Yes, you read that right.
Neil Patel, marketing influencer and founder of NP Digital, shared early data on how ChatGPT ads are performing compared to Google and Meta. The analysis is based on five businesses running campaigns across all three platforms, offering a (very) limited but semi-directional look at how AI chat advertising may be shaping up.
According to the data, ChatGPT delivered 256% higher lead quality than Meta, but 49% lower than Google. On cost, ChatGPT showed lower CPAs, coming in 46% cheaper than Meta and 38% cheaper than Google.
Why This Matters:
Measurement—performance or otherwise—has been a key question around the ChatGPT ad trial. While this particular dataset is small, it adds an early data point to the conversation on how ads in AI chat environments compare to more established channels.
Here’s the full snapshot:
Per the data, Google still leads on intent, with the gap in lead quality reinforcing the strength of search-driven signals.
On cost, lower CPAs likely reflect limited competition and a fairly early-stage auction. Fewer advertisers are competing for inventory which can drive down the cost of acquiring a lead. That said, this sits alongside reports of high minimum spend commitments (around $200K) to access ChatGPT ads today. So, while the unit economics may look efficient once campaigns are running, the barrier to entry is still high.
Finally, the data seems to suggest ChatGPT may sit somewhere between social and search. Sure, but it’s still too early to define that clearly.
Experts React:
Here’s Neil’s full post from X on this:
Our Take:
It’s hard to draw big conclusions from five advertisers in a limited beta. Early performance often looks strong in low-competition environments, and that advantage rarely holds. The real test will come when access broadens (assuming it does), pricing scales, and results are measured consistently against more mature platforms.
ChatGPT and OpenAI continue to be a hot button in the advertising space. Just last week, for example, it was revealed that it’s testing an Ads Manager with a select group of partners and customers.
