How to Use Facebook Ad Library like a Pro - 2024 Complete Guide

Are you wondering how to use the Facebook Ads Library to create your own successful ad campaigns? 

The Facebook Ad Library is a must-have resource for competitor research and creative inspiration. As advertisers and marketers, we can use the Facebook Ad Library as a legal trojan horse to see behind the scenes of the advertising strategies that our competitors are using. 

Luckily for us, as of 2024 Facebook has included some juicy new details and we can use this data to reverse engineer our competitors’ advertising success.

Read on to find out what the Facebook Ad Library is, why it matters for ad campaigns, and how to best use it to your advantage. 

What is the Facebook Ad Library? (also known as Meta Ad Library)?

Before getting our hands too dirty, it is good to understand the history of where the Facebook Ad Library came from. Initially, Facebook (now Meta) created the Ad Library in 2019 as a transparency tool in response to the Facebook political ad scandal.

With transparency as the main concern, the Facebook Ad Library allows users to see every ad that is currently running across Facebook’s Advertising Network. Since its launch, it has allowed everyone from researchers to journalists and governments to see what information is being spread with political ads having a 7-year archive.

Although built for the purpose of political transparency, the Facebook Ad Library has evolved and is now one of the most useful tools to keep track of your competitors while staying on-top of market trends.

This complete 2024 guide to Facebook Ad Library is the most comprehensive guide to using the Ad Library to dominate your competition. Let’s move on and look at some examples of ads in the Facebook Ads Library. 

Examples of ads in the Facebook Ads Library

The Facebook Ads Library contains a wide variety of ads from different industries and niches. Ads in the Facebook Ads Library can come from competitors in your industry, be related to specific topics and keywords, or be focused on political issues, among other types. 

Here are just a few examples of the types of ads you can find:

Ads from competitors in your industry

By searching for your competitors' names or brands, you can see exactly what kinds of ads they're running and how they're targeting their audience.

In the below example, we see an advertisement from the Nike brand, a leading competitor in the footwear and sporting goods industry.

▶️ View Full Video Ad

Ads related to specific topics or keywords

Whether you're interested in a particular product, service, or trend, you can use the Facebook Ads Library to find relevant ads and see how other businesses are promoting similar offerings.

In this particular example, we see CeraVe Skincare using several keywords such as “skin care” and “skin type” to target those looking for a reliable skincare product

▶️ View Full Image Ad

Political and social issue ads

The Facebook Ads Library was originally created to provide transparency around political advertising, so you can still find a wealth of information on ads related to elections, social issues, and advocacy campaigns.

In the below example, we see an advertisement for a charity that focuses on providing clean drinking water to people around the world. 

▶️ View Full Video Ad

Let’s now talk about what makes the Facebook Ads Library so important. 

Why the Facebook Ad Library matters

The Facebook Ad Library is important for several reasons, such as transparency in advertising, competitive analysis, and for finding inspiration for your own ad campaigns.

Here’s why the Facebook Ads Library matters:

Transparency in advertising

It provides a level of transparency that is crucial in today's digital landscape. Users can scrutinize the ads being presented, fostering accountability among advertisers, especially in political contexts. 

This transparency helps to prevent misleading or harmful advertisements and ensures that users can see who is behind a particular message, promoting trust and integrity in advertising practices.

Competitive analysis

Marketers leverage the Ad Library to monitor competitors' advertising strategies. By analyzing what types of ads competitors are running, advertisers can identify successful tactics and adapt their own strategies accordingly. 

This access to competitors' data can reveal valuable insights into ad spend, targeting approaches, and creative direction, allowing businesses to refine their campaigns and improve their market position.

Inspiration and creativity

The Ad Library serves as a rich source of inspiration for advertisers. With access to a diverse range of ad types, from image-based to video ads, users can explore creative approaches that resonate with their target audience. 

It allows marketers to discover fresh ideas, innovative designs, and messaging styles that can be adapted and personalized for their own campaigns, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of their ad content. 

However, if you’re still having trouble finding inspiration, Foreplay’s Discovery tool can help you find it. 

