Tag: Competitive Analysis

Unlock Competitor Insights with Adthena’s ChatGPT Ad Analysis

I recently dove deep into the fascinating world of ChatGPT Ads with insights from Adthena. It turns out, the advertising space on ChatGPT is a treasure trove of competitive information that many search teams are missing out on.

Your competitors are running stealth campaigns via ChatGPT, and the frustrating part is that it’s not immediately visible what they’re bidding on or what creative strategies they’re adopting. Unlike Google Ads, there’s no native way—yet—to get a behind-the-scenes look at this in ChatGPT.

When OpenAI launched advertising within AI-generated responses, brands jumped on board quickly. With the Ads Manager and lowered spending thresholds, this new ad channel grew rapidly. And with plans to expand to U.K. markets soon, there’s a quickly closing window for early adopters to gain a significant advantage.

From the start, we’ve been closely monitoring these developments, and what we’ve found is eye-opening.

What Does the Current ChatGPT Ads Landscape Look Like?

Our analysis spans nearly a million queries across 20 industries in five markets, telling a clear story of the current landscape.

It’s Primarily a U.S. Channel—Other Markets are Catching Up

In the U.S., ads are run on about 4.5% of queries. In contrast, during the same period, the U.K. had none. The U.S. dominates, accounting for 90% of ChatGPT ad placements in our dataset, with Canada and New Zealand also active and Australia at 1.6%.

For U.K. teams, it means while the channel isn’t live yet, U.S. competitors are already fine-tuning prompts and creative strategies, placing them at a strategic advantage when the U.K. market opens.

The Majority of Responses Contain Just One Ad

On average, ChatGPT presents only 1.06 ad items per response in the U.S., implying a single sponsored slot per query. This level of exclusivity changes the game completely compared to multi-slot Google Ads.

Industry Restrictions Still Apply

Certain sectors, like Legal and Pharma, show no ad activity due to what seems to be OpenAI’s deliberate restrictions, although this could change, providing proactive teams an edge.

Unexpected Hot Categories

Logistics, Home & Garden, and Beauty & Cosmetics are leading in ad frequency, indicating high potential for growth in these sectors.

Retail Leads in Ad Spend

Retail & Fashion accounts for a vast share of U.S. ad items, indicating robust advertiser demand, far surpassing the national average. This suggests the significant investments made by retail brands in this space.

Current Challenges in Competitive Intelligence

Without tools like Auction Insights, understanding your competitive landscape on ChatGPT is practically impossible. You’re spending budget where you can barely track competitor activity. It’s a gap that Adthena aims to close.

Achieving Full Market Visibility with Adthena

Adthena’s ChatGPT Ads Intelligence offers broader insights by monitoring a plethora of prompts daily, providing a competitive overview previously unavailable.

You can now see who bids on your prompts, track share of voice, and spot open prompts ripe for targeting before competitors do.

In a new and rapidly evolving channel, being an early mover is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. Try ChatGPT Ads Intelligence free for 21 days and unlock the full potential of your advertising strategy.

Beyond Just ChatGPT: Expanding Your Search Horizons

As users move towards AI-driven searches for high-intent queries, such as product recommendations, it’s essential for search practitioners to adapt. Simply put, the game is changing.

If you’re attentive to ChatGPT Ads now, you’ll be hard to budge later. Our data shows a window of opportunity open now, similar to the early days of Google Ads. Capitalize on this before it closes.

Start your free 21-day trial of Adthena’s ChatGPT Ads Intelligence today to discover what’s unfolding in the ChatGPT ad space.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 8, 2026
Unlock Competitive Insights with Adthena’s New ChatGPT Ads Tool

Adthena has unveiled an exciting new platform that offers advertisers a clearer view of the ChatGPT ad landscape. This development gives me unprecedented insight into my competitors and ad performance within the ChatGPT ecosystem.

As a digital marketer, I find Adthena’s ChatGPT Intelligence Platform fascinating because it’s the first tool of its kind offering whole-market visibility into ChatGPT Ads, similar to the comprehensive insights I already get from Google Ads.

Tracking over 300,000 daily prompts, Adthena allows me to see which brands are advertising, the locations of these ads, and the messaging strategies employed. It’s a powerful way to stay ahead in a competitive field.

The current native tools in ChatGPT provide a limited, self-centric view of my ad performance. Now, Adthena bridges that gap, enabling me to understand my competitors’ positions, share of voice, and specific prompt activity in an often unclear channel.

What I find particularly useful is how Adthena offers a comprehensive view of ad appearances across ChatGPT conversations, complete with competitive intelligence on advertising bids and creative types used.

