PPC, SOLUTIONS 8
Three FREE Tools To Spy On Your Competitors’ Ad Copies
Knowing the ins and outs of our competitors is a great way to keep the quality of your ad copy top-notch. It’s not about copying or appropriating words from the competition. We are always on the lookout for the most effective keywords around.
Here are 3 free tools to spy on your competitors’ Ad Copy
Our copywriter, Ash, and our client manager, Carmen, will share their three favorite free tools to get you on track for your persuasive ad copy.
Table of contents:
- First steps in competitor research
- Comparing a client’s ad copy to a competitor’s
- Number one free tool on the Google Ads platform
- Number two free tool: ‘I Search From’
- Number three free tool: My Ad Center
We have the privilege of being in the good hands of our GAds Girls, Carmen and Ash, who have taken a moment out of their busy schedules to show us the best steps to take when spying on your competitors’ ad copy.
First steps in competitor research
Competitor research can inspire the best ad copy for any client. The benchmark for good copy can come from your own company, your client’s website, or your competitors. Understanding what everyone else is doing can only improve the quality of your work.
Reading everything your competitor is doing is a vital part of this research. Finding keywords and standout phrases can make a big difference to a client’s online presence. And it’s not limited to just their website.
Social media is an essential presence in the world of advertising
As Ash says, there is direct engagement with customers and it allows you to view messages from the audience, too. It allows you to see how a particular product is doing in real time.
Customer reviews are also powerful in grasping the mood of the market. Taking note of a competitor’s unique selling points and the benefits of a certain product or service is a great way to start appreciating your own client’s USPs. If a customer messages a competitor saying, “I love this product for these reasons!” your work is already done for you.
Comparing a client’s ad copy to a competitor’s
Generally, an analysis of five to 10 competitors is enough to get an overall view of the competition out there. And a handy template of data gathering to compare all your findings is the perfect place to review what you’ve discovered so far. The goal is to have a very clear idea of your client’s strengths that can be highlighted in the copy for optimum good use.
Number one free tool on the Google Ads platform
So let’s get started with a look at our first free tool to spy on your competitors’ ad copy! This free tool can be found on the Google Ads platform. From Tools and Settings, you can click on the Keyword Planner. And from here, we are going to see what sorts of keywords your competitors are using.
Now, Carmen has decided to take a look at the competitor of her client that sells leggings. She clicks on Discover New Keywords, and she types in ‘Athletic leggings’ of the competitor Lululemon. The monthly searches appear along with the most popular keywords and the least popular ones, those that are low-bid keywords. This helps us collect a group of strong keywords while we’re building our campaign.
Number two free tool: ‘I Search From’
The second free tool that we have for you today is one that Ash uses all the time. It’s called ‘I Search From’ and it can be a very useful tool for spying on competitors and you’ll see why. When you add the country you are interested in targeting, along with the language, and set the device at ‘Current’, you can simply type in a keyword that is relevant to your client.
Every company using that keyword will come up in the search. We take a look at all those ads, making note of what makes the ads stand out. Does the headline catch your eye? What terminology are they using? What is grabbing your attention?
The importance of this last question is reiterated by Ash. Ads have about two seconds to capture our attention. And you certainly don’t want to lose a potential client because of a poorly placed or worded ad. Make the most of this tool because it’s free and we like free stuff!
Number three free tool: My Ad Center
The third and final free tool comes from our friends at Google. When you are googling your competitors, there is an arrow beside the company name. Click on it and it will take you to ‘see more ads’. Click on that and it will take you to every single ad the competitor has ever run, both past and present. This includes text ads, image ads, and videos, all conveniently placed on one page for you to analyze. The options allow you to visualize the different campaigns in different countries and see when the ad campaigns were launched.
And there you are! It is vital that you stay unique, that you stand out from the rest. Remember, your client needs to have a product or service that addresses and resolves a problem.
That’s the key to good ad copy. And, you never know when the right catchphrase may change the entire course of a campaign. And if you want to write the best ad copy, check out our blog ‘Three Tips for Writing Amazing Ad Copy + Bonus Tip for Improving Your Performance Max Ads‘
“Glad to have met the team at Solutions 8. Their creative minds have really given our business the competitive edge we needed through digital marketing. I highly recommend Solutions 8 for their creativity and personal attention, I can’t say enough about how EXCELLENT Soultions 8 is!”
Tim Lyons
Founder || ProFit Marketing Solutions
Two-time “Two Comma Club Award” Recipient
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