ChatGPT Ads targeting works differently from Google Search Ads or Meta Ads.
Instead of simply asking:
“Which keywords should we target?”
advertisers need to think about:
“Which conversations indicate that someone may need our product?”
That distinction is what makes ChatGPT advertising interesting.
How Does ChatGPT Ads Targeting Work?
OpenAI says its advertising system can consider multiple signals when determining whether an advertisement is relevant, including:
- Context and intent of the current conversation
- Advertiser-provided context hints
- Landing-page content
- Ad headline and copy
- Campaign targeting selections
- Additional permitted signals when ad personalisation is enabled
This means advertisers should think less about isolated keywords and more about customer problems and situations.
What Are ChatGPT Ads Context Hints?
Context hints tell OpenAI when your product or service may be useful.
For example:
Too Broad
CRM software
Better
Simple CRM software for small sales teams looking to replace spreadsheets for managing leads and follow-ups.
Another example:
Too Broad
Running shoes
Better
Cushioned everyday running shoes for beginners preparing for their first 5K.
OpenAI specifically recommends describing real customer needs, situations and use cases rather than relying on generic terms.
Context Hints Are Not Keywords
This is important.
Context hints are not exact-match keywords.
Adding:
project management software
doesn’t mean your advertisement will appear every time someone mentions those words.
Similarly, users do not have to type your exact context hint for your advertisement to become eligible.
Context hints help OpenAI understand the broader meaning and situations where your offer may be relevant. They do not guarantee placement in any particular conversation.
How Should You Structure ChatGPT Ad Groups?
Build different ad groups around different customer intents.
For example, imagine you sell project-management software.
Instead of:
One Ad Group
Project Management Software
Create:
Ad Group 1
Agencies managing multiple client projects
Context:
Marketing agencies looking to manage client projects, tasks, deadlines and internal collaboration from one workspace.
Ad Group 2
Startups replacing spreadsheets
Context:
Growing startup teams currently managing tasks through spreadsheets, WhatsApp or disconnected tools.
Ad Group 3
Remote-team collaboration
Context:
Distributed teams looking for one platform to coordinate projects, responsibilities and deadlines.
Same product.
Different customer situations.
That also allows you to customise the advertisement and landing page for each intent.
OpenAI recommends keeping individual ad groups focused around a common product, theme or customer need rather than combining unrelated intents.
Can You Target Custom Audiences?
Yes.
ChatGPT Ads currently allows advertisers to create custom audiences using data such as:
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Hashed email addresses
- Hashed phone numbers
- Supported advertising IDs
Advertisers can then use audiences for inclusion, exclusion or bid adjustments.
There is an important scale requirement.
OpenAI currently requires at least 25,000 matched users for audience inclusion or bid adjustments and recommends approximately 100,000 users for more effective inclusion targeting or bid adjustments.
Smaller audiences can still be used for exclusions.
This makes custom audiences particularly interesting for larger consumer brands with significant first-party databases.
Can You Target Locations?
Yes.
ChatGPT Ads supports country targeting and can also support locations such as states, regions, cities, DMAs and postal codes where available.
Availability varies by country, so advertisers should check what geographic options appear inside Ads Manager for India.
The Biggest ChatGPT Ads Targeting Mistake
The biggest mistake will be copying a Google Ads keyword list into ChatGPT.
Conversational targeting requires understanding:
- What problem is the customer facing?
- What are they trying to accomplish?
- What alternatives are they evaluating?
- What constraints do they have?
- When does our product become useful?
These questions should influence your context hints and campaign structure.
The brands that understand customer conversations will likely have an advantage over brands that simply understand advertising keywords.
Need Help Building ChatGPT Ads Targeting?
Growth Hackers helps brands identify high-value conversational intents, structure ChatGPT Ads campaigns, develop context hints and optimise campaigns based on actual conversion performance.
If you’re planning a ChatGPT Ads pilot in India, speak to our team about developing the targeting architecture before you start spending.
