How to Analyse Competitor Ad Copy
Examining competitor ad copy can help you improve your PPC campaigns by identifying what works, what doesn’t, and where you can excel. Key steps include:
- Identify competitors: Use keyword searches or tools like Google Ads Auction Insights and Facebook Ad Library to spot businesses targeting the same audience.
- Gather data: Collect competitor ad headlines, descriptions, CTAs, and landing pages via tools (e.g., SEMRush, SpyFu) or manual searches.
- Organise findings: Use spreadsheets to track key details like messaging, offers, and ad formats. Regularly update your data.
- Analyse components: Focus on headlines, CTAs, and value propositions. Look for trends in tone, urgency, and benefits.
- Test and refine: Use A/B testing to improve your messaging, offers, and user experience.
Competitor analysis isn’t about copying – it’s about learning what works and using those insights to build stronger, more effective campaigns.
🥷 3 FREE Tools To Spy On Your Competitors’ Ad Copies
Finding Your Competitors
Start by identifying your direct competitors – those businesses offering similar products or services, targeting the same keywords, and vying for top ad placements. These are the companies actively competing for your audience in the same geographic area.
One effective way to spot them is by conducting manual keyword searches. Simply type your target keywords into Google and take note of the businesses appearing in the paid ad sections. This method provides a snapshot of who’s currently competing for your audience’s attention.
"We identify our client’s competitors by starting with keyword research. We run those keywords to see the top results, then we note the companies that are running ads based on our keyword list. The companies that repeatedly show up for our top keywords become the ‘shortlist’ of competitors we are trying to beat." – Brian Ferritto, Digital Marketing Specialist, 42connect
When narrowing down your competitors, consider factors like the products or services they offer, the areas they serve, and their target customers. For instance, a Manchester-based plumber should focus on other plumbing services operating locally to avoid wasting resources on irrelevant competitors.
Tools for Finding Competitors
Several tools – both free and paid – can help you identify competitors more efficiently. For example:
- Google Ads Auction Insights: A free tool that provides data directly from Google Ads, showing metrics like impression share and overlap rate. This helps you track which advertisers are competing in the same auctions.
- Facebook Ad Library: Another free resource, this tool lets you peek into competitors’ ad campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, giving you insight into their creative strategies.
For a deeper dive, paid tools can automate data collection and save time:
- SEMRush: Starting at £108.33 per month (billed annually), it offers detailed insights into SEO, PPC, and competitor strategies.
- SpyFu: Plans start at £33/month (annual billing) and focus on Google Ads competitor research.
- Ahrefs: With plans from £83/month (annual billing), this tool combines SEO and PPC analysis.
- Adthena: A premium option starting at £1,000+ per month, designed for enterprise-level competitor intelligence.
Here’s a quick comparison of these tools:
| Tool | Monthly Cost | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads Auction Insights | Free | Monitoring direct competitors daily |
| Facebook Ad Library | Free | Analysing social media ad creatives |
| SpyFu | £33/month | Google Ads competitor research |
| SEMRush | £108.33/month | Comprehensive PPC and SEO insights |
| Ahrefs | £83/month | Combined SEO and PPC analysis |
Once you’ve gathered this data, the next step is to organise and prioritise your competitors.
Grouping Relevant Competitors
Not all competitors are equal threats to your business, so grouping them based on relevance ensures you focus your efforts where it matters most. Start by categorising them into two main groups:
- Direct competitors: These are businesses offering the same or very similar products to the same target market.
- Indirect competitors: These companies solve the same customer problem but with different products or services.
You can further refine your analysis by grouping competitors based on shared characteristics like pricing strategy, customer focus, or geographic reach. For instance, a luxury watch brand might separate competitors into budget-friendly brands and premium Swiss manufacturers, as each group will have distinct strategies and messaging.
Budget and market positioning are particularly useful for segmentation. Premium brands often use different tones and marketing approaches compared to those targeting value-conscious customers. Similarly, grouping competitors by their geographic focus – local versus national – ensures fair comparisons and a more tailored analysis.