Advanced filtering options

The platform offers extensive filtering features, enabling users to segment data effectively. This allows for a granular analysis of ad performance and trends, helping advertisers to make informed decisions based on real-time data. 

Filters such as ad type, active or inactive status, and geographic targeting help users pinpoint exactly the kind of information they need, streamlining the process of campaign analysis.

Market trends insight

By regularly revisiting the Ad Library, users can stay updated on emerging trends and shifts in advertising strategies within their industry, ensuring they remain competitive in a rapidly changing market. 

This continuous monitoring of market trends helps advertisers spot new opportunities, adjust their messaging to align with consumer behavior, and maintain a forward-thinking approach in their marketing efforts.

Now that we know what makes the Facebook Ad Library so useful, let’s figure out how to find it and how to put it to use. 

How to find the Facebook Ad Library 

On the surface using the Ad Library is quite simple, but most people do not use the Ad Library to its full potential. This tutorial will touch on not only how to use Ad Library as a utility, but how to use the data to gain valuable insights into what is working for your competitors Facebook Ads.

The Facebook Ad Library is a public resource that can be accessed by clicking this link or typing facebook.com/ads/library in your search bar.

Pro tip

We recommend that you log into Facebook before accessing the Ad Library. Although the ad library can be accessed without logging in, you will not be able to see ads targeted to audiences 18+ and can also run into some search limitations. Also, if you are using an Ad Blocker, you need to disable your ad blocker prior to making a search.

How to use the Facebook Ad Library 

Using the Facebook Ad Library to gain valuable insights into the ads of your competitors involves first selecting the country and category, then searching for a brand or keyword, and using advanced filters to narrow your search.

Here’s how to use the Facebook Ad Library for the best results. 

1. Select country and category

Before searching for ads, you need to pre-define your search. First, you can choose to search for ads in a specific, singular country. This can be helpful if you have a product or service that changes based on location. 

Then you can limit your search based on the ad category. If your search is limited to the USA your options are All Ads, Issues Elections or Politics, Housing, Employment or Credit. Any other country filter will only display the first two listed.

Pro tip

In order to get the most ad results, choose Country: All, Ad Category: All Ads

Once you’ve chosen the country and category, you can then further refine your search by searching for specific brands or keywords. 

2. Search a brand or keyword

You can search the Facebook Ad Library to reveal your competitors ads using two different strategies. The first option is more focused on competitor research by searching a specific brand/company name.

This will load a dropdown list where you can select the exact brand.

After clicking on the brand, this will show you every ad that company is running under that account. The main limitation to this approach is larger brands will sometimes have different ad accounts for each geographical market.

If you are using the Facebook Ad Library to find new ad inspiration more broadly, you can simply type in a keyword that aligns with the product or service you are trying to market. For example, if we were creating a new campaign for Vessi Shoes, we could search “waterproof shoes” to discover how all the brands that are selling this product are approaching this market.

Pro tip

As of January 19, 2019, Ad Library introduced a new feature called “Exact Phrase Search”. To use it, place quotes around search terms to see results containing the same group of words in the same order.

Once you’ve selected the brand or keyword, you can then use a variety of filters to even further refine your search. 

3. Filtering your Ad Library search

As of 2024, Facebook has added some extensive filtering features to the Facebook Ad Library. The benefit to using filters is to properly segment the data you are viewing.

With filters you can clearly see when your competitors are choosing to run ads, the platforms they are using, and the styles of creatives they are producing. Let’s take a look at the different filters available. 

Available Facebook Ad Library filters:

Filtering your search results is how you can really find the gems of Facebook Ad Inspiration. Here we’ve listed the available filters starting with what should provide the highest value, starting with the active status filter.

Active status

Active status will show you ads that are currently being displayed to users. It is important to note that Facebook Ad Library does not show all Inactive Ads forever, if you would like to save an ad forever, consider using a tool like Foreplay to save ads from Facebook Ad Library.

Impressions by date

Using impressions you can see when an ad was running and use that information to infer how successful the ad was. For example, if today’s date is Feb 1, 2024 and I created a filter for On or before: Nov 1, 2021 the search results will only display ads that started running 3 months ago. If I pair this filter with the Active Status: Active, I will be seeing ads that have been running actively for 3 months, meaning the ad is working or the brand is okay with burning money.

