Interest-based targeting is so 2016.

Every ad platform wants to make the user experience as simple as possible. Facebook/Meta plays a pioneering role in this area. The platform provides a relatively simple ecosystem for advertisers. Naturally, every entrepreneur needs to and should run ads to reach their target audience. Hence, it makes sense to keep the interface for creating ads simpler.

Besides, Facebook tries to work hard to make its algorithm smarter daily. This article explores the potential advantages of the Facebook/Meta ads library and why entrepreneurs must pay attention to using it.

Facebook Ad Library: A Brief Introduction

The Facebook ads library is a database where businesses can search and view all the active ads running on Facebook. It includes data on who created the ad, when it got published, and the kind of copy and creatives it includes. Businesses can view any published Facebook ad via the ad library for up to seven years after publishing.

Why is it so important?

The library was first created as a response to the political controversy and backlash faced by Facebook in 2016. The idea was to improve transparency. Fast forward to 2022, and it has become a treasure of data and information. Advertisers and marketers use it as a source to get insights into what Facebook is up to. Businesses can use it to see what their competitors are doing, get ideas for their own Facebook ad copy, and track their progress over time.

Some prominent features of the Facebook ad library include:

• Feature to view ads from across the world.
• Transparency for political ads.
• Aspects of what makes good ad copy.
• Review competitor ads for research.
• Find inspiration for future advertisements.

Why Businesses must use Meta Ads Library

Using Facebook/Meta ads library helps businesses:

• Set an accurate budget for their ads.
• Improve the targeting by analysing how the competitor’s ads are performing.
• Find out what makes good Facebook ad copy.
• Create relevant and engaging Facebook ad copy for their ad campaigns.
• Determine the ideal platforms to reach the target customers.
• Find out the kinds of content that resonate with the target audience.
• Curate creative Facebook ad copy examples that the audience will respond to.

5 Ways to Unlock the Benefits of the Facebook Ad Library

The following is a partial list of what businesses can do with the Facebook/meta ad library. Nevertheless, it’ll help marketers proceed in the correct direction.

1. Peek Over The Fence

Using Meta/Facebook ads library primarily gives a better picture of the competition and market standards. Running a social media ad campaign needs strategising on multiple fronts. And for an ad campaign strategy to achieve business objectives, businesses need to determine what they’re up against. Competitor analysis can help businesses learn concrete ideas and help them improve the performance of their Facebook ad copies.

However, it is not always about agreeing with the competitor’s strategies and following a similar approach. Also, analysing what’s out there in the market can be a great learning or evolving curve. Insights from competitors’ data will tell brands what to do, and what not to do. Besides, brands can always keep an eye out for loopholes in their strategy and ensure the same doesn’t happen with their plans.

2. Spot The Difference With A/B Testing

Facebook ads library enables brands to see different versions of the same ad that competitors use for split testing. A/B testing is crucial for the success of Facebook campaigns. The task is simple — brands need to identify the difference between the elements being tested.

A different copy of the same image?

Different call to action?

The Facebook/Meta ads library makes it easy to build a checklist of ad features to A/B test for the next ad.

3. Watch out for Trends And Longevity

Facebook ads library helps businesses pick on trends in design, layout, offers, and more. Are video ads more popular? Why are other brands using more carousel and image ads? What is the current average Facebook ad copy length? The Meta ads library can help answer all these questions.

It also shows what ads have been live for a long time. It is a valuable insight into what ads are working and how well they perform.

4. Get The Jump On Competitors With Timing Cues

Creativity and copy are primary aspects of any Facebook ad. Even so, running times are also crucial for campaign success. If the ad is premature, the audience will not be ready, and brands may miss the opportunity.

The Facebook ads library can help brands adopt a cue from successful advertisements in the space and apply it to their campaigns. The historical data on the Facebook ad library can help brands time the upcoming campaigns accurately.

5. Funnel mapping

Advertisements are typically built with a customer funnel in mind. The ad drives traffic to a landing page finely drafted to trigger an action from the visitor. 

The Facebook ads library enables businesses to follow this funnel by clicking through. Businesses can find answers to everything: 

• Where is the ad taking the customers?
• Is it a Facebook page or an external website?
• Do the competitors ask for an email address to access high-value information?
• Is it a custom-designed landing page with a free trial offer?

Businesses can also get a decent idea about the Facebook ad copy examples that work. Furthermore, they can experience the entire thing from the POV of a customer and use the insights to fuel their ad campaigns.

Final Thoughts

It is crucial to know that it’s worth bearing in mind that the Facebook ads library only reveals ad creatives. No one can access anybody’s audience targeting criteria or context, audience network, or ad spend.

The creative concepts are worth exploring. While some advertisers view the kind of clarity that the Facebook ads library provides as a threat, many see it as a profitable opportunity. Think of it as an open door for inspiration and reap as much benefit from the existing ecosystem.