How to Spy on Competitor Ads and Use Their Strategies to Win

Running ads without knowing what your competitors are doing is like playing a game without knowing the rules. The good news is, you do not have to guess. You can analyze competitor ads, see what is working for them, and apply the best strategies to your own campaigns.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide on how to spy on competitor ads and use their strategies to improve your results.

Step 1: Identify Your Top Competitors

Before you can analyze competitor ads, you need to know who your biggest competitors are.

How to Find Them:

  • Search for your product or service on Google and see which businesses are running ads

  • Check social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for brands with strong ad presence

  • Look at industry leaders and successful businesses in your niche

Example: If you run an online fashion store, your competitors might be bigger brands in the fashion industry or other e-commerce stores selling similar products.

Step 2: Use the Meta Ad Library to See Their Facebook and Instagram Ads

Facebook and Instagram make it easy to see any brand’s active ads.

How to Do It:

  1. Go to Facebook Ad Library and select your country

  2. Type in your competitor’s name or industry keywords

  3. Browse through their active ads to see what type of creatives, copy, and offers they are using

What to Look For:

  • Are they using videos or images in their ads

  • What kind of headlines and ad copy do they use

  • Are they offering discounts, free trials, or limited-time deals

  • Which call to actions are they using, such as Shop Now, Learn More, or Sign Up

Step 3: Analyze Their Google Ads with the Google Ads Transparency Center

If your competitors are running Google Search or Display Ads, you can check them using Google’s Ads Transparency Center.

How to Do It:

  1. Visit Google Ads Transparency Center

  2. Search for your competitor’s website

  3. View their active ads, including keywords they are targeting and ad placements

What to Look For:

  • What keywords are they bidding on

  • What kind of ad headlines and descriptions they use

  • Which landing pages they are directing traffic to

Example: If your competitor is bidding on affordable digital marketing services, you might want to target similar keywords or create better ad copy that stands out.

Step 4: Track Their TikTok and YouTube Ads

For businesses using video ads, platforms like TikTok and YouTube are great places to analyze competitors.

How to Spy on Their Ads:

  • TikTok Creative Center – Search for trending ads in your industry

  • YouTube Ads Library – Use tools like Vidooly or simply search YouTube for competitor ads

  • Watch their organic content to see what messaging and styles they use

What to Look For:

  • Do they use short-form or long-form videos

  • What kind of hooks grab attention in the first few seconds

  • Are they using UGC (User-Generated Content), testimonials, or storytelling

Example: If a competitor’s TikTok ads are using fast-paced, casual videos with customer testimonials, you might consider testing a similar style.

Step 5: Reverse Engineer Their Sales Funnel

Seeing an ad is not enough. You need to understand the entire customer journey.

How to Do It:

  1. Click on their ad and see where it takes you

  2. Analyze their landing page – what is their offer, pricing, and call to action

  3. Sign up for their emails to see their follow-up strategy

What to Look For:

  • Do they use lead magnets like free ebooks or webinars

  • Are they offering discount codes for first-time buyers

  • Do they have an upsell or cross-sell strategy after you take action

Example: If a competitor offers a limited-time discount after you sign up, you might consider testing a similar incentive in your own ads.

Step 6: Apply What Works and Make It Better

The goal of competitor research is not to copy but to learn and improve upon what they are doing.

How to Use the Insights:

  • If you see a strong offer, think about how to make yours more compelling

  • If they use video ads, test video content to see if it improves conversions

  • If their landing pages are simple and clear, check if yours needs improvement

Final Thoughts

Spying on competitor ads is one of the fastest ways to improve your own advertising strategy. By analyzing their ad creatives, targeting, funnels, and offers, you can discover what works and apply it to your own business.

Want expert help in setting up high-converting ad campaigns based on real data and competitor insights Contact us today and let’s launch your winning ads.

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