Who this is for: Marketers, founders, and growth teams researching competitor ad strategies to find inspiration for their own campaigns and understand what messaging resonates in their market.
What This Skill Does
Extracts competitors' ads from ad libraries and analyzes what's working—the problems they're highlighting, use cases they're targeting, and copy/creative that's resonating.
Core Capabilities
- Extracts Ads — Scrapes ads from Facebook Ad Library, LinkedIn, and other platforms
- Captures Screenshots — Saves visual copies of all ads for reference
- Analyzes Messaging — Identifies problems, use cases, and value propositions
- Categorizes Ads — Groups by theme, audience, or format
- Identifies Patterns — Finds common successful approaches across ads
- Provides Insights — Explains why certain ads likely perform well
Usage
Basic Extraction
Extract all current ads from [Competitor Name] on Facebook Ad Library
Scrape ads from [Company] and analyze their messaging
Specific Analysis
Get all ads from [Competitor] focusing on their messaging about [specific problem]. What pain points are they highlighting?
Competitive Set
Extract ads from these 5 competitors: [list]. Compare their approaches and tell me what's working.
Specific Platform
Get LinkedIn ads from [Competitor] and analyze their B2B positioning strategy
Example Output
User: "Extract ads from Notion on Facebook Ad Library and tell me what messaging is working for them."
Output:
MARKDOWN
# Notion Ad Analysis
## Overview
- Total Ads: 23 active
- Primary Themes: Productivity (35%), Collaboration (30%), Templates (20%), AI Features (15%)
- Ad Formats: Static images (60%), Video (40%)
## Key Problems They're Highlighting
1. **Scattered Information** (8 ads)
Copy: "Stop switching between 10 different tools"
Why it works: Direct pain point many teams face
2. **Meeting Overload** (5 ads)
Copy: "Replace unnecessary meetings with async updates"
Why it works: Post-COVID remote work pain point
## Successful Creative Patterns
### Pattern 1: Before/After Split
- Shows chaotic tool landscape → Clean Notion workspace
- Used in 6 high-performing ads
### Pattern 2: Feature Showcase
- GIF of actual product usage
- Shows specific feature in 5 seconds
## Copy That's Working
Best Headlines:
1. "Your team's knowledge, finally in one place"
2. "The all-in-one workspace"
3. "AI that actually helps you work"
Tips
- Look for patterns — What themes repeat across multiple ads?
- Track over time — Save ads monthly to see messaging evolution
- Test hypotheses — Adapt successful patterns for your brand
- Segment by audience — Different messages for different targets
- Compare platforms — LinkedIn vs Facebook messaging differs significantly
- Save everything — Build a reference library for future campaigns
Best Practices
Legal & Ethical
- ✓ Only use for research and inspiration
- ✓ Don't copy ads directly
- ✓ Respect intellectual property
- ✓ Use insights to inform original creative
- ✗ Don't plagiarize copy or steal designs
Analysis Workflow
- Extract competitor ads from ad libraries
- Identify successful patterns and themes
- Note gaps in their messaging you can exploit
- Brainstorm unique angles for your brand
- Draft test ad variations inspired by insights
- A/B test your adapted concepts
Advanced Features
Trend Tracking
Compare [Competitor]'s ads from Q1 vs Q2. What messaging has changed?
Multi-Competitor Analysis
Extract ads from [Company A], [Company B], [Company C]. What are the common patterns? Where do they differ?
Industry Benchmarks
Show me ad patterns across the top 10 project management tools. What problems do they all focus on?
What You Can Learn
| Category | Insights |
|---|---|
| Messaging Analysis | Problems they emphasize, positioning vs competition, value props that resonate |
| Creative Patterns | Visual styles, video vs static, color schemes, layout patterns |
| Copy Formulas | Headline structures, CTA patterns, length and tone, emotional triggers |
| Campaign Strategy | Seasonal campaigns, product launches, feature announcements, retargeting |
Related Use Cases
- Writing better ad copy for your own campaigns
- Understanding market positioning and gaps
- Finding content gaps in your messaging
- Discovering new use cases for your product
- Planning product marketing strategy
- Inspiring social media content beyond ads