How to run ChatGPT Ads in Europe in 2026 (Full Tutorial)

Market / launch angle (Europe, early positioning)

• OpenAI announced expansion of CHBT ads to 31 European countries (Aug 18); the presenter gained access in Germany about a week later.
• Core pitch: because it’s “very recent,” competition in Europe is said to be virtually zero, creating an opportunity to become an early expert before Meta/Google catch up.

Ad product basics (how ads appear + eligibility)

• Where ads show up: inside natural ChatGPT conversations, positioned at the bottom of the chat.
• Ad formats available at the time: static ads only (images; carousel was mentioned).

Who sees ads (important targeting constraint)

• Ads are shown to users on Free and Go memberships.
• Users on Plus / Pro / Business do not see ads.

Concerns noted

• There’s debate that this could overweight lower-income users; the presenter argues this may not fully hold (they use a business account but still shop with a free account).
• B2B limitation: the presenter suggests the platform may be weaker if you want pure B2B targeting.

Playbook / process taught (end-to-end)

1) Account & access

• Start advertising → provide business info → verification takes ~1–2 days → access ads manager.

2) Campaign structure & naming convention

• Structure: Campaign → Ad group → Ads (similar to common ad platforms).
• Naming discipline (to track variables):
  • Include the product being tested
  • Include the funnel type
  • Add other test identifiers

3) Tracking & conversions (core requirement)

• You must set up a conversion event (e.g., purchase/subscription).
• Conversion setup is described as annoying / error-prone:
  • If you cancel incorrectly, changes may not save and you may need to restart.

“Pixel”-style setup (data source)

• Create a data source
• Copy pixel ID + setup code
• Install code on the funnel using Claude (or via “code/click to set up” / Codec)

Attribution window

• Set click-through attribution window = 30 days (implied).

4) Iteration loop (ads → funnel → iterate)

• After ads run:
  • Analyze funnel analytics to find drop-off points
  • Iterate ads and/or funnel elements to maximize:
    • Email capture
    • Conversion to paid subscription/purchase

Funnel + email capture “bridge” (best practice)

• Recommended flow:
  • Ads → quiz/assessment funnel → email capture → nurture emails → later sales

5) AI personalization / context hints

• Uses “context hints” to teach the algorithm:
  • Paste a conversation/topic/ICP description generated by ChatGPT (then trimmed).
• Differentiator claim vs Meta/Google:
  • Meta/Google “do the whole work,” while CHBT requires more supplied context (more control, but more setup).

Concrete example (their business + funnel)

Advertised products (two memberships)

• Real-world AI builders: $29/month
  • Teaches AI automations
  • The $29 price point is used for feasibility/margin math
• AI business accelerator: higher priced
  • Initially advertised, then paused to reduce variables

Funnel mechanics

• Quiz/assessment funnel:
  • Users answer questions → receive results → enter email
• Email nurture:
  • After the first 3 emails, they begin pitching
  • Users segmented into levels (1–4 and 7) with different email sequences
  • Example timing: 1 day later, 2 days later, etc.

Tools mentioned

• Claude for code assistance
• Kit for nurture/automation system
• For non-technical teams: consider SaaS funnel platforms like:
  • Perspective
  • GoHighLevel

Key metrics and KPIs reported (initial campaign)

Reported performance (CHBT campaign)

• Impressions: ~8,000
• Clicks: 100
• CTR: 1.3%
• Conversions: 4
• Spend: ~$62
• Average CPM: ~$9
• Avg cost per click (CPC): ~$6.7
  • (stated as “67” — likely $0.67 or $6.7, but context implies per-click cost)
• Test budget: $250
• Speed to early activity: clicks within ~2 hours
  • Presenter suspects not bots due to engagement analytics

Creative benchmark (comparison)

• Their YouTube thumbnails often perform ~5–7% CTR
• Ads/creatives below ~3% CTR are described as “usually very bad”
• Implied iteration target: aim above that threshold

Bidding / competitiveness knob

• Uses an “auction-like” conversion-optimized bidcap
  • Example: ~$20 bidcap (based on $29 price and expected margin)
• Suggestion: test lower first (e.g., $5) if the ad isn’t getting clicks/impressions

Actionable recommendations / what to change first

If CTR is low

• Improve headline + ad description + image
  • These are highlighted as highest-impact fields
• Turn off underperforming ads and concentrate budget on the better one

If ads aren’t getting delivery

• Adjust the bidcap parameter and/or wait
  • Ads may not be “picked up” immediately

If conversion rate is poor

• Focus on funnel leakage using stage-by-stage analytics:
  • Major drop at landing → start interactions
  • Additional drop between Question 3 → Question 4
  • Possible friction point: users not interested in “getting paid for AI work” (example identified)

Testing budget guidance

• Run a small testing budget first (examples: $250–$500) before scaling
• Anecdote: observed variance from others
  • Some spend like $4K with zero conversions (possibly because the conversion feature wasn’t active at the time)

Creative constraints workaround

• CHBT was static-only at the time (less flexible than Meta/Google video creative)
• Later plan mentioned: also test Meta for more creative formats

Business execution vs investing/markets (high-level only)

• Focus remains on ad ops + funnel optimization, not financial market strategy.
• The “investment” framing is treated practically as an ROI test:
  • Compare CHBT vs Meta by running head-to-head with similar budgets
  • Wait ~4 weeks to update results

Presenters / sources

• Presenter: unnamed YouTube speaker in the subtitles (appears to be the course creator running the campaign and comparing CHBT vs Meta)
• Primary source referenced: OpenAI
  • CHBT ad expansion announcement (Aug 18; 31-country rollout)
• Other references mentioned (non-presenters):
  • Marketers/YouTubers for anecdotal results
  • Tools/platforms mentioned: Claude, Kit, Perspective, GoHighLevel, Meta Ads, Google Ads