designed to be accessible. If you have ever built a campaign in Google Ads or Meta Business Manager, the structure will feel familiar. If this is your first time running digital ads, the in-platform guides are there to walk you through it.Building your campaign
Inside Ads Manager, you set your campaign goal, budget and audience. The key difference from traditional search advertising is how targeting works. On Google, you bid on keywords. On ChatGPT, your ads are matched using richer context signals, meaning the platform picks up on what someone is actually trying to figure out, not just what words they typed.
image via ads.openai.com
That makes it worth thinking carefully about where your customer is in their decision when they are most likely to see your ad. Are they comparing two options? Looking for a local provider? Trying to understand a product category for the first time? Defining your goal around that moment will make your campaign more relevant and more effective.Writing your ads
Once your campaign is configured, you add your ad content. You can either bulk upload your details or create ads directly inside the tool. Because ads appear alongside a conversation someone is already having, the messaging needs to feel relevant to that context rather than generic. Clear, direct copy that speaks to a specific need will work better than broad brand awareness messaging.
Keep in mind that the ad is clearly labelled, so it is competing for attention on its own merits. Users know it is paid. That means the ad needs to offer something genuinely useful or compelling to earn a click.Once you go live
After launch, Ads Manager lets you track results, make edits and adjust performance over time. Like any new channel, the first campaign is as much about learning what works as it is about immediate returns. Pay attention to what resonates and refine from there.
ChatGPT advertising is still in its early stages. Major brands including Best Buy, Lowe’s and VistaPrint are among the first to test it. For small businesses, starting with a modest budget while the platform matures is a sensible approach. The channel is new, the audience is growing, and getting familiar with it now puts you ahead of most of your competitors.
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