Creating well-performing ads is harder than it looks. From coming up with a choice of words that really stands out and designing eye-catching creatives, to selecting the right keywords and targeting the right audience, every detail matters. And even with the best practices in place, there’s no guarantee that your ads will stand out in an increasingly crowded digital space.
One of the best ways to improve your advertising strategy is to learn from those who are already having success in the field: your competitors. Spying on competitors’ Google Ads isn’t about copying, but about understanding how others in your niche position themselves, what offers they highlight, what geographies they target, and what messaging they believe works. This information can be gold when it comes to finding new angles, identifying gaps in the market, or simply confirming that you’re on the right track.
Enter the Google Ads Transparency Center
In 2023, Google launched the Google Ads Transparency Center, a public tool that allows users to view any advertiser’s running or past ads across Search, YouTube, Maps, Shopping, and Play placements. It was developed as part of Google’s efforts to increase transparency around political and financial ads, but it offers significant competitive value for marketers.1
You can search by advertiser name and see:
- The types of ads they’re running (image, text, video)
- When those ads last ran
- The platforms they appeared on
- The countries they targeted
For instance, if you’re in the eCommerce space and a major competitor is running seasonal campaigns in specific European markets, the Transparency Center will show you those creatives and targeting info. It gives you not only creative inspiration, but a window into their strategy.
How to Check Your Competitors’ Ads
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to using the Google Ads Transparency Center:
- Go to the Transparency Center – https://adstransparency.google.com
- Search by Advertiser – Type in the name of your competitor (e.g., “Nike”) and hit enter.
- Review Their Ads – Browse through the ads, noting formats, messaging, and regions.
- Filter by Country or Platform – If you want to see what they’re doing in your specific market or on YouTube only, use the filters provided.
- Save Examples – Screenshot specific ads for inspiration or deeper analysis with your team.
When Should You Check Competitors’ Ads?
Let’s say you’re planning a Black Friday campaign for a tech gadget and you know your competitors often run aggressive promotions. Checking their previous ads a few weeks in advance can help you prepare with:
- A sharper offer
- Differentiated messaging
- Knowledge of which markets they pushed last year
This kind of insight can save you time, money, and guesswork.
What to Look For When Reviewing Competitor Ads
When you dive into a competitor’s ad history, it’s easy to get lost in the visuals and forget to extract key insights. Instead of just scrolling through creatives, focus on identifying patterns and strategies you can adapt for your own campaigns. Here’s a simple checklist to guide your review:
- Messaging hooks – Are they leaning on specific product benefits, emotional appeal, or urgency (“Limited Time Offer”)?
- Offer structure – Do they promote discounts, bundles, free trials, or free shipping?
- Call-to-action style – Conversion oriented (“Shop Now”) or awareness oriented (“Discover More”)?
- Creative format trends – Are they using more videos, static images, carousel ads, or a mix?
- Consistency vs. localization – Do they run identical creatives in all regions, or tailor messaging for specific markets?
- Ad copy length and tone – Are they keeping it minimal for quick impact or using storytelling to build a connection?
By paying attention to these elements, you’ll start to see what your competitors prioritize, which can help you decide whether to challenge them or differentiate your approach.
Pairing Transparency Center Insights with Other Tools
While the Google Ads Transparency Center is a powerful way to peek into your competitors’ strategies, it becomes even more valuable when you combine it with other marketing intelligence tools. This lets you connect the dots between what ads they run and why they might be running them.
Here are a few tools that I use to complement the Transparency Center:
- SEMrush or SpyFu – Identify which keywords competitors might be bidding on to drive traffic to their ads, and get deeper insights into keyword overlaps.
- Facebook Ad Library – Check if competitors are running similar campaigns across multiple platforms for a unified brand push.
Using these tools together helps you go beyond “inspiration browsing”. You’ll be able to pinpoint not only what works for your competitors, but also how to position your campaigns to compete more effectively.
Whether you’re launching your first campaign or optimizing your hundredth, understanding the ad landscape around you gives you a major edge. Use tools like the Google Ads Transparency Center not just to monitor competitors, but to learn what works, what doesn’t, and what opportunities may be waiting for you.
Do you have more questions related to the Google Ads Transparency Center or your competitors’ ads? Check the Google Ads Transparency Center FAQ, or contact us at VSSL Agency!
Good luck planning your next set of ads, and may your CPCs be low and your ROAS high!
Sources:
1 https://blog.google/technology/ads/announcing-the-launch-of-the-new-ads-transparency-center/