How to Find Winning Ad Ideas from Google, TikTok & Meta
Discover how to find top ad ideas and research your competition using Google, TikTok, and Meta Ad Library. Get new creative inspiration—watch and share your thoughts!
How to Find Winning Ad Ideas from Google, TikTok & Meta
Welcome! In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through how to do powerful ad research on Google, TikTok, and Meta. We’ll explore how to see what your competition is up to while also generating great new ideas for your creative batches—whether you’re working on your own product or running a store. If you want to scale up your business, boost your ad performance, or just get inspired, you’re in the right place.
My name is Vincent. I started running ads back in 2016 and managed to scale an EMM brand from $50K a month to $150K a month using Facebook and Google Ads. Since then, I’ve started my own agency—Chipper—where we help brands scale from six and seven figures, managing a seven-figure ad spend worldwide. What I’ll share with you is exactly how I do research with my own team.
Ready to dive in? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
Why Ad Research Matters
If you’re running ads, one of the best things you can do is take a close look at what’s already working in your industry. Ad research gives you:
Current trends and winning formulas.
Insight on your competitors’ strategies.
Inspiration for headlines, hooks, visuals, and offers.
Solid data for your next creative batch.
In ad land, the companies who keep a close pulse on their market are the ones that take off.
“Coming up with new ideas is hard. Seeing what’s already working—and improving on it—is the real shortcut.”
Meta Ad Library Deep Dive
Let’s kick things off with the Meta Ad Library, since it’s the go-to for many direct-to-consumer brands.
Getting Started With Meta
First things first—head over to the Meta Ad Library.
Set your location. For this example, let’s select
United States.Categories: Choose
All Ads. This pulls in everything that’s currently running, not just political or social issue ads.Use the search bar. As an example, if you’re after women’s sportswear (think brands like Skims), you’d search for “women’s sportswear”.
Tip: You can use multiple keywords and modifiers (like “free shipping”) to filter down.
A view of Meta’s Ad Library interface
Finding and Filtering Competitor Ads
Let’s break it down step-by-step:
Filtering by Keyword:
Start by typing your core product category, likesportswear. Want to zero in on offers or unique positioning? Try using combos like “women’s sportswear + free shipping”.Checking Out a Specific Brand:
Got a competitor in mind? Type their brand name (like “Skims”). Click on them in the search results.Seeing All Running Ads:
You’ll now see every ad they’re running—sometimes hundreds! As of this writing, Skims was running over 210 ads at once. Scroll through and spot patterns in the visuals, hooks, and calls to action.
An example page loaded with live Skims ads
Click “See Ad Details”:
You can check which platforms the ad is running on—Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or Audience Network. Sometimes, in Europe, you get the actual spend and reach data too!Inspect Versions and Focus:
Notice if they’re testing the same offer or landing page with lots of variations. For example, Skims runs ads for both women and pregnant women—a sign of targeted audience testing.
Analyzing Meta Ad Creatives
How do you spot a “winner”? A good trick is to focus on ads that have been running longer than seven days. Here’s how:
Use the Meta Ad Library filters:
Set “active since” to a week ago or earlier.
Ads that are still running after a week are often the ones converting best. It means the brand likes the results.
Filtering for active and long-running Meta ads
Look at Media Types:
Filter by “video” to see motion creatives, which often work the best on social platforms.Dissecting the Ad:
Note the hook: What makes you stop scrolling?
Check the copy: Is it long, emotional, factual, or super short?
Look at visuals: Different models, colors, body types, scenarios.
Check call-to-action: Are they pushing “Shop Now”, “Learn More”, or something else?
“A lot of big brands aren’t using long-form copy anymore. Super short, punchy messages with lots of variations make a difference.”
Saving & Categorizing Meta Ads
Don’t just scroll—save your findings! Use tools like AdNova or Foreplay to keep track of great ads.
How to organize:
Create boards, e.g., “Chipper Good Ads”, “Hooks Worth Stealing”, “Video Inspo”.
Add notes on why you liked the ad, what might be worth testing, and any details on the strategy.
Sample of an AdNova research board with saved Meta ads
TikTok Ad Library: Uncovering Viral Trends
Meta is the classic; TikTok is where trends take off fast. If you want to ride the viral wave, TikTok’s Ad Library is your next stop.
