July 8, 2026 · 7 min read
How to set up ChatGPT ads: a step-by-step OpenAI Ads Manager guide
A practical, step-by-step tutorial for launching your first campaign in OpenAI Ads Manager at ads.openai.com — account setup and verification, advertiser name and billing, campaign and ad group creation, context hints, and how to launch and monitor ChatGPT ads performance.
Ads in ChatGPT are created and managed in OpenAI Ads Manager, available at ads.openai.com. The platform is currently in beta and updates frequently, so exact screens may shift over time. Based on OpenAI’s own walkthrough, launching your first campaign comes down to three steps: create your account, create your campaigns, then launch and monitor performance.
This guide breaks each step down so you can go from zero to a serving campaign.
The Three Steps At A Glance
| Step | What you do | Where in Ads Manager |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Create your account | Sign in or sign up, onboard, verify, set advertiser identity, billing, and users | Onboarding + Settings + Billing |
| 2. Create your campaigns | Build campaigns, ad groups, and ads via bulk upload or guided UI | Campaigns |
| 3. Launch and monitor | Confirm active status and track performance signals | Campaign status + Insights |
Step 1: Create And Set Up Your Account
Everything starts at ads.openai.com.
- Sign in or sign up. If your work email is already associated with an OpenAI account, log in with it. If not, sign up for a new account.
- Complete onboarding. You’ll enter your business information and go through account verification. A few setup tasks unlock only after your account is verified.
Once verified, finish these three setup tasks before building a campaign:
| Setup task | Where to go | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Advertiser identity | Settings → General → Account info | Your advertiser name and favicon / brand logo, exactly as they should appear in your ads in ChatGPT |
| Billing profile | Billing → Overview → Set up billing profile | Card information, billing address, and the invoice email used for all billing and invoices |
| Team access | Settings → Users → Invite | Teammate email + access level |
Access levels when inviting users:
- Admin — full access to the platform.
- Member — can create and manage campaigns.
- View only — can view but not edit.
Step 2: Create Your Campaigns
Ads Manager gives you two ways to build campaigns:
- Bulk upload workflow — download the bulk template (campaigns, ad groups, and ads), fill in your information offline, and re-upload it. Best for launching many campaigns at once.
- Guided creation workflow — enter all details directly in the UI. Best for your first campaign or one-off changes.
A campaign is a three-level structure: Campaign → Ad group → Ad. Here’s what each level asks for.
Campaign level
| Field | Options / notes |
|---|---|
| Campaign name | Your internal label |
| Objective | Clicks (optimize for clicks) or Reach (optimize for impressions) |
| Campaign budget | Total budget for the campaign |
| Conversion events | Optional — add if you want to track conversions |
| Start date | Required |
| End date | Optional |
Ad group level
| Field | Options / notes |
|---|---|
| Ad group name | Your internal label |
| CPC bid | Enter a cost-per-click bid if you chose the Clicks objective |
| Default destination URL | Where your ads send users |
| Context hints | Describe the conversations or topics relevant to your ads |
Context hints are the piece unique to advertising inside a conversation: instead of only targeting keywords, you describe the kinds of conversations or topics where your ad is relevant.
Ad level
| Field | Options / notes |
|---|---|
| Ad name | Your internal label |
| Headline / title | The ad’s headline |
| Ad copy | The body text |
| Image | Upload a creative image |
As you fill in the ad, Ads Manager shows a live preview on the right so you can see how your ad will appear in ChatGPT before it goes live.
Step 3: Launch And Monitor Performance
Confirm your ads are serving
Check the status of your campaigns, ad groups, and ads — all three levels should read active. If something isn’t serving, Ads Manager shows a descriptive message explaining why. Most issues can be fixed by editing the campaign, though some ads may be rejected for policy reasons.
Read your performance metrics
Once ads are serving, performance signals start coming through. Ads Manager currently reports:
| Metric | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Impressions | How often your ad was shown |
| Clicks | How often it was clicked |
| Spend | Amount spent |
| CTR | Click-through rate |
| Average CPM | Average cost per 1,000 impressions |
| Average CPC | Average cost per click |
You have two extra ways to work with insights:
- CSV export — select the campaigns you want, choose Export, and export cumulative or daily values.
- Insights charts — pick any metric to see its performance trend over time.
Edit campaigns after launch
As you learn from results, you’ll want to make changes. Two options:
- Single edit — hover a campaign, click the three dots, choose Edit campaign, make changes, and save.
- Bulk edit — select the campaigns to edit, choose Export → Export for edit, update the sheet offline, then re-upload it through the bulk upload workflow.
Both edit workflows also apply to ad groups and ads.
Quick Setup Checklist
| Done? | Item |
|---|---|
| ☐ | Account created and verified at ads.openai.com |
| ☐ | Advertiser name + favicon set in Settings |
| ☐ | Billing profile added (card, address, invoice email) |
| ☐ | Team members invited with the right access level |
| ☐ | Campaign built (objective, budget, dates) |
| ☐ | Ad group set (CPC bid, destination URL, context hints) |
| ☐ | Ad created (headline, copy, image) and previewed |
| ☐ | All statuses active and metrics flowing |
FAQ
Where do I create ChatGPT ads?
In OpenAI Ads Manager at ads.openai.com. It is in beta and updated frequently.
Do I need a separate account for Ads Manager?
You can sign in with a work email already tied to an OpenAI account, or sign up for a new account. Either way you must complete onboarding and account verification before creating campaigns.
What is a “context hint”?
At the ad group level, context hints let you describe the conversations or topics that are relevant to your ad — a targeting concept suited to ads that appear inside a chat.
What’s the difference between the Clicks and Reach objectives?
Clicks optimizes for clicks (and lets you set a CPC bid). Reach optimizes for impressions.
Why isn’t my ad serving?
Check that the campaign, ad group, and ad are all active. Ads Manager shows a message explaining any issue; most are fixed by editing the campaign, but some ads may be rejected for policy reasons.
Which metrics can I track?
Impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, average CPM, and average CPC — viewable in the dashboard, as CSV exports (cumulative or daily), or as trend charts.
Related Reading
- Are ChatGPT ads coming to Japan? The July 2026 state of play
- ChatGPT SEO, GEO, and LLMO in the age of AI ads