ChatGPT Ads and the Next Phase of Search
Incremental, Not Replacement
ChatGPT’s move into paid advertising marks an important inflection point for search marketing, not because it threatens Google’s dominance, but because it formalises something we have been talking about for a while: search is fragmenting.
Consumers no longer rely on a single interface to find answers. Alongside traditional search engines, they are increasingly turning to answer engines, AI-driven platforms designed to synthesise information, not just link to it. ChatGPT sits squarely in this space and its introduction of advertising reflects a broader shift in how intent is expressed, captured and monetised.
For brands, the question isn’t whether to engage, but how to do so intelligently.
Search Is Fragmenting into Answer Engines
Search used to be transactional: type a query, scan links, click a result.
Increasingly, it is becoming conversational.
Answer engines like ChatGPT are designed to resolve intent in a single interaction. Users aren’t looking for ten blue links; they’re looking for clarity. That behaviour is fundamentally different from traditional search and it changes how brands show up.
Importantly, this doesn’t mean users are abandoning Google. Most people still use both, allocating different types of questions to different tools. Quick, navigational or branded queries remain the domain of Google. Exploratory, comparative or open-ended questions are increasingly routed through AI, including via Gemini.
That creates a layered search ecosystem, not a zero-sum one.
Diversifying PPC Spend Through Incremental Channels
It’s important to be precise about how ChatGPT ads actually appear.
Unlike early assumptions, ChatGPT ads are not woven into the body of the AI’s response. They are positioned at the bottom of the answer, visually and functionally closer to Google Shopping ads than to native content. They are clearly marked, separate from the generated response, and contextually aligned with the user’s query.
This distinction matters. It preserves trust in the answer while still allowing brands to appear at the moment intent is formed.
Where this becomes interesting for marketers is in the context of zero-click behaviour.
Search has already moved in this direction. Google answers many queries directly on the results page, reducing the need to click. ChatGPT accelerates this trend: users come for answers, not links. In that environment, visibility itself becomes valuable, even without a click.
ChatGPT ads can therefore function as:
- A branding touchpoint
- A credibility signal
- A way to insert a brand into the consideration set
Two examples to illustrate this:
Cultural and heritage brands
“I need an itinerary for my trip to London — what should I do?”
The user receives a curated plan covering museums, galleries and landmarks. An ad placed beneath that answer allows a museum, exhibition or cultural venue to appear within the planning moment, even if the user doesn’t click immediately. The brand is mentally bookmarked.
B2B SaaS
“What’s the best CRM for a growing B2B sales team?”
The user is researching, not transacting. A SaaS brand appearing below the answer gains association with authority and relevance at a formative stage of decision-making, well before a demo request or branded search occurs.
This is why ChatGPT should be seen as another intent layer, not a replacement for search ads.
Budgeting for ChatGPT: Rethinking Success Metrics
The question now is where does the budget comes from.
The mistake would be to judge ChatGPT ads by Google Search metrics alone.
When users go to Google, they expect to click. The interface is built for navigation. ChatGPT is different: users go there to resolve uncertainty. Clicking out is optional, not expected.
That means:
- Lower CTRs don’t imply lower value
- Branding impact matters more
- Assisted conversions and downstream lift become key
In practical terms, early ChatGPT investment is likely to come from:
- Upper-funnel paid search
- Content and discovery budgets
- Innovation or test-and-learn allocations
It should be incremental, not carved aggressively out of high-performing Google campaigns. Google remains the most efficient demand-capture engine available. ChatGPT plays a different role: shaping preference before demand fully crystallises.
Google Will Still Dominate, For Now
None of this signals the decline of Google.
User behaviour changes slowly, and Google moves fast. The company is already embedding AI-driven answers directly into search results and monetising them with ads. It has distribution, habit, and scale firmly on its side.
The likely future is not displacement, but convergence.
Traditional search will remain dominant for intent fulfilment and volume. Answer engines will grow as decision-support layers. Brands that win will be those that understand the distinction and plan for both.
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