What would you think if we told you that you could easily view your competitors’ active adverts on Facebook? You would probably start analysing the ads straight away or commission one. The free tool that offers this solution is called the Facebook Ads Library. In this article, we describe what the Facebook ad library offers and where you can find it.
What can Facebook's advertising library do?
The advertising library provides information about which adverts are placed on social media, on which platforms the adverts are displayed and when they have been active. However, the target groups of the adverts cannot be viewed in detail, nor are individual comments or conversations under an advert presented. The Facebook advertising library provides more transparency around adverts. It offers a comprehensive, searchable collection of all adverts that are currently delivered via Facebook apps and services (including Instagram). In the advertising library, you can search for adverts that are currently being displayed in Facebook apps and services. This allows you to find out more about the adverts you are being shown.
What can the advertising library be used for?
The advertising library can be used, for example, to check which of your direct competitors are currently running adverts. It is possible to find out which products, services, articles or videos are being advertised by the competition in various adverts. It is also possible to analyse how the ads are structured in terms of format, text and visuals. It is also possible to see how long the individual adverts have been active. This allows conclusions to be drawn about the performance of the individual ad and ad formats. These conclusions are based on the logical assumption that long-term active adverts must perform well to very well, as they would otherwise have been paused. The advertising library is also used to find ideas or optimise your own Facebook campaign.
How can I view my competitors' Facebook adverts?
To see which competitors are currently running adverts, simply click on the Facebook advertising library. The following applies to all adverts: You can only search for adverts that are currently running in Facebook apps and services.
The first step is to select the location (country) and the advert category (‘All adverts’ or ‘Election adverts or adverts on politically relevant topics’) under ‘Search adverts’ and finally the advertiser:
In the next step, the company’s current adverts are displayed in the lower area. The data already mentioned above can now be viewed here. It also shows where the adverts are placed and when they were published.
Who can access the Facebook advertising library?
No Facebook account is required to view and use the Facebook advertising library. This means that the advertising library can be used by anyone, with or without a Facebook account. However, to report adverts or view adult content, you must log in to a Facebook account.
How long does it take for an advert to appear in the advertising library?
Facebook requires a lead time of 24 hours before the first impression is displayed in the advertising library. Changes and updates to adverts also appear in the advertising library within 24 hours.
Which adverts can be searched for?
You can search for all currently running adverts within the Facebook apps and services, including Instagram. It does not matter whether the adverts have already been viewed or not. The adverts can be filtered by country, impressions, platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or Audience Network) and keywords. It also shows when the adverts have been running and in which Facebook products the adverts are displayed. It is also possible to view further ad details.
In addition, the advertising library provides an opportunity to view current financing reports on election advertising or advertising on politically or socially relevant topics. Information such as the site name, disclaimer, amounts spent and the number of advertisements within a year can be analysed there.
Conclusion
Facebook’s advertising library is an important tool for analysing competitors’ advertisements. It provides important and transparent information and can be advantageous for your own company. Only those who know and analyse their competitors can optimise and maximise the performance of their ads.
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