Competitor Ads Analyst
Analyze competitor advertising from public ad libraries to understand what messaging, creative formats, and positioning strategies are working.
Install
git clone https://github.com/thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing.git && cp -r claude-marketing/skills/competitor-ads-analyst ~/.claude/skills/
Core Capabilities
- Extract ads from public ad libraries (Facebook, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn)
- Categorize ad creative by format, message type, and funnel stage
- Identify pain points competitors highlight (with frequency scoring)
- Map competitor positioning and find white space
- Extract headline and copy formulas
- Track creative format trends (UGC, before/after, testimonial, etc.)
- Generate competitive intelligence reports and swipe files
Ad Library Access
| Platform | URL | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Meta (Facebook/Instagram) | facebook.com/ads/library | Free, public |
| Google Ads | adstransparency.google.com | Free, public |
| TikTok | library.tiktok.com | Free, public |
| linkedin.com/ad-library | Requires account |
Workflow
1. Define Scope
- Competitors: 3-5 companies to analyze
- Timeframe: Last 30, 60, or 90 days
- Platforms: Which ad libraries to search
- Focus: Messaging, creative format, audience targeting, or all
2. Extract Ads
For each competitor, collect:
- Ad copy (headline, primary text, CTA)
- Creative format (image, video, carousel, UGC)
- Landing page URL
- Active date range (if visible)
- Platform and placement
3. Categorize
Classify each ad by:
Message Type:
- Pain point (problem-aware)
- Solution (product-aware)
- Social proof (testimonial, case study, press)
- Offer (discount, free trial, demo)
- Educational (how-to, tip, guide)
- Brand (awareness, positioning)
Funnel Stage:
- Top (awareness, problem education)
- Middle (consideration, comparison)
- Bottom (conversion, offer, urgency)
Creative Format:
- Static image
- Video (short <15s, medium 15-60s, long >60s)
- Carousel
- UGC-style
- Before/after
- Screenshot/product demo
- Testimonial quote card
- Data/stat visualization
4. Analyze Patterns
- Pain point frequency: Which problems appear most across competitors?
- Message clustering: Are competitors saying the same things?
- Format preferences: Which creative types are most used?
- Positioning map: Where does each competitor sit on key dimensions?
- Gaps: What messages/angles are NO competitors using?
5. Generate Output
Choose from: competitive report, swipe file, messaging matrix, or creative brief.
Key Principles
- Analyze patterns, not individual ads. One ad is an anecdote; 20 ads from 5 competitors is intelligence.
- Look for gaps, not just patterns. The most valuable finding is what competitors are NOT saying.
- Separate observation from recommendation. Report what you see, then separately recommend what to do with it.
- Date everything. Competitive intelligence decays fast.
- Never copy, always adapt. The goal is informed inspiration, not plagiarism.
For analysis frameworks and output templates, see REFERENCE.md.