Insights · AI marketing
ChatGPT ads: how UK businesses can get ready
Advertising inside AI answers is new, but what makes it work isn't: a clear offer, a page that converts and tracking you can trust. Here is what to get right first.
The short answer. ChatGPT now shows sponsored links to UK users on its Free and Go plans, below the answer and clearly labelled. Instead of bidding on keywords, you describe the conversations your ad should appear in, and pay per click or per thousand views. Before you spend anything, make sure you have a clear offer, a landing page built for the question people are asking, conversion tracking set up, and a website that AI tools can already read and trust.
How ChatGPT ads work
OpenAI began testing ads in the US in early 2026 and opened them to UK advertisers over the summer, with a self-serve Ads Manager at ads.openai.com. The rules may change as it grows, but the basics are:
- Who sees them: logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans. Paid Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users don't see ads.
- Where they appear: as a sponsored link below ChatGPT's answer, separate from the answer itself and labelled.
- How they're matched: to the topic of the conversation. You give the system "context hints" describing the conversations you want to appear in, and it decides when your ad is relevant. There is no keyword list to manage.
- How you pay: by the click (CPC) or per thousand views (CPM).
- What's off limits: OpenAI says ads won't be shown to users it believes are under 18, or next to sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health and politics.
- What you can't buy: OpenAI says ads don't influence the answer itself. You can pay to appear next to an answer, not to be recommended in it.
That last point matters most. Ads only appear beside the answer. What ChatGPT says about your business still comes from what it can find and trust about you online. That is why AI advertising and AI search visibility need to be done together.
Is it right for your business yet?
ChatGPT ads are worth testing if people already ask AI tools questions that lead to buying what you sell. Good signs:
- Your customers research before they buy, for example "best accounting software for a small charity" or "how much does a garden room cost".
- You sell something with a clear next step online: a booking, a quote request, a download, a purchase.
- You already measure cost per lead or cost per sale on Google or Meta, so you have something to compare against.
Hold off if your sector is one OpenAI treats as sensitive (healthcare, for example), if you can't yet track what happens after someone clicks, or if your website wouldn't convince a visitor who arrives knowing nothing about you.
Five things to set up before you spend
1. One clear offer per campaign. Someone who clicks an ad under a ChatGPT answer has just read a detailed answer to their question. They want the next step, not a home page. Decide what that step is: a free survey, a quote in 48 hours, a sample pack, a demo.
2. A landing page that matches the question. If your ad shows up in conversations about "loft conversion costs in Bristol", the page it links to should talk about loft conversion costs in Bristol. Say plainly what you do, who for, roughly how long it takes, and what happens next. Make the form short.
3. Conversion tracking. OpenAI provides a pixel and a Conversions API so you can see which clicks turned into enquiries or sales. Set it up before the first campaign, check it with a test enquiry, and keep your other analytics running so you can compare channels fairly. Update your cookie banner and privacy notice to cover it.
4. Context hints written like real questions. Think about how your customers describe their problem, not how you describe your product. "My team spends hours copying data between spreadsheets" will reach more of the right people than "workflow automation platform". Write several, test them, and drop the ones that bring the wrong clicks.
5. Your account, in your name. Create the Ads Manager account yourself and invite your agency or freelancer as a user, rather than letting them own it. If you change supplier, you keep your account, your data and your history.
Stay inside the advertising rules
ChatGPT ads shown in the UK fall under the same rules as any other online advert: the CAP Code, enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, and UK consumer protection law. Claims must be accurate and backed up, prices must be clear, and anything that looks like a review or a recommendation must be genuine. If you use AI to write ad copy, a person should still check every claim before it goes live.
Don't forget the free half
Most people asking ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or Perplexity about a supplier never see an ad at all, because they are on a paid plan or the topic isn't eligible. What reaches them is the answer, and the answer is built from what those tools can find about you: your website, your Google Business Profile, your reviews, directory listings and press mentions.
A business that is invisible or described wrongly in AI answers will pay more for every ad click, because the ad is the only time it shows up. Our guide to getting your business ready for AI search covers what to fix.
Frequently asked
Are ChatGPT ads available in the UK?
Yes. OpenAI opened ChatGPT ads to UK advertisers in 2026, and businesses can apply through its Ads Manager. Access and features are still changing, so check OpenAI's advertiser pages for the current position.
How much do ChatGPT ads cost?
You set your own budget and pay per click or per thousand views, as with other ad platforms. Costs depend on your sector and how many other businesses want the same conversations. Start with a small test budget and judge it on cost per enquiry or sale, not cost per click.
Can I pay for ChatGPT to recommend my business?
No. OpenAI says ads don't influence ChatGPT's answers. Ads appear separately, below the answer, and are labelled as sponsored. To be mentioned in the answer itself, your business needs to be visible and trusted online, which is what AI search optimisation is about.
Who sees ads in ChatGPT?
Logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans. Paid subscribers on Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise plans don't see ads, and OpenAI says it doesn't show ads to users it believes are under 18.
Should I move my Google Ads budget to ChatGPT?
Not all at once. Run a small, tracked test alongside your existing campaigns, compare cost per enquiry over a few weeks, and move budget only if the numbers support it. For most SMEs, Google will remain the bigger channel for some time.