Gathering Competitor Ad Copy
Once you’ve identified your competitors, the next step is to dig into their ad copy. This process helps you spot trends, refine your strategies, and uncover opportunities for improvement. The key is to gather data methodically, knowing where to look and how to organise it for meaningful analysis.
Where to Find Competitor Ad Data
To get started, explore platforms that provide access to competitor ads:
- Google Ads Transparency Centre, Meta Ad Library, and TikTok Ads Library: These are great for viewing active campaigns, ad copy variations, and creative styles.
- Paid tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, Ahrefs, Similarweb, and Adbeat: These platforms offer deep insights into keywords, ad spend, performance, and creative elements.
- Competitor websites: Visiting their sites can trigger retargeting ads, which you can capture for analysis.
- Manual keyword searches: Search for target keywords and take screenshots of any ads that appear. This helps document positioning, messaging, and offers.
The goal is to collect this information in a way that allows for easy comparison and analysis.
Recording and Storing Your Findings
Once you’ve gathered the data, the next step is to organise it. A structured approach ensures nothing gets overlooked. Here’s how to do it:
- Create a spreadsheet: Use separate tabs for each platform (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook, TikTok) and include columns for key details like:
- Competitor name
- Ad headline
- Description text
- Call-to-action
- Landing page URL
- Date observed
- Platform
- Set a regular schedule: Instead of collecting data sporadically, establish a routine – weekly or fortnightly reviews work well. This helps you track changes, seasonal trends, and new creative ideas. Calendar reminders can help you stay consistent.
- Verify your data: Cross-check information from multiple sources. For example, if SEMrush shows a competitor running a specific ad, confirm it by checking the Google Ads Transparency Centre or conducting manual searches. This reduces errors and ensures reliable insights.
- Track recurring themes: Add a section in your spreadsheet to note patterns in messaging, promotional tactics, or seasonal campaigns. These qualitative insights can be as valuable as the raw data.
- Capture visuals: Use screenshot tools or browser extensions to save ad visuals, including imagery, colours, and layouts. These elements often play a big role in an ad’s impact and can inspire your own creative direction.
Lastly, make sure to refresh your data regularly – especially before launching new campaigns. Keeping your findings up-to-date ensures your analysis remains relevant and actionable.
sbb-itb-dcae4ad
Examining Key Parts of Competitor Ads
Breaking down competitor ads can provide valuable insights into their strategies and help refine your own campaigns. By analysing individual components, you can uncover actionable ideas to enhance your approach and outpace competitors.
Headlines, Descriptions, and Calls to Action
Headlines are the hook that grabs attention. Studying how competitors craft theirs can reveal patterns in tone and messaging. Do they use urgency, ask questions, or make bold claims? Pay attention to the emotions they target and the specific value they offer. For instance, Stripe’s headline, "Built for developers", highlights simplicity and positions the platform as the go-to solution for global payment processing.
Descriptions build on headline promises. Look at how competitors elaborate – do they focus on features, benefits, or customer success stories? Are they addressing pain points or showcasing unique advantages? LinkedIn ads, for example, speak directly to recruiters’ challenges, emphasising faster hiring and cost savings.
Calls to action (CTAs) show the desired next step. DoorDash uses direct CTAs like "Order now" and "Become a restaurant partner", catering to different audiences while driving clear actions. Observe patterns in their choice of words – do they convey urgency, specificity, or a clear benefit?
"Analyzing your competitors can help you better position your products and services within a specific niche, or compete head-to-head with messaging that plays to your strengths." – Bob Carver, Principal Consultant
When testing your own ads, focus on one element at a time – whether it’s the headline, description, or CTA. Research shows that improving Ad Strength for responsive search ads from "Poor" to "Excellent" can boost conversions by 12% on average. This methodical approach helps you pinpoint what drives performance.
Next, explore how special offers and value propositions shape competitor strategies.
Special Offers and Value Propositions
Competitors often rely on special offers to create urgency and stand out. Document any discounts, free trials, or limited-time deals you come across. Are they promoting "50% off" or "Buy one, get one free"? Do they offer perks like free shipping, money-back guarantees, or extended warranties? The specifics matter.
