The Playbook
How to prepare your brand for ads inside AI assistants: the eleven questions marketers ask, answered. Updated 21 Oct 2026.
Search ads respond to keywords and a list of links. AI assistants respond to intent and context, then reason toward a recommendation. The answer can't be bought; the slot next to it can.
- Keyword
- Results
- Click
You win the position; the user compares.
- Question
- Reasoning
- Recommendation
- Sponsored option
- Decision
You win by being clear, trusted and relevant.
Two of the four big assistants sell ads today.
Free and Go plans in 89 markets. Text, image and Sponsored Agent formats.
In AI Overviews and AI Mode via broad match, AI Max or PMax. Not in the Gemini app.
Sponsored follow-up questions phased out in February 2026, citing user trust.
Anthropic pledged in February 2026 that Claude stays ad-free on every plan.
Three questions decide whether an AI surfaces and recommends your brand, with or without an ad next to it.
- AAnswer fit: Can AI clearly understand what you offer?If your category, audience and value aren't quotable in a sentence, you won't be summarised, and you won't be recommended.
- DDecision trust: Do you have enough proof to be trusted?Reviews, comparisons, citations and credibility are what move you from "an option" to "the recommendation".
- SSite conversion: Does your page match the original intent?When the user clicks, the landing page must continue the same conversation, or the moment is lost.
Each of these makes ads cheaper to convert and organic answers likelier to mention you.
- 1Clear category positioningSay what you are in one quotable sentence.Why: AI summarises; ambiguity gets you left out.
- 2High-intent landing pagesA page per buyer intent, not one homepage.Why: AI-referred users arrive mid-decision.
- 3Comparison contentHonest vs and alternatives pages.Why: Comparison is the most common AI buying prompt.
- 4FAQ and objection pagesAnswer the real hesitations directly.Why: AI pulls direct answers to direct questions.
- 5Reviews and proofThird-party validation, not self-claims.Why: Decision trust drives the recommendation.
- 6Third-party citationsGet referenced on sites AI already trusts.Why: Citations shape who gets surfaced.
- 7Country-specific contentLocalise for each target market.Why: ChatGPT ads now run in 89 markets; generic pages lose.
- 8AI-referral trackingTag and segment assistant referrals.Why: You can't optimise what you can't see.
- 9Fast conversion pathMatch the page to the question, fast.Why: Friction breaks the conversation.
Take one real buying question:
Best HR software for a 100-person company in the UK
- 1Intent identifiedThe assistant reads size, region and category, not just a keyword.
- 2Options comparedIt weighs fit, proof and clarity across candidates in its own answer, which advertisers cannot buy.
- 3Sponsored placementA labelled ad may appear below or beside the answer, matched to the conversation.
- 4User clicksThey arrive mid-decision, carrying the same question. On ChatGPT a Sponsored Agent may continue the chat first.
- 5ConversionHappens only if the landing page answers the original question.
Match the prompt, the content, the ad message and the landing page to where the buyer is.
| Stage | Prompt | Content | Ad angle | Landing page | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | "What is X / how does Y work?" | Educational explainers, category overviews. | Introduce the category, not the brand. | Resource hub or glossary page. | Assisted reach, brand recall. |
| Consideration | "Best tools for [use case]" | Use-case pages, buyer guides. | Best for [specific segment]. | Use-case landing page. | Engaged sessions, scroll depth. |
| Comparison | "X vs Y / alternatives to Z" | Comparison tables, alternatives pages. | See how we compare. | Comparison or vs page. | Comparison page CTR. |
| Purchase intent | "Pricing / book demo / sign up" | Pricing clarity, ROI proof, demos. | Get a tailored quote or free audit. | Pricing or demo request page. | Lead conversion rate. |
| Retention | "How to get more from X" | Onboarding, advanced guides, support. | Get more value or upgrade. | Customer resource centre. | Expansion and retention rate. |
Something that reads like a useful next step, not a banner. Angles that fit a conversation:
| Industry | Example prompt | Landing page that converts |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS | “Best project management tool for remote teams” | Comparison plus use-case page. |
| Real estate | “Best places to invest in Dubai for rental yield” | Market insights plus lead capture. |
| Healthcare | “Best dental aligner clinic near me” | Trust, doctor proof, pricing, reviews. Note ChatGPT shows no ads in health conversations. |
| Education | “Best pilot training school after 12th” | Eligibility, fees, roadmap, counselling CTA. |
| Finance | “Best tax planning consultant for startups” | Credibility, case studies, pricing clarity. |
Almost certainly. Here is what each kind of team should prepare.
| Who | What to prepare | A prompt your buyers ask |
|---|---|---|
| Founders | A crisp one-line category claim AI can quote. | “Best tool for a bootstrapped startup to handle X?” |
| CMOs | Brand proof, comparison assets, message consistency. | “Which marketing platform do enterprises actually trust?” |
| Performance marketers | Intent-matched pages and clean AI-referral tracking. | “Best ad platform to lower CAC for ecommerce?” |
| SEO teams | Citable, structured content AI can pull and attribute. | “What are the top alternatives to [category leader]?” |
| SaaS companies | Use-case and comparison pages per segment. | “Best project management tool for remote teams?” |
| Local businesses | Location pages, reviews, clear service areas. | “Best emergency plumber near me with good reviews?” |
| Agencies | A repeatable AI-readiness offer for clients. | “Which agency can prepare my brand for AI search?” |
- 1Treating AI ads like Google search ads
- 2Sending traffic to generic homepages
- 3Not building comparison pages
- 4Not tracking AI-referred visits
- 5Leaving automated creative on without reviewing what it writes
- 6Making unsupported claims
- 7Ignoring trust signals
- 8Not localising for target countries
- 9Waiting until competitors already own the AI answer
Tick what is already true for your brand. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Yes. Since early 2026 OpenAI sells ads shown to ChatGPT Free and Go users, now in 89 markets, through a self-serve Ads Manager and partners. Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users see no ads, and ads are kept out of health, mental health and political conversations.
No. Perplexity phased out its sponsored follow-up questions in February 2026, and Anthropic has pledged to keep Claude ad-free. On both, visibility is organic: being the source they cite.
No. Classic search ads respond to keywords in a list of links. AI assistants respond to intent and context, then reason toward an answer that advertisers cannot buy. The ad sits next to that answer, so clarity, proof and intent-matched pages matter more than keyword bidding.
No, they build on the same foundations. Citable, well-structured, trustworthy content helps you rank, get cited in AI answers, and convert the clicks your ads buy.
Pages that continue the conversation the user started: matching their specific intent, answering their question directly, showing proof, and offering a fast, obvious next step. Generic homepages underperform.
No. This is an independent publication by FNA Technology LLP and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by OpenAI, Google, Perplexity or Anthropic.