Pre-search ads in ChatGPT
Before the Search
People ask ChatGPT about a problem before they ever search for a provider. Your ad meets them in that moment.
One-on-One Conversations
Ads match the context of a single user’s conversation, not a keyword list. Organic answers stay the same.
ChatGPT Ads
Google Ads
Microsoft Ads
Above the Chat Box
One labeled ad shows below the response, right above the chat box, on Free and Go accounts. Paid Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts see no ads.
Start for Free
Get October free with any signed contract of 3 months or more. Plus up to $2,500 in ad credits, including $500 for ChatGPT.
How we run ChatGPT Ads
Context Hints
Long-tail, high-intent hints, not broad terms.
Intent Ad Groups
Hints grouped by service, case type or need.
Matching Creative
Name, title, copy, image and landing page.
Tracking
UTMs, GA4, call and form tracking.
Revenue Reporting
Cost per qualified lead, cost per client, ROAS.
Reach people before they search.
ChatGPT ads are pre-search ads. Someone asks ChatGPT, “I was in a car accident. What should I do next?” long before they search for a lawyer. When an advertiser’s context hints match that one-on-one conversation, a single sponsored ad can appear below the response, right above the chat box. It’s clearly labeled and kept separate. The answer doesn’t change, and advertisers never see the conversation.
Ads can show to signed-in adults on the Free and Go plans, and to logged-out users, where OpenAI’s test is live (it started in the US on Feb 9, 2026). Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts don’t see ads, and neither do Temporary Chats, under-18 accounts or conversations about sensitive topics like health, mental health or politics.
Example: law firm ChatGPT ad
Example context hints for a personal injury firm
Rideshare Accidents
Commercial Vehicles
Car Accidents
Serious Injury
Finding a Lawyer
Paid Search
ChatGPT Ads
SEO + GEO
Social Media
Brand Films
What not to do: don’t buy broad hints like “lawyer” or “plumber.” They burn budget on people who aren’t ready. We start with specific, high-intent hints, accept that volume may be limited while the platform is new, and judge it on revenue, not clicks. We report impressions, clicks, spend, cost per qualified lead, cost per signed client and ROAS next to your Google and Microsoft numbers, so you can see where ChatGPT fits.
ChatGPT ads are new and still being tested, so we run them as a measured addition to search, not a replacement. Alchemy is a boutique paid media agency in Newport Beach. We’re experienced, local and boutique enough that each client matters to us, and large enough to run revenue-generating campaigns with modern AI tools.
We are your boutique paid media agency for ChatGPT, Google and Microsoft ads in Orange County.
ChatGPT Ads, answered.
What are ChatGPT ads?
ChatGPT ads are sponsored placements in ChatGPT. One clearly labeled ad can appear below a ChatGPT response, right above the chat box, when the advertiser's context hints match the conversation. The answer itself doesn't change.
Who sees ChatGPT ads?
Ads can show to signed-in adults on the Free and Go plans, and to logged-out users, where OpenAI's test is live (it started in the US on Feb 9, 2026). Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts don't see ads, and neither do Temporary Chats, under-18 accounts or conversations about sensitive topics like health, mental health or politics.
What are context hints?
Context hints are the themes and situations an advertiser wants to match, like “injured passenger in an Uber or Lyft.” They guide matching but are not exact-match keywords. Specific, high-intent hints work better than broad terms.
Do advertisers see my ChatGPT conversations?
No. OpenAI does not share conversations with advertisers. Advertisers get aggregated reporting such as impressions, clicks and spend.
How does Alchemy run ChatGPT ads?
Alchemy builds intent-based ad groups of context hints, writes the ad and landing page, tracks every click with UTMs, GA4, call tracking and form tracking, and reports cost per qualified lead and ROAS alongside Google and Microsoft. ChatGPT ads are new, so we run them as a measured addition to search.