Media type

Media type allows you to display ads by the ad creative style. Luckily this year Facebook has added some exciting new media types for us to filter by, such as images, memes, and more.

Here are the media types you can filter by:

• Images - images with little or no text
• Memes - images with text: "waterproof...”
• Images and Memes - this combines the first 2 filter options together.
• Videos - display videos where your keyword is contained within a video transcript or ad copy: "waterproof...”
• No image or video - ads that are only text posts. This style of ad is very uncommon.

Advertiser

The advertiser dropdown will only show when you are running a keyword search. Use this multi-select filter to display ads from only a few specific advertisers.

Platform

Facebook has multiple different platforms to display ads. This multi-select filter allows you to narrow down your search by All platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger.

Language

Simply filter by language. However, note that ads that contain more than one language will not appear in results when this filter is applied.

With your search as narrow as possible, it’s time to start analyzing your findings. 

5. Analyzing ad creatives

Once you have narrowed your search to find some impactful Facebook advertising inspiration it is important to draw some insights and conclusions from your findings. 

Here is a little cheat sheet we have created to properly answer your questions as a marketer using Facebook Ad Library data.

Q: Is this ad performing?

A: Look at the “Started Running” date. If the ad has been actively running for a decent amount of time, you can assume it is profitable or at least hitting the metrics that the brand requires.

Q: Where are they running this ad?

A: By looking at the “Platforms” list you can see where they are running the ad. This can give you insights into not only the format of the ad but the potential audience that the advertiser is trying to target.

Q: Did they select Manual or Automatic Placements?

A: If you see a note about 'Multiple versions' it means that the ad is using Dynamic features. Multiple formats, visuals, copy, or dynamic ads are being used. If it’s missing, it’s not dynamic.

Q: Who is the ad targeting?

A: Most brands use UTM parameters to better track their advertising performance. Although not required, if you find a UTM parameter at the end of a link, it can tell you some additional information about the ad set or audience being targeted. For example, if you see something like utm_campaign=mof-retargeting you could assume this is a retargeting ad that is MOF or “Middle of Funnel”. Some other keywords to look for would be TOF (Top of Funnel), BOF (Bottom of Funnel) etc.

6. Save ads from Facebook Ad Library as inspiration

One of the main limitations to the Facebook Ad Library is that ads are not available to view forever. If you are using Ad Library as an inspiration tool, it is important to save, organize and share ad inspiration forever without links expiring.

Using a tool like Foreplay will allow you to not only use the ad library to fulfill your curiosities but allow you to build these insights into your workflow as a marketer.

Common challenges with Facebook Ad Library

Using the Facebook Ad Library can come with its own set of challenges, such as having limited data on ad performance, staying up to date with competitor changes, and having to manually organize saved ads. 

Let's explore some of the most common challenges with the Facebook Ad Library:

Limited data on ad performance

One common challenge is the limited data on ad performance. The library doesn't provide detailed metrics on ad engagement, conversion rates, or return on investment. This lack of granular data can make it difficult to fully assess the effectiveness of specific ad strategies.

High volume of ads

Another challenge is navigating the high volume of ads in the library. With millions of ads available, it can be overwhelming to sift through the vast amount of content. This is where effective use of filters and a clear search strategy become crucial.

Staying updated with competitor changes

Staying updated with competitor changes is another hurdle. Competitors may frequently modify their ad strategies, launch new campaigns, or discontinue old ones. Keeping track of these changes and adapting your own strategies accordingly can be time-consuming and require regular monitoring.

Identifying winning ad strategies

Identifying winning ad strategies can also be difficult, especially without access to detailed performance data. It may require a combination of qualitative analysis, industry knowledge, and experimentation to determine which strategies are truly effective.

Manual Organization of Saved Ads

The manual organization of saved ads can be a tedious and time-consuming process. Without a streamlined system for categorizing and tagging ads, it can be difficult to maintain a well-structured and easily searchable collection of ad examples.

