Do ChatGPT ads work? What the first advertisers found

It depends on your business, but do not expect miracles today. After reading what advertisers, specialists and agencies who have already spent money published, a pattern repeats: getting clicks is fairly easy, and the hard part is turning those clicks into sales or leads.

We looked for accounts from people who spent their own money, on personal blogs, X, LinkedIn and advertiser forums, as well as trade media. At Semcial we have noticed something similar in what we have been seeing and in conversations with other agencies. What follows reflects what had been published as of 5 November 2026, and the channel changes almost every month.

The short answer

• It may work for: consumer products and considered purchases that people compare, especially high-ticket ones.
• It tends to be harder for: B2B, technical niches and local businesses with small budgets.
• What is missing: data showing which conversations your ad appears in.
• What is worth doing now: preparing your site to appear organically in ChatGPT.

How much do ChatGPT ads cost?

OpenAI does not publish benchmark prices or average results, and each advertiser sets its own budget. What is known comes from trade media and advertisers themselves:

• At launch, in February 2026, CPM was around US$60 and the minimum to join the test was US$200,000 or more, depending on the source.
• In April, Digiday reported CPM falling to US$25 in some cases, while one agency saw averages of 45.
• In September, Search Engine Journal still reported cases above US$60 CPM, and CPC from US$3 to US$22 depending on the advertiser and country.
• For reference, the same Digiday piece cited CPM of US$4.82 on Facebook, 7.63 on Instagram, 10.33 on Google Display and 39.19 on LinkedIn.

So is it expensive? CPM remains high compared with social media, although it has fallen considerably and a huge minimum is no longer needed. CPC can be close to Google’s. The problem is what that click buys: Google shows you a specific search, and ChatGPT does not show you the conversation.

What results did the first advertisers get?

• A UK software company got very cheap clicks but visits averaged 7 seconds, against 20 from his Google ads and 23 from free ChatGPT referrals. A fraud specialist confirmed the problem was not bots but low-value visits.
• A B2B WordPress plugin company stopped its test on day 20: paid sessions lasted 5 seconds, against 40 for organic ones.
• An SEO software company believes part of its audience uses paid ChatGPT plans, which show no ads. In addition, two of its eight ad groups took about half of the impressions.
• A hosting company spent about US$70,000. Its head of paid search said specific use cases performed better than broad messages, although traffic quality was uneven.
• The most positive case is an e-commerce business with an average ticket above US$1,000. Even so, its estimated ROAS ranges from 3.3 to 6.8 depending on how sales are attributed, and the figure was published by whoever manages the account.
• On a tech forum, an advertiser who spent more than US$1,000 rated it below cheap social traffic. It is an opinion with no published data, and another comment in the same thread points the same way.

There are also general CTR figures, and they do not match: two measurement firms published 0.91% and 0.68%, with 1.57% for the best brands. Treat these figures as reference points, because none tells you how much you will sell.

A new channel is not automatically right for your business. First ask whether your customer is there and whether you can measure what happens.

Why are there clicks but few sales?

• You cannot see the conversation: according to Search Engine Journal, there is no search terms or impression share report, and context hints do not work like keywords.
• The intent is different: someone may be exploring a topic rather than looking to buy. Several advertisers say it resembles social media more than Google Search.
• Your customer may not see the ad: it only appears on Free and Go plans. People on Plus, Pro, Business or Enterprise do not see it, which matters in B2B.
• Measurement is still maturing: the same data can produce very different results depending on the attribution model.

These are limits of a young channel and may improve. OpenAI keeps adding features, and one of the advertisers, for example, suggests re-evaluating it in about six months.

Is advertising on ChatGPT worth it for my business?

We would test it if these conditions are met:

• You already have Google or Meta working profitably, so you have something to compare against.
• Your customer asks and compares before buying, and your margin can absorb a learning phase.
• You can measure sales or leads outside Ads Manager, and your site clearly answers what users come looking for.
• You can give the test a budget that does not put your results at risk, with a goal defined in advance.

We would wait if you are only starting to advertise, if your budget does not even cover your main channels or if you sell B2B to people who probably use paid plans. Before deciding, also check whether ChatGPT Ads is available in your country and how the channel works.

What is worth doing now: appearing organically in ChatGPT

Google remains very important, but people also search in assistants. As happened with Google, there is an organic space in which to build a position. In two of the tests we cite, free ChatGPT referrals performed much better than paid ones. These are few tests, but the signal is interesting.

• Let the right crawler in: OpenAI says sites that block OAI-SearchBot do not appear in ChatGPT search answers. It is separate from GPTBot, the crawler linked to training.
• As our own guideline, answer specific questions: prices, timelines, requirements, comparisons and who your service is for.
• Write clearly: direct text, orderly headings and up-to-date information.
• Look after what other sites say about you, because it is also part of what people find about your brand.

At Semcial, besides managing campaigns, we offer as an additional service pages built from scratch for both traditional search engines and AI search.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a click cost on ChatGPT?

It varies a lot. Search Engine Journal reported CPCs from US$3 to US$22, and there are cases below that. OpenAI suggests starting with a maximum of US$3 to US$5, but notes this is not an average or a benchmark.

Is there a minimum budget?

The initial test minimums no longer apply to self-serve access. One advertiser reported a floor of US$25 per day on their account. Check what Ads Manager shows in your country.

Do ChatGPT ads work for B2B?

So far, the B2B cases we found are the weakest, although that is not a rule. If you test it, measure lead quality and not just cost per click.

Do ChatGPT ads replace Google Ads?

Not today. We would treat it as an additional test once your main channels are working.

Does paying for ads help me appear in ChatGPT answers?

No. According to OpenAI, ads are kept separate from answers and do not influence what the model says.

How we handle it at Semcial

We do not recommend ChatGPT Ads because it is new. First we look at whether your customer may be there, whether your main channels are already performing and whether it can be measured. If it makes sense, we build a focused test with a clear goal, compared against what you already have. If it does not, we tell you and work on alternatives, such as your organic presence. See how we manage ChatGPT Ads or ask us for an audit.