The platform also provides real-time recommendations to optimize my campaigns—it’s about taking action based on insights rather than just watching things happen.

Furthermore, I can evaluate ad copy effectiveness, monitor my brand’s presence, and track share of voice—all from one dashboard that integrates both ChatGPT and Google Ads data, helping me make informed budget decisions as search behaviors evolve.

The introduction of this tool follows Adthena’s earlier AdBridge tool, which helps in the seamless transition of Google Ads campaigns into ChatGPT’s Ads Manager, indicating a burgeoning AI-driven search advertising ecosystem.

Ashley Fletcher, CMO, emphasizes that early adopters like me have the potential to influence the competitive terrain, with the platform clearly indicating the best strategies to employ.

Looking ahead, I anticipate more third-party tools emerging as advertisers like myself desire greater transparency in AI-driven ad environments. The pace at which brands recognize ChatGPT Ads as a vital performance channel will likely drive this adoption, possibly urging platforms like ChatGPT to enhance their native reporting capabilities.

The bottom line is that Adthena is positioning itself as the go-to visibility layer for ChatGPT Ads, offering me a clearer understanding of this rapidly growing but still enigmatic channel.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 11, 2026
Unlocking Insights from ChatGPT Ads: What You Need to Know
I’ve been closely following the fascinating world of ChatGPT ads, and I’m thrilled to share what I’ve learned. Adthena is tracking over 50,000 daily ad placements from more than 600 advertisers. Let’s dive into what this means for our campaigns.

The ChatGPT ad trial is currently live in the U.S., and it’s moving along faster than I expected. Launched on February 9 for users on Free and Go tiers, it now boasts participation from over 600 advertisers.

With a massive user base of 800 million active weekly users, it’s only a matter of time before ChatGPT ads see a global rollout.

I’ve heard from OpenAI that the next wave will expand to Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. From our trialists’ feedback, it looks like the UK might see ads by mid-May.

Tracking these ad placements since their rollout has given me a front-row seat to their evolution. With an index capturing 50,000+ daily placements across sectors like B2B software, ecommerce, fintech, and consumer verticals, here’s what I’ve discovered.

Here’s what ChatGPT ads look like: They appear inline within conversation responses. Imagine asking about the “best weekend getaway” or “top running shoes under $100,” and a sponsored result labeled “Sponsored” pops up alongside the AI’s answer.

Unlike a search bar, ChatGPT is a conversation. Users come already engaged and researching, often on the brink of a decision. The format is more concise than traditional search — just a headline, brief body, and a destination, with no sitelinks or extensions.

Here’s a surprising discovery: what I term the “Double Parked” phenomenon, where a single brand like New Balance appears twice in one ChatGPT response. This unique visibility aspect opens discussions on frequency and owning conversations on the platform.

This is a unique moment with new formats and a largely untapped landscape, presenting data that most competitors don’t yet have. Here’s what I’ve found from over 50,000 daily placements:
1. Headlines often follow a “Brand: Benefit” formula. Think “Betterment: 5.25% APY Cash Account.” This is a common thread among top performers.
2. Most ads begin with the brand name. This reflects the deeper intent of users already engaged in a conversation.
3. Headlines average just 30 characters, peaking at 36. This forces brief, impactful messaging.
4. Body copy uses around 19 words. Usually two precise sentences: one proof point, one call to action.
5. Context mirroring is key. Top ads reflect the user’s query directly, enhancing relevance.
6. The $ symbol boosts conversions. Specific financial figures and rates outperform vague promises.
Brands thriving in this space don’t just reuse their Google ad copy. They tailor ads for an engaged, decision-oriented audience. Leading with the brand, anchoring offers in specifics, and minimizing friction are essential.

The biggest consideration? Visibility. If competitors are in these conversations and you’re not, you miss more than clicks — you miss part of the dialogue itself.

Adthena’s ChatGPT Ads Intelligence offers a solution. It goes beyond impressions and clicks, giving insight into your ad presence, competitors, and performance. Here’s what to expect:

The Ads Performance tab provides live snapshots of your activity, while Topics and Keywords Analysis offers tactical recommendations for improving your ad presence.

Understand competitor strategies through Competitor Creative Analysis, and never miss shifts in the competitive landscape using the Ads Benchmarking tab. This is how you find gaps before your competitors do.