Beyond promotions, examine their core value propositions. Are they competing on price, convenience, quality, or something else? Look for recurring themes in their ads – these often highlight their primary strengths. For example, some brands focus on savings ("Save £100"), while others emphasise results ("Get twice the performance"). Their language choices reveal what they believe motivates their audience.
Timing is another critical factor. Are competitors more aggressive with promotions around holidays, events, or specific seasons? Understanding these patterns can help you plan your own campaigns and anticipate market trends.
Ad Extensions and User Journey
Ad extensions provide extra space to highlight key information. Study how competitors use sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets to enhance their ads. These elements often reveal their priorities. For instance, sitelinks might point to key product categories, customer support pages, or promotional landing pages. Callout extensions often highlight selling points like "Free delivery", "24/7 support", or "Award-winning service."
Equally important is the alignment between ad copy and landing pages. Does the page deliver on the promises made in the ad? Are offers clearly presented, and is the conversion process straightforward? If there’s a disconnect – like an ad promising "instant quotes" but leading to a lengthy form – you might find an opportunity to improve your own user experience.
Track the user journey from ad click to conversion. Note factors like page load speeds, mobile optimisation, form lengths, and checkout processes. This broader analysis helps you understand not just what competitors are saying, but how effectively they’re turning interest into action.
Using Insights to Improve Your Campaigns
When analysing competitor ad copy, the goal isn’t to replicate their strategies but to learn what makes them effective. By identifying these strengths, you can adapt their principles to enhance your own campaigns while staying true to your unique value proposition.
Adjusting Messaging and Offers
Look for gaps in your competitors’ messaging. For instance, if they focus heavily on pricing, you might choose to highlight quality, reliability, or customer service instead. Identifying areas where competitors fall short or fail to address customer pain points can help you stand out.
Your value proposition should directly respond to competitor messaging while showcasing your strengths. For example, if competitors promote "fast delivery", you could differentiate with "same-day delivery" or advanced tracking features.
Competitor offers can also reveal opportunities. If everyone is offering similar discounts, consider alternatives like free trials, extended warranties, or bundled packages. Competing on different value dimensions – rather than simply matching discounts – can set you apart.
Pay attention to seasonal trends in competitor messaging. If competitors ramp up promotions during specific times, you can either match their intensity or stand out with a distinct approach when the market is flooded with similar offers.
Once you’ve made adjustments, validate these changes through controlled testing.
Testing and Refining Based on Insights
After refining your messaging, test each element systematically. A/B testing is a great way to measure what works. Focus on key components like headlines, descriptions, and calls to action – these often have the most immediate impact on engagement.
When testing, use competitor insights as inspiration, not a blueprint. Develop a clear hypothesis for each test. For example, if competitors rely on urgency-driven headlines, test whether urgency resonates better with your audience compared to benefit-focused headlines.
A case study from HawkSEM illustrates this well. For their client Nava Health, they tested two ad variations. The original ad emphasised benefits: "Refresh & hydrate in just 30 minutes with our nutrient-packed IV therapies." The test version shifted focus to the call to action: "A 2-minute call could be the start of your journey back to feeling 100%. Call us today." The CTA-focused version achieved higher conversion rates at lower costs.
Test one change at a time, ensuring equal exposure for each variation. This allows you to pinpoint which adjustments drive performance improvements. Stick with the test until you achieve statistically significant results.
"What surprised me most was that the positive performance of the campaign flew in the face of some of our best practices… This experience taught me to be open-minded to not sticking to the normal process for the sake of testing." – Justin Rodriguez, HawkSEM Paid Media Manager
After each analysis session, prioritise 3–5 immediate changes to implement based on your findings.
Regular Monitoring for Competitive Advantage
Competitor analysis isn’t a one-time task. Markets evolve, competitors tweak their strategies, and new players enter the scene. Regular monitoring ensures you stay ahead of these shifts and maintain your edge.
Aim to review competitors monthly, or even more frequently in fast-changing industries. Watch for seasonal trends, new messaging tactics, and shifts in offers or positioning.
