# How to write context hints for ChatGPT ads

> Context hints tell ChatGPT when your ad may help. How to write them as one clear phrase about what, who and when, with weak and strong examples.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-10-31
- **Category**: ChatGPT ads
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-write-context-hints-for-chatgpt-ads

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Context hints are short phrases you add to an ad group to tell ChatGPT when your product may help someone. Write each one as a clear, natural phrase about what you offer, who it suits or when it is useful, not as a list of keywords ([OpenAI's guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001521-writing-context-hints-for-chatgpt-ads), checked 2026-10-31).

## What a hint does

A hint helps ChatGPT judge relevance. People do not need to type your words for your ad to fit their chat. A hint is not an exact-match keyword, and it does not guarantee your ad appears.

It also cannot limit where or when your ad runs. "Show this only to people in Chicago" is an instruction, and hints ignore instructions. Use the campaign's country and platform settings for that. This is the main difference from Google keywords. See [ChatGPT ads vs Google Ads](/compare/chatgpt-ads-vs-google-ads).

## The what, who and when test

OpenAI suggests asking what else ChatGPT should know about your product. Each hint covers one of these:

| Part | Ask | Example, after OpenAI's |
|---|---|---|
| What | Which feature, price or service area matters? | After-hours plumbing with an $89 urgent call-out fee |
| Who | Whose need does it meet? | Bookkeeping software for retailers selling online and in store |
| When | In which situation does it help? | Cushioned running shoes for beginners training for a first 5K |

A hint can repeat a detail from your landing page if it links that detail to a need. "Breathable running shoes for training in warm weather" explains why breathability matters.

## Weak and strong hints

We wrote these examples for made-up businesses.

| Weak | Why | Stronger |
|---|---|---|
| kurta, cotton kurta, summer kurta | A keyword list | Handloom cotton kurtas for people who sweat through office summers |
| Show to people in Pune | An instruction, not a description | Same-day AC repair across Pune, with a INR 499 visit fee |
| Best homestay in Goa | A boast with no detail | Pet-friendly Goa homestay with a fenced garden for dog owners |

## Steps

1. **List your best buyers' situations.** Think of the moments that lead to a sale, not the words people type.
2. **Make one ad group per need.** Split them when the message or landing page changes.
3. **Write one idea per hint.** Each hint does not need to cover what, who and when.
4. **Keep them true.** Update hints when a price, offer, stock or service area changes.
5. **Paste the full list when you bulk upload.** An uploaded list replaces the old one. It is not merged ([bulk upload checklist](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001218-bulk-upload-campaign-schema-checklist)).

## A worked example

Say you sell a INR 1,899 cast-iron tawa. One ad group, "Everyday Indian cooking", could carry three hints:

1. Pre-seasoned cast-iron tawa for crisp dosas without a non-stick coating
2. Heavy tawa for people moving away from coated pans
3. Cast-iron tawa that works on gas and induction stoves

Each hint adds a need or a situation the ad title cannot fit. Write the ads for the same group with [how to write ChatGPT ads](/guides/how-to-write-chatgpt-ads).

## FAQ

### Are context hints the same as keywords?

No. OpenAI says they inform relevance but are not exact-match keywords or targeting rules.

### Can a hint target a city?

No. Hints describe your business and cannot enforce places, times or exclusions. You can say a service covers a city, but delivery follows the campaign's settings.

### How many hints should an ad group have?

OpenAI's guide does not set a number. Write as many distinct, true phrases as the ad group's need supports.

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