Advert transparency instruments make it straightforward to watch advertisements from any firm, together with a competitor. The instruments present invaluable artistic perception, from pictures model to video codecs, advert copy to call-to-action messaging.
Paid instruments, akin to Similarweb and Semrush, collate exercise throughout platforms and supply efficiency element.
Free instruments are useful, too. Native options on TikTok, Meta, Google, and LinkedIn reveal any firm’s previous and current campaigns.
Free Advert Transparency Instruments
TikTok advert library
The TikTok library contains all advertisements — lively or paused — revealed after October 1, 2022. Search by key phrase or the identify linked to the advertiser’s TikTok account. The shared knowledge contains views and viewers concentrating on.
Marketing campaign metrics on the search outcomes web page present an higher and decrease vary, however clicking a selected quantity reveals an in depth breakdown. TikTok takes as much as 24 hours for brand spanking new advertisements to point out within the instrument, and it received’t present any advert eliminated for breaching the phrases of service.
This instance overview web page for vogue retailer JD Sports activities reveals 10-100K advert views.
Marketing campaign metrics on TikTok’s ad-library search outcomes web page present an higher and decrease vary, however clicking a quantity reveals an in depth breakdown. This instance is for JD Sports activities, a vogue retailer. Click on picture to enlarge.
Meta Advert Library
The Meta Advert Library permits looking out throughout Meta platforms by model, key phrase, and area. The instrument launched in 2018 for, initially, Fb alone.
The advertisements hyperlink to an advertiser’s Fb web page. (At all times test the web page’s follower rely to make sure you’re on the suitable firm.) Information on inactive campaigns is on the market just for advertisements addressing social or political points. That features many corporations, such because the outside model Finisterre, which promotes social causes.
The Meta Advert Library permits looking out throughout Meta platforms by model, key phrase, and area. This instance is for Finisterre, an out of doors model. Click on picture to enlarge.
Google Adverts Transparency Heart
The Google Adverts Transparency Heart contains advertisements lively within the earlier 30 days throughout search, show, YouTube, and Gmail. Search by advertiser or web site — with filters for textual content, picture, and video campaigns.
The instance under reveals advertisements for the haircare model JVN, which I discovered by looking out the Transparency Heart for that firm’s web site. Be aware Google identifies the corporate working (buying) the advertisements. On this case, it’s JVN’s mother or father Ameris Clear Magnificence Inc.
Google discloses extra particulars for political promoting — offering for seven years the spend, attain, and concentrating on standards.
Be aware that new campaigns can take as much as 72 hours to look, and advertisements received’t present if the advertiser eliminated them or they violated Google’s coverage, leading to a takedown.
The Google Adverts Transparency Heart contains advertisements lively within the earlier 30 days throughout search, show, YouTube, and Gmail. JVN haircare is proven right here. Click on picture to enlarge.
LinkedIn firm pages
LinkedIn has no searchable advert library, however there’s a workaround. First, discover a firm’s LinkedIn web page, then navigate to the “Posts” tab and click on “Adverts” to see these revealed within the final six months. Paused and accomplished campaigns present right here, too.
To seek out advertisements on LinkedIn, go to the advertiser’s firm web page, navigate to the “Posts” tab, and click on “Adverts.” This instance is for Oatly, an dairy meals various. Click on picture to enlarge.
What about Twitter?
Twitter eliminated its advertisements transparency instrument in 2019 when it banned political advertisements from the platform. There isn’t any alternative so far.