Facebook Ads Library and other ways to spy on your competitors
Social networks nowadays have huge potential. Within a social media strategy, advertisers understand that they can make huge profits through digital ads. With adequate audience segmentation, ads on social networks play an important role.
Thus, Facebook Ads Library becomes a key tool to get to know your competitors and improve your strategy.
Investing in social ads with an adequate online marketing strategy is a significant stake for any company. Social networks are introduced as an opportunity for brands aiming to promote their products and services.
Users have a strong presence on these platforms. In fact, 86% of Spanish Internet users frequently browse social networks.
In addition, 83% of them use it to follow brands; even 53% of online shoppers access them to obtain more information, as the 2017 Annual Report on Social Networks from IAB.
Advantages of using Facebook Ads for your company
Facebook Ads have become one of the tools used by companies to advertise. Adding Facebook Ads Library into your digital marketing strategy will provide a better understanding of your competitors, thus improving your online advertising.
A campaign on Facebook Ads provides high accuracy and yields the maximum profit. Mainly because brands can identify your potential audience easily and efficiently.
Among the key advantages that Facebook Ads offers is the segmentation capacity that it has. In addition, Facebook has 2.320 million active users monthly, with a growth of 9% over the previous year. This way, more and more users visit the social network that grows exponentially.
The advantages you can get with a Facebook Ads campaign are the following:
- A large number of active users.
- High capacity segmentation: The platform has extensive data about users to target ads by age, gender, preferences, behaviors, jobs, etc.
- Relatively inexpensive tool: Facebook Ads have an efficient cost-ROI ratio. You only pay for the clicks obtained.
- Images and videos: your campaign will include the content that draws the most attention from the user.
- Performance Measurement: Facebook has detailed reports to optimize your campaigns. Thus, you can take action and correct decisions at all times; through statistics and analysis.
Facebook Ads Library is a new way to spy on your competition
Currently, the great importance of social networks and tools like Facebook Ads for businesses is obvious. In addition, social networks are taking a big commitment to transparency in advertising. Therefore, one of the latest updates from Facebook is its Ads Library.
Facebook Ads Library is a platform that promotes transparency for this social network. It allows you to view ads from apps and platform services. This way, people have more information about the ads they see.
1.- Howe to view active ads from a specific brand
Until now, you could see the active ads that had a particular brand on Facebook through “more information” on their profile. However, Facebook has removed this feature. Nonetheless, there are two ways for you to obtain such information:
- On the profile you want to spy on, click on the “see more” button in the “page transparency” section. A window will appear with the information and active campaigns.
- Access Facebook Ads Library to see active ads on all apps and social networks from Facebook. With this tool, you can know the initial date of the campaign, see their copy, design, and filter by country. Information related to politics or national news includes information such as budget or the entities that finance them.
2.- Analyze active ads from other brands
Facebook Ads Library allows you to search by name, topic or organization to find active ads from other brands. With this tool not only will you be able to see the active campaigns that your competitors have, but also the content and text included.
Also, you can click on “see more details of the ad” for additional information. In Ads Library, you can get information such as date of creation, name changes and the countries of its managers.
Besides, you have the option to denounce active ads. Those that do not include any disclaimer labeled “Paid by” and that you consider they need to have it since they are political matters or topics of relevance. Also, those ads that infringe other Advertising Policies From Facebook.
3.- Ads about political matters and national relevance
In the Facebook Ads Library, the ads about political issues and national relevance are differentiated. You can do this type of search by the name of the page or keyword; and then filter by country, page name or state (active or inactive).
To extend the information, you can click on “view ad details”. With this option, Facebook Ads Library offers more data to show even more transparency. On topics about politics and national relevance, which may involve society as a whole, transparency becomes even more relevant.
Among the information provided by Facebook Ads Library, you will find the following:
- Different versions of the ad and information on the disclaimer.
- Information of the advertiser.
- Information about the page.
- Active or inactive Ad: Date of creation and if it is currently active.
- Engagements: Times the ad has been seen. This data may include several visualizations of the same people.
- Spent money: Amount invested in an ad.
- Age, sex, and place: Demographics of people who have seen the ad.
Facebook Ads Library serves not only to spy on businesses, but also to institutions or political and national relevance ads.
Other ways to spy on competitors’ ads
In addition to Facebook Ads Library, you can use other ways to spy on your competitors’ ads. Remember to seek inspiration in the actions and strategies developed by others, but create your own. If you take decisions tailored to your business philosophy and carry out its own online strategy you will be more successful.
A.- Follow your competitors in social media
One of the most effective to spy on your competitors is posing as a potential customer. To do this, it is convenient to visit all their pages and you will find out if they are showing ads to their visitors. This means they are retargeting. Also, buy their products or services to see if they show ads in the buying process or afterward.
It is necessary to become a follower of your competitors. This way, you will see ads that have circulated and the other brands Facebook tags you in your interests. If you follow your competitors and engage them with clicks (i.e. likes), you will have more chances to see their ads.
You can also sign up for their newsletter to see how they try to turn you from a lead to a client. This way, turning yourself in the buyer persona of your competitor, will provide you information about their actions and strategies. Brands will try to engage you with their advertising and you will find out how they do it.
B.- Relevant information is hidden in the ad
Ads contain more information than what you see at first glance. In the case of Facebook, the social network lets you know the reason why they are showing you an ad. Users may question the reason for the appearance of an ad on their Facebook profile.
The answer is available by clicking on the three dots shown at the top right of the post. In the tab “why do I see this?”, Facebook explains the reason. For example, it may be that the advertising brand has included you in their target audience because your interests are related to what is being promoted.
Your demographics can also play an important role. If you follow your competitors and you see their ads, you could learn some segmentation data in their strategy.
In the end, there are several ways to spy on your competitors, as with Facebook Ads Library in a very simple and useful way. Looking at what other brands do is fine, but do not forget to create your own online strategy.
If you want your brand to have a presence in social networks through targeted ads with a high conversion rate, contact Antevenio. We specialize in Social Ads campaigns, which will convert your customers and increase your sales.
