Roles
| Channel | Job | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Google and Microsoft search | Capture typed demand | Pipeline per dollar |
| ChatGPT ads | Capture asked demand | In-profile companies, meetings |
| Reach the buying group by role | Engaged target accounts | |
| ABM display | Keep target accounts aware | Account engagement |
| Retargeting | Continue the journey | Return visits, meetings |
A starting split
| Channel | Share of paid media |
|---|---|
| Search (incl. AI Overviews) | 35–45% |
| 20–30% | |
| ChatGPT ads | 10–20% |
| ABM display and retargeting | 10–20% |
This is a planning starting point, not a benchmark. Your own data should change it within a quarter.
Rules for moving money
- Compare channels on cost per in-profile account and pipeline, not CPM or CTR.
- Move 10–20% at a time.
- Keep a small test budget for new channels and new questions.
How to adjust the split each quarter
- Rank channels by cost per in-profile account and pipeline.
- Move 10–20% from the weakest to the strongest.
- Keep a 5–10% test budget for new channels and questions.
- Recheck after one quarter.
Questions
Where does organic AI visibility fit?
Outside paid media, as a content and outreach line. It supports every paid channel by making you credible in answers.
Should events and sponsorships be in the mix?
Yes, judged the same way: accounts engaged and pipeline.
What if we only have budget for two channels?
Search and one of LinkedIn or ChatGPT ads, depending on whether you need named accounts or the decision moment.
How AI changes the mix over time
As more buyers start research in AI assistants, demand capture will shift partly from search to AI. That shift will be gradual and uneven by category. Teams that measure each channel on the same funnel steps will see it in their own data and move budget at the right pace, rather than following headlines.
Planning for uncertainty
Build the 2027 plan with three scenarios:
- AI grows slowly: keep AI ads at 10% and invest in visibility.
- AI grows steadily: move to 15–20% by mid-year if thresholds are met.
- AI grows fast: shift up to 25–30%, funded mainly from the weakest search and display spend.
Decide in advance which results trigger each scenario.
Start here: Display advertising vs AI ads. More articles in AI ads vs other channels.