Welcome to this week’s PPC Pulse. This week’s news is a continuation of last week’s announcements about ChatGPT ads and the Google Ads Decoded podcast.
ChatGPT announced premium-priced ads with limited data. The first episode of the Ads Decoded podcast, hosted by Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads product liaison, featured Group Product Manager Eleanor Stribling to discuss Google Analytics.
Here’s what matters for advertisers and why.
ChatGPT Ads Reported To Start With $60 CPM Basis
While not directly reported from OpenAI, according to reporting from The Information, ChatGPT ads are slated to start around $60 per 1,000 impressions (CPM). This is roughly 3x higher than your typical Meta CPMs.
Despite the premium pricing from the start, advertisers won’t get the measurement tools they’re used to.
Reporting will be limited to high-level metrics like total impressions and clicks, with no visibility into conversion actions. OpenAI has indicated it may expand measurement capabilities later, but nothing is confirmed.
On the heels of last week’s announcement, ads will roll out in the coming weeks to users on ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers. They’ll appear at the bottom of responses, only when OpenAI determines there’s a relevant product or service tied to the conversation.
Additionally, it’s been reported that initial buy-in for brands is $1 million ad spend.
Why This Matters For Advertisers
While CPM advertising is nothing new to advertisers, the lack of reporting that comes with a new platform is concerning. Especially when marketing budgets continue to get squeezed, and you’re on the hook for justifying every dollar spent.
While intent signal could prove strong with ChatGPT ads, the lack of measurement means advertisers have no way to prove that value or optimize toward it.
The high CPMs paired with minimal data categorize ChatGPT ads as more of a brand awareness play instead of a performance channel, at least initially.
Brands should be prepared to treat it like early-stage display or OTT advertising. You’re paying for attention and reach, not being able to prove ROI.
Another interesting snippet to ponder about the whole ChatGPT ads test is how they’re framing ad visibility. OpenAI already said that ads won’t influence answers. If it actually sticks to that, the only way to get placement is through genuine relevance to what someone is already trying to accomplish.
That framework is very different from how search and social ads work, and it could mean this platform stays small and selective with its advertisers, rather than becoming broadly accessible.
What PPC Professionals Are Saying
The reactions to the staggering $60 CPM starting point seem to be mixed.
Some marketers like Andrew Lolk, founder of SavvyRevenue, and Collin Slatterly, founder of Taikun Digital, aren’t necessarily phased by that number.
“$60 CPMs for ads in ChatGPT are probably a good deal. These ads are intent based which more akin to Google search and shopping ads than Meta or TV. Someone is asking chatGPT ‘What’s the best supplement for sleep?’ which is exactly how ads on Google are.”
Lolk, in a similar sentiment, provided his initial thoughts on the cost:
“Unpopular opinion: I don’t care what CPM ChatGPT set their ads to. I care about the return on those ads. The CPM is irrelevant. Obviously, the lower CPM, the better it is for advertisers. But before we know what the return is on a $60 CPM, then I will not say it’s good or bad.”
The conversation in the comments of Lolk’s post sparked a good debate, including an opposing viewpoint from Melissa Mackey, head of paid search at Compound Growth Marketing. Mackey mentioned that because ChatGPT ads aren’t set up as a performance channel, she’s “not paying $60 CPM for something with limited data and no conversion tracking.”
On top of the discussion around cost, it appears some marketers like Harrison Jack Hepp, owner of Industrious Marketing LLC, are already being pitched from agencies that have already run ChatGPT ads, which can’t be correct since they haven’t launched yet.
First Ads Decoded Episode Focuses On Google Analytics
The first episode of Ads Decoded launched on Jan. 28, 2026, featuring Eleanor Stribling, Group Product Manager at Google Analytics. The conversation laid a few basic foundations on data strength, as well as a candid look into where GA4 is headed in the next few years.
If you’ve been frustrated with GA4 since it replaced Universal Analytics, this episode is worth your time.
Stribling didn’t dance around GA4’s rocky reputation. Instead, she acknowledged the transition challenges and spent the episode explaining where Google is taking the platform and why. The conversation covered two separate roadmaps: what’s changing in the next 12-24 months, and what Google is building toward over the next three-plus years.
Data strength came up repeatedly throughout the conversation, which makes sense given how central it is to everything Google is building. Stribling explained why it matters for AI performance and how it creates a competitive advantage for brands that get it right.
The episode also included practical guidance on setting up measurement correctly so the data you’re feeding into these systems is actually useful.
Why This Matters For Advertisers
The timing of this episode is smart. GA4 has been live for a while now, but a lot of advertisers still treat it like a downgrade from Universal Analytics. Marvin said as much during the episode that the platform felt built for developers, not marketers.
What makes this podcast episode useful isn’t just hearing Google’s vision for GA4. It’s hearing a product manager explain why certain decisions were made and what problems they’re actually trying to solve. That context helps when you’re trying to decide whether to invest time learning features that feel half-baked or waiting for something better.
The most actionable takeaway from the episode is to prioritize data strength. If your setup is messy now, the gap between what GA4 can do for you and what it could do for you is only going to widen.
What PPC Professionals Are Saying
The feedback from advertisers on LinkedIn has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s an early indicator of how much this type of communication has been asked for, and Google is providing it.
Susan Wenograd, Mixtape Digital’s senior director, paid media, commented, “Love that you’re doing this!”
John Sargent, Think VEN’s founder & managing director, showed his support, as well as asked a question about AI market share:
Congratulations Ginny! Keen to hear more in the future about AI advertising as well…Gemini going from 5% to >20% market share must be encouraging, but still early days with OpenAI sat at 60%+? How do you foresee this shifting over the next 12 months?
Alexandru Stambari, performance marketing specialist, acknowledged the good Google is doing with this information, while offering his critique on execution:
It’s good to see Google openly acknowledging that data strength is now a hard requirement for AI performance, not a “nice to have.” The focus on Analytics Advisor and transparency around Ads vs Analytics discrepancies is especially valuable for teams trying to scale automation responsibly.
That said, most of these ideas aren’t new for practitioners the real gap is still execution. Without clear implementation standards, CRM alignment, and ownership over data quality, even the best product updates risk staying at the storytelling level rather than driving measurable impact.
Theme Of The Week: Betting On What Advertisers Will Pay For
This week’s announcements are about two very different bets on what advertisers actually value.
ChatGPT is betting that access to high-intent conversations is worth $60 CPMs, even without the performance data advertisers have come to expect. They’re testing whether context and attention alone justify premium pricing when attribution and optimization are off the table.
Google is betting that transparency matters enough to build an entire podcast around it. Instead of launching another ad product or feature, they’re investing in helping advertisers understand what’s already there and what’s coming. It’s a bet that better communication and clearer explanations have value in themselves.
Both are asking advertisers to care about something that isn’t purely performance-driven. ChatGPT wants you to pay more for placement without proof. Google wants you to invest time learning about platform changes instead of just running campaigns.
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