However, with Foreplay’s Swipe File tool, you can easily save and organize all of the best ads in one spot. 

Limitations of filter options

Lastly, the filter options in the Facebook Ad Library, while helpful, may have limitations. Some users may find the available filters insufficient for their specific research needs or struggle to find the right combination of filters to narrow down their results effectively.

Despite the difficulties associated with the Facebook Ad Library, it remains an invaluable resource for marketers and advertisers. By understanding these common obstacles and developing strategies to overcome them, you can still leverage the library to gain insights, find inspiration, and enhance your ad strategies.

To effectively navigate these challenges, integrating tools such as Foreplay into your workflow can be a game-changer. Foreplay streamlines the organization, analysis, and sharing of ad inspirations, helping you tackle issues like manual organization and limited performance data. 

With its suite of tools, you can effortlessly track competitor changes, identify winning strategies, and maintain a well-structured collection of ads. To help you get started, let’s discuss how to download from the Facebook Ad Library with Foreplay. 

How to download from the Facebook Ad Library with Foreplay

"Save to Foreplay" Button injected onto the Facebook Ad Library

While the Facebook Ads Library is a valuable resource on its own, using it in conjunction with Foreplay can take your ad research and organization to the next level. Moreover, using Foreplay on this front is as simple as downloading the extension, creating an account, and downloading your favorite ads.

Here's how to use Foreplay to download Facebook ads:

1. Download the Foreplay Chrome Extension

Download the Foreplay Chrome Extension, as it adds a "Save to Foreplay" button directly inside the Facebook Ads Library, making it easy to save ads with just one click.

2. Create a Foreplay account

To start using Foreplay, create a free account. This will give you access to Foreplay's features, including ad saving, organization, and collaboration tools.

3. Create a board

Within your Foreplay account, create a board to organize your saved ads. You might create boards based on client, ad style, or campaign objectives. You can then save and download your ads. 

4. Save and download your ads

When you find an ad you want to save, simply click the "Save to Foreplay" button and choose which board to add it to. The ad will be saved in Foreplay forever, even if it's no longer active in the Facebook Ads Library.

In addition to saving ads, you can also download them for offline access.

Once you have saved the ad, you can access it from your Foreplay account. There, you can download the ad's media files directly to your device, ensuring you have a copy for your records or for further analysis.

5. Share Your Board

If you want to collaborate with team members or clients, you can easily share a Foreplay board. Just click "Share" to generate a public URL that you can copy and paste to anyone you want to view the board.

EU transparency information & new features (new in 2024)

The Facebook Ad Library is continuously evolving, albeit slowly. That being said for those who are studying competitors that run ads in the EU, you can take advantage of a lot more data to inform your competitor research with everything from audience breakdowns to demographic information, targeting and even reach. 

Here's how you can access this new Ad Library data:

Access additional transparency data

To see the additional advertising data click "See Ad Details" on an asset.

This will launch a pop-up modal with a whole new section called "European Union Transparency" where Meta themselves specify "We provide additional information for ads that were shown on Meta technologies anywhere in the EU."

EU ad audience

The first new data table you will see is called "EU Ad Audience" this will show you specifically which countries or regions in the EU this ad targeted. Within this section you can see not only which counties they "Included" in their ad targeting but also identify which markets they are avoiding with the "Excluded" filter.

Age targeting information

The second section displays the age range that your competitor advertiser is targeting. Meta Advertisers can choose a minimum and maximum age of who will be shown an ad. In the below example, we can see how Gymshark is clearly advertising to a younger audience.

▶️ View Full Image Ad

Gender targeting information

In this section you can reveal what gender your competitor is targeting this specific ad to. In the example we see here, Gymshark appears to be targeting a female audience. 

▶️ View Full Image Ad

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EU ad delivery

This golden nugget included in the Facebook Ad Library update might be the most surprising and invasive for advertisers that have a majority of their paid marketing efforts in the EU - reach and ad delivery. In this example they are not only showing us that this ad was seen by 95 Accounts, but below you can see how the reach was distributed across region, age range and gender.

