Short answer
Search ads are triggered by a typed keyword and compete on a results page. LLM ads, such as ChatGPT ads, are matched to the meaning of a whole conversation, appear below an AI answer and use context hints instead of keyword lists. For B2B, search still captures demand people already name; LLM ads reach buyers while they are deciding which vendors to consider.
Side by side
| Search ads | LLM ads (ChatGPT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | A keyword in one query | The context of a conversation |
| You provide | Keywords and match types | Context hints, ads and landing pages |
| Placement | Results page, above or below organic results | Below the AI answer, labelled as sponsored |
| Auction | Bid and quality | Relevance-weighted second-price auction |
| Reach | Everyone who searches | Logged-in adults on ChatGPT Free and Go plans |
| Reporting | Mature, keyword-level | Campaign, ad group and ad level; younger tooling |
Where each one wins
- Search wins when buyers already know what to type: your brand, a product category, a competitor name
- LLM ads win earlier, when buyers ask open questions: which tools fit our size, what integrates with our ERP, what it should cost
- LLM ads also reach buyers whose conversation never becomes a search
How we run both
We don't move budget out of search that already brings qualified pipeline. We usually start ChatGPT ads at $2,000–5,000 a month alongside existing search, built from the questions where AI answers name competitors, and compare both channels on the same measure: ideal-fit companies identified and opportunities opened.
Questions
Will LLM ads replace search ads?
Not soon. EMARKETER expects most AI-related ad spend through 2030 to sit next to AI content in search, with chatbot ads the smallest but fastest-growing part.
Can I reuse my Google ad copy?
Rarely as is. LLM ads work best when each ad answers one buyer question and links to a page for that question.
Facts checked against the sources below on 13 October 2026. Platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
