How to Find Competitors’ Facebook Ads & Use Them to Your Advantage

In the world of digital marketing, Facebook ads have become one of the most powerful tools for businesses to reach new customers and engage with their audience. If you want to stay ahead of the competition, understanding how your competitors are using Facebook ads can provide you with valuable insights. Knowing what types of ads they’re running, how often they’re running them, and what their messaging looks like can help you craft more effective ad campaigns and gain a competitive edge.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to find your competitors’ Facebook ads and leverage them to improve your own advertising strategy.

Why Should You Analyze Competitors’ Facebook Ads?

Before diving into how you can spy on your competitors’ ads, it’s important to understand why you should do this in the first place. Here are a few reasons why monitoring competitors’ Facebook ads can be so beneficial:

1. Identify Successful Campaigns
   By analyzing the ads your competitors are running, you can identify which campaigns are likely working well for them. You can take inspiration from their strategies and adapt them to your own business.

2. Understand Ad Creative and Copy
   Seeing the kind of images, videos, headlines, and copy your competitors are using helps you identify trends, messaging tactics, and emotional triggers that resonate with your target audience.

3. Monitor Frequency and Budget
   Knowing how often competitors are running ads can give you insight into their budget and how aggressive they are in promoting their products. This can help you adjust your budget or the frequency of your campaigns.

4. Spot Gaps in the Market
   By analyzing their ads, you might spot opportunities or gaps in their strategy that you can take advantage of. For instance, if they’re not covering certain aspects of a product or service that you offer, you can tailor your ads to target those areas.

5. Refine Your Target Audience
   Competitors’ ads can also provide insight into their targeting strategy. You can see if they’re targeting similar demographics, locations, interests, and behaviors, and adjust your own audience targeting to be more specific.

How to Find Competitors’ Facebook Ads

Now that you know the benefits, let’s dive into the steps to find your competitors’ Facebook ads.

1. Use Facebook Ad Library

The Facebook Ad Library is the most effective and direct tool for finding ads that are currently running on Facebook and Instagram. It is a free resource provided by Facebook that allows you to see active ads across the platform, whether or not you’re targeting the same audience.

Steps to Use Facebook Ad Library:

1. Go to the Facebook Ad Library.
2. Select the country where your competitors are located or where you want to view the ads.
3. In the search bar, type in your competitor’s Facebook page name.
4. You will be shown a list of all active ads currently running by that competitor, including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger ads.

This tool gives you insights into the following:

• Ad creatives: What visuals, videos, or images are being used.
• Ad copy: The text and messaging employed in the ads.
• Start dates: When the ad campaigns started.
• Targeting: Though Facebook doesn’t provide precise audience data, you can make educated guesses based on the content of the ads (e.g., product focus, tone, visuals).

2. Monitor Competitors’ Facebook Pages

Another way to find competitors’ ads is by following their Facebook Pages. Many businesses regularly update their followers with promotions, product launches, and seasonal offers via posts and ads.

By monitoring their posts and seeing which ones are performing best (indicated by likes, comments, shares), you can get a sense of what they are testing in terms of ad creative and messaging. Also, keep an eye on their “Page Transparency” section, which can reveal details about their ad history.

How to Check Competitors’ Page Transparency:

1. Go to your competitor’s Facebook page.
2. On the left sidebar, under their profile picture, you will see the option called “Page Transparency.”
3. Click on “See All” to see details of the ads they’re running and the changes to their page.

3. Use Social Listening Tools

Social listening tools like Buzz Sumo, Sprout Social, or Hootsuite allow you to monitor not only your competitors’ social media accounts but also the engagement with their ads. These tools help you track mentions, keywords, and trends that could provide valuable insights into their ad campaigns.

By identifying the types of content that generate the most engagement, you can refine your ad strategy to resonate better with your target audience.

4. Check Out Competitors’ Landing Pages

While this method doesn’t directly show you the ads themselves, checking out your competitors’ landing pages or websites can help you understand what’s being promoted. Often, ads lead to landing pages that provide a special offer or promotion. By analyzing these pages, you can uncover the key selling points and strategies your competitors are using to convert traffic into leads or sales.

How to Use Competitors’ Facebook Ads to Your Advantage

Once you’ve gathered all the information on your competitors’ Facebook ads, it’s time to put that knowledge to use. Here’s how you can turn that competitive intelligence into actionable marketing strategies:

1. Adapt Successful Ad Creatives and Copy

Identify what’s working well for your competitors. Is there a particular type of ad creative—such as a video, carousel, or image—that gets the most engagement? Do they use specific language or messaging that resonates with their audience? Adapt these ideas into your campaigns but make sure to inject your unique brand personality and value proposition.

2. Fill Gaps in Their Strategy

Look for opportunities where your competitors may be lacking. Are they not targeting a specific audience that would benefit from your products? Do they leave certain questions unanswered or fail to emphasize key features of their products? By addressing these gaps, you can differentiate your ads and provide more value to potential customers.

3. Test Different Ad Formats

Use insights from your competitors to test different ad formats. If you see your competitors having success with video ads, try creating a similar video that showcases your products or services in a more engaging way. If they’re using carousel ads to showcase multiple products, you can create a similar experience for your audience.

4. Refine Your Targeting

You can learn a lot about your competitors’ audience targeting by examining the kinds of ads they’re running. For example, if a competitor is using interest-based targeting, take note of the interests and behaviors they’re focusing on. Then, adjust your own targeting strategy to ensure you’re reaching the right people.

5. Improve Your Budget Allocation

Facebook ads are all about trial and error. By observing your competitors’ ad frequency and budget allocation, you can gauge the level of investment required for a successful campaign. Adjust your budget accordingly and test how various budget levels impact performance.

Conclusion

Finding and analyzing your competitors’ Facebook ads is a smart way to understand what’s working in your industry and how you can improve your own ad strategy. Tools like the Facebook Ad Library give you a transparent look at what’s running on the platform, while social listening tools and competitor page monitoring can offer further insights.

Once you’ve gathered information, the key is to adapt, not copy. Use the knowledge to fill gaps, experiment with ad creatives, improve targeting, and optimize your campaigns for better results.

By turning competitor analysis into a strategy that works for you, you can elevate your Facebook advertising game and drive more success for your business.