Quick answer. ChatGPT ads: OpenAI is testing a new ChatGPT advertising format that takes users directly into a conversation with a brand’s AI agent.
Online advertising has traditionally followed a familiar pattern: someone sees an advert, clicks a link and visits the company’s website.
OpenAI is now testing a different approach with ChatGPT ads, a new advertising format that lets customers chat directly with a brand’s AI agent instead of visiting a website.
According to Digiday, selected advertisers are testing a new ChatGPT ad format that allows a user to click an advert and begin a conversation with a branded AI agent inside ChatGPT. Instead of opening a browser tab, the advert could open a chat with a business.
From clicking to conversing
A traditional advert sends a customer to a website and expects them to find the information they need. A conversational advert could allow the customer to ask questions immediately.
For example, a customer might ask:
- Which product is best for my needs?
- Do you deliver to my area?
- What is included in this service?
- How much does it cost?
- Can I speak to someone?
This could be especially useful for businesses offering products or services that require explanation before a customer is ready to buy.
What this means for small businesses
The technology is still in an early testing phase and is not yet a standard advertising option for every business. However, the direction is important.
Businesses should begin preparing the information a future AI agent would need:
- Accurate product and service descriptions.
- Current pricing and availability.
- Delivery or booking information.
- Frequently asked questions.
- Clear policies and terms.
- A process for handing difficult questions to a human.
- A reliable way to measure enquiries and conversions.
A branded AI agent should not invent answers. It should use approved business information and clearly say when a human needs to become involved.
Your website still matters
Conversational advertising does not make a business website unnecessary. The website remains the company’s trusted home base. It provides detailed information, builds credibility and gives customers a place to complete transactions or submit forms.
The future customer journey may simply include more steps happening inside AI conversations before someone reaches the website.
OpenAI says its ChatGPT advertising approach is designed to keep adverts separate from answers, protect conversations from advertisers and give users control over their advertising experience.
The opportunity
The most interesting part of this development is that advertising could become more helpful and interactive. Instead of interrupting a customer with a generic message, a business could begin a useful conversation at the moment the customer is actively looking for information.
That does not guarantee sales. The agent experience would need to be accurate, fast and genuinely helpful. This is part of a wider pattern, since ChatGPT can now browse and act on a user’s behalf, giving business owners even more reason to keep their information ready for AI systems.
For small businesses, it is another reason to organise business information now. Companies with clear services, strong content and reliable processes will be in a much better position as conversational marketing develops.
Frequently asked questions about ChatGPT ads
What are ChatGPT ads?
ChatGPT ads are a new advertising format OpenAI is testing that let a user click an advert and begin a conversation with a brand’s AI agent inside ChatGPT, instead of being sent to a website.
How are ChatGPT ads different from normal online ads?
Traditional ads send a customer to a website and expect them to search for answers. ChatGPT ads open a live conversation instead, so a customer can ask questions and get direct answers from a brand’s AI agent.
Do ChatGPT ads replace a business website?
No. A website remains important for detailed information, credibility and completing transactions. ChatGPT ads simply add a conversational step where customers can ask questions before they reach the website.
How can small businesses prepare for ChatGPT ads?
Businesses should prepare accurate product and service information, current pricing, clear policies and a process for handing difficult questions to a human, so an AI agent always has reliable information to draw on.
When will ChatGPT ads be available to all businesses?
The format is still in early testing with selected advertisers, so there is no public rollout date yet. OpenAI’s direction suggests conversational advertising could become more widely available over time.
Sources:
Digiday: OpenAI’s next ChatGPT ad format
OpenAI: Testing ads in ChatGPT
Related reading: ChatGPT Ads for Businesses: What Small Firms Need to Know and ChatGPT can now browse and act on a user’s behalf
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