Search & Discovery
How to search the Facebook Ads Library to find competitor ads by keyword, advertiser, country, and media type.
The search page is your starting point for competitor research. Here's how to find exactly what you're looking for.
Search Interface
The Ad Spy search page has three main sections:
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Search Bar | Enter keywords to find matching ads |
| Filters | Refine results by country, status, media type |
| Results Grid | View matching ads in a card layout |
Keyword Search
What to Search
| Search Type | Examples | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Names | "Nike", "Apple", "Shopify" | Direct competitor research |
| Product Types | "running shoes", "email marketing" | Category research |
| Industry Terms | "SaaS", "DTC", "ecommerce" | Trend discovery |
| Offers | "free shipping", "50% off" | Promotional research |
| Pain Points | "tired of", "struggling with" | Angle research |
Search Behavior
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Matching | Searches ad body, headline, title, and description |
| Case Sensitivity | Searches are case-insensitive |
| Operators | Standard text search (no boolean operators) |
| Minimum Length | At least 3 characters required |
Advertiser Search
To see all ads from a specific advertiser:
Method 1: From Search Results
- Find any ad from the advertiser
- Click on the ad card to open details
- Click the "View All Ads" button next to page name
Method 2: Direct Search
- Search for the brand name
- Look for ads with matching page names
- Click to view that advertiser's full catalog
Advertiser Page Data
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Page Name | The Facebook page running the ad |
| Page ID | Unique identifier for the page |
| Active Ads | Count of currently running ads |
| Total Ads | Historical ad count (when available) |
Filters & Options
Country Filter
Required - You must select at least one country.
| Region | Popular Countries |
|---|---|
| North America | US, CA |
| Europe | GB, DE, FR, ES, IT |
| Asia Pacific | AU, IN, JP, SG |
| Latin America | BR, MX, AR |
Multi-Select: Hold Ctrl/Cmd to select multiple countries.
Active Status
| Option | Shows |
|---|---|
| Active | Currently running ads only |
| Inactive | Ads that have stopped running |
| All | Both active and inactive ads |
Pro Tip: Active-only shows what's working right now. Inactive can reveal seasonal campaigns or past strategies.
Media Type
| Option | Content |
|---|---|
| All | Images, videos, and carousels |
| Image | Static image ads only |
| Video | Video ads only |
Understanding Results
Each ad card displays:
Primary Information
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Thumbnail | Ad image/video preview |
| Page Name | Advertiser running the ad |
| Ad Copy | Primary text (truncated) |
| Headline | Link title if present |
Running Days Badge
The most important metric for finding proven ads:
| Badge Color | Running Days | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 30+ days | Likely profitable, proven performer |
| Blue | 14-30 days | Showing promise |
| Gray | < 14 days | Too early to determine |
Status Badge
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active (Green) | Currently running |
| Inactive (Gray) | No longer running |
Saved Indicator
| Icon | Status |
|---|---|
| Bookmark (outline) | Not saved |
| Bookmark (filled) | Already in your Swipe File |
Pagination & Load More
How It Works
| Behavior | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial Load | 25 ads per search |
| Load More | Click to fetch next 25 |
| Maximum | Up to 500 results per search |
| Caching | Results cached for 1 hour |
Load More Button
At the bottom of results:
[Load More] - Fetches next page of results
If the button disappears, you've reached the end of results.
Search Tips
Finding Winning Ads
| Strategy | How-To |
|---|---|
| Longevity Filter | Sort by running days (longest first) |
| Multiple Countries | Same ad in multiple regions = scaling winner |
| Frequency | Advertisers running many similar ads found something that works |
Effective Keywords
| Good Keywords | Why They Work |
|---|---|
| "Limited time" | Finds urgency-based ads |
| "Free trial" | SaaS and subscription offers |
| "Before and after" | Transformation-based ads |
| "As seen on" | Social proof ads |
| "Stop" + pain point | Problem-aware copy |
Avoiding Poor Results
| Avoid | Instead Do |
|---|---|
| Single words | Use 2-3 word phrases |
| Very common terms | Add qualifier (industry + term) |
| Misspellings | Double-check spelling |
| No country selected | Always select at least one |
Search History
Your recent searches are saved for convenience:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Click history icon in search bar |
| Stored | Last 20 searches per user |
| One-Click | Click to repeat any past search |
| Clear | Delete button to remove history |
Key Takeaways
- 1Search by keywords, brand names, or industry terms
- 2Filter by country, media type, and active status
- 3Click any ad to see full details and save
- 4Longest-running ads often indicate top performers
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I get different results than Facebook Ads Library directly?
Can I search by specific Facebook Page ID?
Why are some ads missing thumbnails?
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