Short answer
Search the competitor's name in the Meta Ad Library, the TikTok ad library, and the LinkedIn Ad Library, and their website in the Google Ads Transparency Center. Read the ads that have run longest first: few advertisers keep paying for an ad that loses money. Note each one's hook, offer, and button, then test one idea in your own ads.
Steps
- 1Search each libraryBy company name on Meta, TikTok, and LinkedIn, and by website on Google.
- 2Sort by how long each ad has runAn ad that has run for months is usually still working for them.
- 3Note the hook, offer, and buttonWrite down the first line or first second, what they promise, and what the button asks for.
- 4Count the versionsMany versions of one ad mean they are testing that idea.
- 5Test one idea in your own adsBorrow the idea, not the creative, and give it two weeks.
What you will learn
You will find a competitor's ads in the public ad libraries, read the ones most likely to be working, and turn what you see into one test for your own ads. The example is an online course seller looking at two rivals.
Where the libraries are
The major platforms publish libraries of the ads advertisers run. They are free and need no login.
| Library | Search by | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Ad Library | Page name or keyword | Ads on Facebook and Instagram, with the date each started |
| TikTok ad library | Advertiser or keyword | Ads shown in Europe, with first and last shown dates |
| LinkedIn Ad Library | Company or keyword | Ads on LinkedIn, with the advertiser and run dates |
| Google Ads Transparency Center | Advertiser name or website | Search, YouTube, and display ads |
Coverage differs by platform and by region. If a rival is missing from one library, they may not advertise there, or their ads may not be shown in the region that library covers.
Read the longest-running ads first
Sort or scan by start date. An ad that has run for months is usually still working for them, since few advertisers keep paying for an ad that loses money. New ads tell you what they are testing. Old ads tell you what survived.
Note the hook, offer, and button
For each long runner, write down:
- the hook: the first line of text, or the first second of a video
- the offer: what the ad promises, such as a free lesson, a discount, or a result
- the button: Learn more, Sign up, Shop now
- where the button goes: a sales page, a free signup, a lead form
For the course seller, both rivals had run a "free first lesson" ad for over four months, while their discount ads came and went within weeks.
Count the versions
Many versions of the same ad, with different headlines or images, mean the advertiser is testing that idea. When one version keeps running and the others stop, the survivor shows you which headline won.
Test one idea in your own ads
Borrow the idea, not the creative. If free-lesson ads outlast discount ads for two rivals, run your own free-lesson offer with your own material for two weeks and compare it with your current ad.
How to do it in RankMySEO
Ad research starts on Starter.
- Run Ads with a keyword on Facebook, TikTok, or LinkedIn to see who advertises for it.
- Run Ads by company on a rival's name, or on Google Ads with their website.
- Open one with Ad details on Facebook or TikTok for its text, creative, and button.
Each ad shows its dates, its creative, and the button it uses, with the longest-running first. Download any result as Excel or CSV. See competitor ads for each platform.
What this cannot tell you
The libraries publish few numbers for ordinary ads, so spend, clicks, and sales are not shown. Run time is the strongest signal you get.
