Following the trends of other digital ad platforms like Meta and TikTok, LinkedIn has launched their own LinkedIn Ad Library allowing you to see every ad a B2B marketer is running on their platform. From a competitor research POV this is a massive game changer and if used correctly, can be an invaluable tool in your ad strategy.
Similar to the Facebook Ad Library, the LinkedIn Ad Library is not static, meaning ads are getting removed every day. Fortunately, the LinkedIn ad Library is has a trolling 12 month history since the ad received it's last impression - regardless if you do not save the content inspiration from LinkedIn you might loose it - therefore you may be asking yourself;
How do I save or Download Ads from Linked In Ad Library?
LinkedIn doesn't make it easy to save ads from their ads library - that is why tools like the Foreplay Chrome Extension exist. Here is your complete guide on how to save LinkedIn ads using the Foreplay chrome extension.
Step 1: Find the Competitor Ads you want to save
You can access the LinkedIn ad library by going to linkedin.com/ad-library/home to find the competitor ads you want to save and use as inspiration.
From this page, you can search LinkedIn ads by;
- LinkedIn Brand Name (to see specific advertisers)
- Keywords
From there, you can filter by;
- Country (We suggest simply selecting "All"
- Date (Last 30 Days, This Month, This Year, Last Year, Custom Date Range)
In this example, we are going to be saving ads from Superside - one of the best B2B social marketers.
Step 2: Download the Foreplay Chrome Extension
Once you have completed your brand or keyword search, it is crucial to ensure you have the Foreplay Chrome Extension installed.
This will inject a blue "Save to Foreplay" button directly under each competitor ad. Using the dropdown arrow you can also select a board to organize your B2B ads swipe file.
From there, simply click "Save to Foreplay" and watch the magic happen! The LinkedIn ad will be saved to your Foreplay dashboard forever! Even if this ad get's taken down, you will have access to it in your swipe file forever.
It is also important to note that when saving ads with Foreplay, it does not simply save the image or video - it will also save the following;
- Ad Copy
- Ad Formats
- Ad Headline
- Ad CTA
This means you can start to build a high-level view of your competitor's marketing strategies.
Step 3: Downloading LinkedIn Ads to your PC or Mac
Once the blue button turns green and says "Saved" you can click this button to open the asset in your Foreplay Swipe File.
From the ad details screen, you can click the "Download" button to download your competitor's ads locally on your computer.
Additionally, in the top right corner, you will see a "Share" button. When clicked this will copy a public link to your clipboard allowing you to share the LinkedIn ad inspiration with anyone - even if they don't have a Foreplay account.
Why should I save competitors' ads?
Now we all like spying on what ad formats, target audience, ad copy, landing page might be working for our competition - but you may be asking yourself "why should I be doing competitive research". The best leading indicator to why you should keep a close eye on the competitive landscape is by simply looking at the speed that which content marketing changes.
Staying on Top of Industry Trends
If you were to look 24 months ago, no one would think that the content marketing style used by Superside in this blog post would work for B2B advertisers, but they are doubling down on it.
Valuable insights and changes like this are happening every day, and even with a whole team dedicated to staying on-top of trends, many insights will fall through the gaps. That is why seeing tactical examples that your direct, or even indirect competitors ar doing can greatly influence your campaigns in a positive way.
LinkedIn Ads are more nuanced than Google Ads
Most B2B marketers feel the most at-home with PPC google ads - that has been the bread and butter for B2B growth. However, as stated in this tweet by Robleh - we are entering a new phase of B2B companies where many are becoming lifestyle brands.
This means that a much larger focus needs to be put on creative inspiration, ideation, and unique ad styles that can color widely outside of the standard text ads that most B2B marketers are used to.
Summary: Saving Any Company's Ads from LinkedIn
In summary, with rich data supporting an advertisers ads like company size, employees and more LinkedIn's ad library can be an incredible tool for researching the ad formats, ad type and styles that are working in the B2B space.
Conducting research is step one of becoming a LinkedIn ads weapon, but operationalizing your competitor research is where the value lies. This is where Foreplay comes into play - paired with their Chrome Extension you can now save ads with a single click and begin turning your competitor research into actionable briefs for your creative team, in addition to the multiple other platforms supported by Foreplay.
Start a Free Trial of Foreplay to start saving ads from LinkedIn's Ad library.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How long do ads remain in the LinkedIn Ad Library?
Unlike some other ad libraries, the LinkedIn Ad Library will display ads for one year after their last impression. This means you can see historical ads, but it may muddy up your research process if you are trying to fully understand what competitors ads are working right now.
What data can I see in the LinkedIn Ad Library?
Originally created as a transparency platform like the facebook ad library, the data displayed on the ad library is limited. It will show you basic information such as;
- Advertiser name and details
- Ad Format & Ad Creative
Additionally, for ads served in the EU you can see additional information such as;
- Ad Impressions
- Ad Target audience
- Specific dates the ad was live
Is the LinkedIn Ad Library Live? How long does it take for an ad to show in the Ad Library?
According to LinkedIn, the ads displayed in the Ad Library will appear within 24-48 hours from when it receives it's first impression.
Can I hide my own ads from the LinkedIn Ads Library?
As much as we would all prefer to stay in stealth mode, it is not possible to keep your ads from being displayed in the ad library. A direct quote from LinkedIn states "As part of our commitment to creating a safe and trusted ad experience ... advertisers are not able to opt out of ads showing in the Ad Library.
Founder of Foreplay.co