It is important to not that these metrics are calculated and estimated using Account Center Accounts and Meta specifies that "Estimates or metrics using Accounts Center accounts may be affected by whether a person has created more than one account and whether the accounts have been added to the same Accounts Center"

Nonetheless, the new additions to the EU Meta Transparency centre gives us marketers a lot more data to use in our competitor research.

Facebook Ad Library use cases

Now that we have learned what the Facebook ads library offers, it is important to understand how you can use this platform to improve your upcoming campaigns. 

For many, the Facebook Ad Library is where they start their journey of competitor research, however as you progress as a marketer, it is important to know the tools that can transform the Facebook Ad Library into your main competitive advantage.

Here are some of the ways to use the Facebook Ad Library for your ad campaigns. 

Top-tier Facebook Ad inspiration

The moment you are feeling stuck, looking at poor ad performance or trying to brainstorm content to create, tab over to the Facebook Ad Library for a quick jolt of creative inspiration. 

When browsing the Ads Library for inspiration, pay attention to the elements that make an ad effective. 

This might include eye-catching visuals, compelling copy, or strong calls-to-action. Consider how you can adapt these techniques to your own ads while still maintaining your brand's unique voice and style.

You can also use the Ads Library to stay on top of emerging trends and technologies in Facebook advertising. For example, you might discover new ad formats or interactive features that you can incorporate into your own campaigns. Next, you can save these ads in a swipe file for easy access. 

Create a swipe file

In simple terms, a swipe file is a digital or physical folder where you keep all the fantastic marketing ideas you've encountered over the years. If you are spending time researching ads, this is a way to keep everything organized for efficiency purposes. You can use tools like Google Drive or Dropbox to create this, or a purpose-built tool like Foreplay to save your ad findings.

Ride the advertising trend waves

If you see a specific ad style, format, or creative popping up across multiple brands or industries it is likely you have spotted a trend, something that the Facebook Ad Library is useful for identifying. 

Although we should avoid chasing trends, it can be valuable to act fast and strike while the iron is hot. Trends come and go, but that is only a negative if you wait too long to act on them.

Competitor research

One of the most powerful uses of the Facebook Ads Library is for competitor research. By searching for your competitors' names or brands, you can see exactly what kinds of ads they're running and how they're targeting their audience.

Look for insights into your competitors' strategies, messaging, and targeting. Consider the types of ad creatives and calls-to-action being used, the audiences targeted, and how frequently ads are run. 

This information can help you identify gaps in the market or areas where you can differentiate your own offerings. It can also spark ideas for new ad campaigns or targeting strategies.

To take your competitor research to the next level, consider using a tool like Foreplay's Spyder. Spyder automatically tracks and analyzes your competitors' ads, providing real-time insights and inspiration for your own campaigns. 

The Facebook Ad Library is great for searching audiences as well, not just competitors. 

Audience research

In addition to competitor research, you can also use the Facebook Ads Library for audience research. By looking at the ads that are resonating with your target audience, you can gain a better understanding of their needs, preferences, and behaviors.

Consider factors like the types of ad creatives and messaging that are getting the most engagement, what pain points or desires are being addressed, and what kinds of offers or calls-to-action are driving clicks and conversions.

This information can help you refine your own targeting and create more relevant, engaging ads that speak directly to your audience's needs and interests.

Before we wrap things up, let’s discuss some of the best practices for using the Facebook Ad Library. 

Facebook Ad Library best practices

To make the most of the Facebook Ad Library, there are several best practices to follow, including regularly monitoring ads, organizing and saving the best ads, and focusing on high-performing ads.

Here’s how to make the most out of the Facebook Ad Library: 

Regular monitoring of competitors’ ads

First and foremost, regularly monitor your competitors' ads. Set aside dedicated time to explore the library and analyze what your competitors are doing. 

Take note of their ad creatives, messaging, and targeting strategies. This competitive analysis will provide valuable insights into what's working in your industry and help you identify opportunities to differentiate your own ads.

Organizing saved ads

As you save ads for inspiration or analysis, it's crucial to organize and categorize them effectively. 

Create a system that works for you, whether it's using folders, tags, or a spreadsheet. This organization will make it easier to find specific ads later and draw connections between different ad strategies.

