Most people have no idea you can see every ad your competitors are running on Facebook and Instagram. I'm talking about seeing their exact copy, their offers, their creative - everything.
There's one tool that shows you all of this. It's free, it's completely legal, and it takes about 5 minutes to use. The best part? Your competitors probably don't even know it exists.
Let me show you exactly how I do this.
Why I Always Check Competitors First
Before I run any Meta ads, I want to know what I'm up against. Not to copy anyone - that's pointless. But to see what's already being done so I can do something different.
When I searched for dental practices in Melbourne recently, I found six different dentists all offering "free consultations" with almost identical ad copy. If I was a dentist there, I'd immediately know that "free consultation" is overdone. I'd need a different angle.
That's the kind of intel that saves you money and gets you better results.
The Meta Ad Library - Your Secret Weapon
Go to Google and search "Meta Ad Library." Click the first result.
This exists because Meta has to show all active ads publicly due to their transparency rules. What they've actually done is hand us the keys to see exactly what every business is advertising.
Here's my exact process:
Step 1: Set Your Location and Category
- Select your country (I'm in Australia, so I pick that)
- Leave category as "All"
- Don't overthink this part
Step 2: Search Like Your Customers Do
This is the key. Search exactly how your potential customers would search. I use this format:
[Your main service] + [Your city]
Examples I've tried:
- "dental implants Melbourne"
- "solar installer Brisbane"
- "personal trainer Sydney"
Step 3: See What Everyone Else Is Doing
The results show you every business running Meta ads for those terms. You'll see:
- Their exact ad copy
- What offers they're making
- Their images and videos
- How long each ad has been running
Real Examples From My Research
The Dental Implants Search
When I searched "dental implants Melbourne," I found every dental practice in Melbourne advertising implants. I could see exactly what each one was offering:
- Free consultations
- Payment plans
- Before/after photos
- Patient testimonials
Most were saying almost the same thing. If I was a dentist, I'd immediately see the gap - nobody was addressing dental anxiety, which is huge for implant patients.
The Solar Installer Search
"Solar installer Brisbane" showed me every solar company's approach:
- Government rebate messaging
- Free quotes
- Installation timelines
- Financing options
Again, very similar messaging across the board. The opportunity would be in positioning differently - maybe focusing on being a local business or not using subcontractors.
What to Actually Look For
Oversaturated Messaging
If everyone is saying the same thing, that message is probably not going to work for you. Look for:
- Identical offers (everyone doing "free quotes")
- Same pain points being addressed
- Similar creative styles
- Copy that sounds interchangeable
Creative Quality Levels
Are all the videos low quality? All the images stock photos? That tells you the production standards in your market.
Sometimes the opportunity is just doing better creative than everyone else.
Offer Patterns
What are people leading with? Discounts? Free trials? Guarantees? If you see a pattern, that's either what works or what everyone thinks works.
The trick is figuring out which one it is.
How Long Ads Have Been Running
This is crucial. Ads that have been running for months are probably working. Meta's algorithm kills ads that don't perform, so longevity usually means profitability.
New ads might be tests. Ads that disappear quickly probably failed.
What I Don't Do With This Information
I don't copy successful ads. That's missing the point entirely.
Instead, I use this intel to:
- Avoid oversaturated messaging
- Find gaps nobody is filling
- Understand the creative standards I need to beat
- See what's actually working long-term
The Monthly Check-In
I do this research about once a month for my main markets. It takes maybe 20 minutes total. I'm looking for:
- New competitors I didn't know about
- Changes in messaging from established players
- Seasonal shifts in offers
- Creative trends starting to emerge
Markets change. New competitors enter. Successful businesses adjust their approach. You want to stay on top of these shifts.
Why Most People Miss This
The Ad Library has been around for years, but most business owners don't know about it. Even those who do often don't use it systematically.
They'll check once, maybe when they're starting out, then never look again. That's a mistake. The competitive landscape changes constantly.
Getting Started
Pick your main keyword plus your city. Search the Ad Library. Spend 30 minutes seeing what comes up.
You'll probably discover competitors you didn't know existed. You'll definitely see patterns in messaging and offers. And you'll likely spot at least one obvious gap that nobody is addressing.
That gap might be your competitive advantage.
The Reality
This won't magically fix bad ads or a bad business. You can't see performance data or conversion rates. You're just seeing what's currently running.
But if you're about to spend money on Meta ads without knowing what your competition looks like, you're essentially gambling. This gives you information. In advertising, information usually beats budget.
The tool is free, the information is public, and most of your competitors aren't using it systematically. That seems like an opportunity worth taking.