"PPC competitor analysis is not a one-time task but an ongoing strategy essential for staying ahead in the digital marketing game. By systematically analyzing your competitors’ moves and strategies, you can uncover opportunities for growth and refinement in your own PPC campaigns. Remember, the goal is not to mimic but to innovate based on the landscape of your competition." – Web Design Houston
Ongoing monitoring allows you to anticipate trends and competitor strategies, helping you adapt quickly. For example, if competitors experiment with new ad formats or messaging, you can assess whether similar tactics might work for your campaigns.
Regularly compare your campaign performance against competitors to identify strengths and areas for improvement. This enables you to adjust your strategy swiftly as the landscape changes.
The most successful PPC campaigns are those that evolve continuously. By consistently analysing competitors, you’ll uncover opportunities others overlook and stay agile in responding to market shifts. This proactive approach keeps your campaigns competitive and drives ongoing improvement.
For businesses looking for expert support, The PPC Team offers detailed PPC audits and strategic guidance to maximise campaign performance through data-driven analysis.
Conclusion: Using Competitive Insights for PPC Success
Examining competitor ad copy isn’t just about keeping an eye on the competition – it’s a way to better understand the market and refine your own approach. The process includes identifying key competitors, gathering their ad data, dissecting vital elements, and turning those observations into actionable improvements for your campaigns.
These insights fuel three primary strategies to boost ad performance. First, refine your ad copy by addressing gaps or weaknesses in competitor messaging. Second, optimise your budget by observing how competitors allocate their spending. Finally, use systematic A/B testing to evaluate and implement changes effectively. By recognising what resonates with audiences and where competitors fall short, you can adjust your approach while staying true to your brand’s unique voice.
Consistent monitoring is essential for ongoing PPC success, helping you stay informed about shifting competitor tactics, changing audience preferences, and evolving market trends. Amanda Pell from WhatConverts puts it best:
"The most successful marketers understand that sustainable PPC success comes from consistently monitoring, analysing, and adapting to the competitive landscape while maintaining focus on lead quality and ROI".
FAQs
What are the top tools for analysing competitor ad copy, and how do they differ?
When you’re diving into competitor ad copy analysis, tools like Semrush and Kaya’s Competitor Ad Intelligence Tool can be game-changers. These platforms provide insights that can help fine-tune your campaigns for better results.
Semrush stands out for its ability to deliver in-depth data on keywords and ad performance. It’s a solid choice if you’re looking to analyse campaign effectiveness at a granular level. Meanwhile, Kaya’s Competitor Ad Intelligence Tool shines by pulling together ads from different platforms, giving you a broad view of competitor ad spend and performance trends across various channels.
The tool you choose will depend on your specific needs – whether that’s digging into keyword performance or keeping tabs on multi-channel ad strategies. Armed with this information, you can sharpen your own campaigns and stay ahead in the competitive landscape.
How can I test and improve my ad copy using competitor insights?
To refine your ad copy using insights from competitors, begin by examining their messaging, keywords, and calls to action (CTAs). Pay attention to recurring themes and strategies that seem to resonate with their audience. Also, take note of any distinctive techniques they employ.
With these insights, experiment by crafting variations of your own ads. Aim to fill gaps in the market or elevate strategies that are already proving effective. Keep a close eye on how your ads perform, focusing on metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and conversions. Use this data to tweak your copy, ensuring it connects with your audience and supports your campaign objectives.
The key is to keep testing and refining. This process will help you create ad copy that not only grabs attention but also delivers stronger results.
How can I make my ad campaigns stand out from competitors?
To make your ad campaigns stand out, focus on crafting a unique selling point (USP) that clearly shows why your product or service is different. Highlight what makes it special and why your audience should care. Use data insights to fine-tune your targeting, ensuring your ads connect with the people who matter most.
Keep an eye on your competitors’ ads to spot trends and effective tactics. Tools like ad libraries or social media analytics can reveal what’s working in your industry. Take inspiration from these strategies, but always customise them to fit your brand’s personality and voice.
Lastly, prioritise engaging, attention-grabbing content. Think bold headlines, striking visuals, or personalised messages that speak directly to your audience’s needs or challenges. By blending creativity with research, you’ll give your campaigns the edge they need to thrive in a crowded market.