As OpenAI expands, scaling up your ChatGPT presence can provide a head start in a rapidly changing competitive field. Don’t let competitors win the first prompt. Join Adthena’s waitlist or use their free ChatGPT AdBridge to optimize your campaigns and seize the opportunity now.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
May 1, 2026
Optimize Your Google Business Profile: 5 Steps to Boost Local SEO

When I look at our Google Business Profile, I know it’s a vital source of inbound leads, despite ads and AI overviews pushing it down search results.

Let me guide you through a five-step audit process that reveals where competitors might have the edge and how we can close that gap.

1. Evaluate Google review velocity and recency

I’ve discovered that the freshest reviews often matter more than sheer numbers. Google’s algorithm favors recent activity over just totals.

How can we gauge our review performance? By analyzing competitors’ recent review activities.

Here’s what I do: run geo-grid ranking scans using tools like Places Scout or Whitespark to analyze competitors’ review patterns.

We shouldn’t just aim for more reviews but strive for consistency akin to top listings.

Automating this with Places Scout API data helps me keep track and maintain competitiveness.

2. Add keywords to your business name

Keywords in a business name are powerful for local visibility. I’ve found it significantly boosts ranking, sometimes solely based on the name.

For instance, consider filing a DBA to include relevant keywords legally in your business name.

3. Optimize categories (primary vs. secondary)

The primary category can heavily influence ranking. That’s why I analyze top-ranking competitors to identify their category strategies.

Maximizing secondary categories and meticulously checking relevant services listed can set our profile apart.

4. Improve your GBP landing page

I recommend linking to a dedicated, keyword-focused landing page rather than just the homepage for each location.

This alignment with your GBP details can enhance local trust signals and boost your presence in searches.

Sometimes, a page swap can address issues related to Google’s diversity update, revitalizing organic rankings.

5. Understand proximity and city borders

While you can’t move physical locations, knowing your “ranking radius” helps us strategize keyword targeting effectively.

Local Falcon’s Share of Local Voice helps to identify the maximum potential and inform decision-making on new locations or keywords.

Prioritize where you can win now

These steps are only the beginning. By staying proactive in our GBP strategy, we’re securing a steady stream of leads from the map pack.

Building on this foundation and planning future locations ensures we’re consistently at the forefront of local search visibility.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

March 31, 2026
Turning Mistakes into Opportunities: My Journey with Heidi Sturrock

Heidi Sturrock, a seasoned paid search consultant, shared her insights with me in a recent episode of PPC Live The Podcast. With over two decades of industry experience, Heidi discussed a memorable campaign blunder that surprisingly turned into a strategic win, as well as her experiences with AI Max across numerous accounts.

Heidi’s career story includes a significant misstep she made while running a competitor campaign using broad match without negative keywords. Launched on a Friday, this led to a weekend surge of calls from irate customers of a competitor, a situation both alarming and chaotic for the client’s call center.

Unexpectedly, her client saw potential in this turmoil. Instead of dwelling on the mistake, they chose to transform these calls into sales opportunities by offering a discounted first month to switchers. By dividing the campaign for better focus, they turned a problem into a pathway for growth.

From this experience, I learned two valuable lessons: never initiate major campaigns on a Friday and ensure all stakeholders are involved in client meetings. Having both the business owner and the sales leader aware of the situation allowed for quick, effective problem-solving.

When facing a mistake, I’ve realized the importance of halting the issue swiftly, taking responsibility, and presenting a clear plan for resolution. Clients value honesty, and this approach can reinforce trust even in difficult times.

Common failures in account management often involve misaligned attribution windows and undue focus on secondary KPIs. It’s crucial to align metrics with the primary goals, ensuring that higher CPCs are understood within the broader context of achieving ROAS targets.

Regarding AI tools, Heidi’s exploration of AI Max across various accounts delivered mixed results. Success often hinged on the availability of comprehensive historical data and well-defined goals. Her advice is to experiment gradually and prepare upcoming guidelines on her blog.

For those in the industry, embracing technological changes, especially in AI, is essential. Mastering these tools can propel us ahead as marketers.

Stay connected with Heidi on LinkedIn or visit HeidiSturrock.com for her expert guides, including tips on crafting effective ad copy. Also, catch her live at SMX Advanced in Boston this June, where she’ll participate in an engaging expert panel discussion.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

March 28, 2026
Unlock Content Creation with Profound: Harness Prompt Volumes

I’ve found an incredible new way to streamline content creation, competitive analysis, reporting, and monitoring with the latest Profound Agents feature. We can now effortlessly integrate prompt volume data directly into any Profound Agent, bringing together all our workflows into a single platform. This innovation is perfect for marketers looking to enhance efficiency.

Inspired by this post on Try Profound Blog.

March 17, 2026