Focusing on high-performing ads

When analyzing ads in the library, focus on high-performing ads. Look for ads that have been running for an extended period, as this often indicates strong performance and resonance with the target audience. 

Study the creative elements of these ads, such as the visuals, copy, and calls-to-action. Identify patterns and techniques that you can adapt to your own ads.

Effective use of filters

To refine your searches and find the most relevant ads, use filters effectively. The Facebook Ad Library offers various filters, such as country, language, and ad format. 

Leverage these filters to narrow down your results and discover ads that align with your specific goals and target audience.

Tracking ad trends

Tracking ad trends is another valuable practice. Monitor the library regularly to identify shifts in ad strategies, popular ad formats, and emerging themes. 

This trend analysis will help you stay ahead of the curve and adapt your own ad approaches accordingly.

Documenting key insights

As you explore the Facebook Ad Library, document your key insights. Keep a record of the ads that inspire you, the strategies that prove effective, and the trends you observe. 

This documentation will serve as a valuable reference for future ad planning and execution.

Compliance with advertising policies

Lastly, always stay compliant with Facebook's advertising policies. While the Ad Library is a great resource for inspiration, it's important to create original ad content that aligns with Meta's ad guidelines. It’s important to avoid directly copying ads or using misleading claims or imagery.

Conclusion

Simply put, if you are using Facebook ads and not using the Facebook Ad Library, you are leaving inspiration, insight, and most importantly, money on the table. 

On its own, Facebook Ad Library is like having your finger on the pulse of today’s advertising trends. Paired with a tool like Foreplay, the Facebook Ad Library will enable you to quickly turn your insights into action for your internal marketing team or agency.

Take, for example, Stay.ai's experience. Stay.ai’s Director of Marketing, Alexa Kilroy, initially struggled with a disorganized workflow, with ad inspiration scattered across various platforms, making implementation slow and inefficient. After adopting Foreplay, Alexa streamlined her process, allowing for easy organization, analysis, and sharing of ad insights, which enhanced Stay.ai’s digital marketing strategy.

Similarly, Hush Blankets used Foreplay to effectively scale their creative output. They overcame challenges in diversifying their ad strategies and improving communication between their paid and creative teams. Foreplay enabled them to reverse-engineer successful ads and maintain consistent, on-brand messaging, even as they expanded their influencer programs.

By integrating the Facebook Ad Library with Foreplay, brands like Stay.ai and Hush Blankets have significantly elevated their creative processes, ensuring that every ad is strategically optimized for success. These case studies highlight the importance of Foreplay in maximizing advertising potential. 

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Frequently asked questions

Is Facebook Ads Library free?

Yes, the Facebook Ads Library is a free tool provided by Meta. You can access it without any cost and use it to search for and analyze ads across Meta's platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. This makes it an accessible resource for businesses and marketers of all sizes looking to gain competitive insights and improve their ad strategies.

What kind of information can I find about ads in the library?

The Facebook Ads Library provides a range of information about each ad, including:

• The ad creative, such as images, videos, or carousel format
• The ad copy and call-to-action
• The date range the ad has been running
• The platforms where the ad is being displayed (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Messenger)
• The name and page of the advertiser behind the ad

How can I use the Facebook Ads Library to improve my advertising strategy?

You can use the Ads Library to enhance your advertising approach by conducting competitor analysis, identifying trends and best practices in ad creative, messaging, and targeting, and saving inspiring ads for future reference. 

Analyzing the duration of ads can help infer which strategies are performing well, allowing you to refine your targeting, optimize your ad spend, and improve your overall return on investment.

What are some new features of the Facebook Ads Library?

The Facebook Ads Library continues to evolve and introduce new features to provide even greater transparency and utility for advertisers. 

Some of the notable updates in 2024 include:

• Enhanced filtering options, allowing you to search for ads by objective, format, and more
• Improved data on ad spend and impressions for political and issue-based ads
• Integration with Meta's Ad Archive API, enabling programmatic access to ad data
• Expansion of the library to include ads from additional Meta platforms and services