How to Use TikTok’s Ad Library
Go to the TikTok Creative Center: Ads Library.
Search for your competitor or product type (e.g., “Skims”, “women’s leggings”).
Use filters:
Country/Region
Industry
Objectives (reach, traffic, app installs, etc.)
Media type (video is king!)
Heads up: Sometimes, not every brand is running TikTok ads in every market (as with Skims in the US or UK in this example). But you can always explore adjacent brands or broader keywords.
TikTok Ad Library showing creative examples in the “Fashion” industry
Analyzing TikTok Ads
One big win with TikTok’s ad library is the detailed data for each creative:
When the ad started running
Views (often shown as a range)
Targeting (countries, gender, age)
Creative breakdown (copy and visual composition)
For example, if an ad has 10,000+ views and has been running for weeks, it’s probably performing well!
“TikTok gives you way more info than Meta on viewers, dates, and even targeting. Take advantage of that.”
What to look for:
Hooks & Openings: TikTok users are fast to scroll. What grabs attention in the first few seconds?
Music & Trends: Are competitors using viral sounds or formats?
Captions & Text Overlays: How do they highlight value props?
Calls-to-action: “Shop now”, “Try it free”, “Learn more”.
Save winning concepts to your AdNova/Foreplay boards!
Cross-Industry Ad Research
Don’t limit your search to just your own category! I do this all the time:
If you’re selling window cleaning, check out what works for tree removal.
If you’re in sportswear, see what high-performing ads are like in beauty or supplements.
You’ll be surprised how a format or angle in one industry can become your next winning creative.
“Steal like an artist: Take what’s working in other industries and apply it to yours for an edge competitors haven’t seen yet.”
Google Ad Research
Seeing the Full Google Ad Picture
Google is way more than just search ads. Brands run display ads, shopping ads, bumper videos, and more—especially for ecommerce. Here’s how I research Google ads:
Use SEM tools like SEMrush or SpyFu to see which paid keywords competitors are bidding on.
Check the competitor’s own search and display ads by googling their brand/product names.
Use Google’s Ad Transparency Center (when available) for a direct look at current ads.
Example: Skims running 4,000+ different Google Ads, across search, display, video, and shopping
What to look for:
How many ad variations: If they’re running thousands, what are the key differences?
Ad type:
Search (text)
Shopping (product images)
Display (banners)
Video (YouTube bumper or in-stream)
Titles and headlines: What messages are repeated?
Products or collections being pushed: Are they testing lots, or just a few focuses?
Landing pages: Where do the ads lead?
Google Ad Types Breakdown
1. Search Ads
Focused keyword targeting.
Headlines are direct and feature offers like “free shipping” or “up to 30% off”.
2. Shopping Ads
Product-based, shows picture, price, and reviews.
Great for quickly analyzing how a product is positioned visually.
3. Display Ads
Banners and static images or GIFs across websites.
Look for standout imagery and unique calls to action.
4. Video Ads
YouTube pre-roll or mid-roll.
Short punchy scripts with clear visuals.
Frequently used for high-ticket or brand awareness campaigns.
“Look at the variety—if a brand has lots of ad versions, they’re testing hard and adapting fast.”
Mining Customer Reviews for Advertising Gold
Your competitors’ ads are one thing, but real customer reviews are an untapped goldmine for new hooks, pain points, and differentiators. Here’s how to mine them step-by-step.
Website Reviews
Go directly to your competitor’s (or your own) product pages.
Scroll through the latest reviews.
Look for patterns in what customers love and hate.
Amazon Reviews
Amazon is the king for in-depth, passionate customer feedback. Even if your competitor is DTC-only, likely there are dupes or similar products on Amazon.
Search for original products and popular dupes.
Look at the number of reviews and ratings for validation.
Golden nugget:
Focus mainly on 2, 3, and 4-star reviews.
1-star reviews often have angry rants, and 5-stars are too positive to be actionable.
Screenshot: Amazon reviews filtered by 2-, 3-, and 4-stars—where the gold is
What to extract:
Pain points: What’s uncomfortable, annoying, missing?
Unexpected benefits: What made people’s lives easier or better?
Exact phrases: Copy/paste customer words for authentic ad hooks.
“With the two, three, and four-star reviews you can dig in way deeper for what’s missing or what people actually want.”
Example:
“I was thrilled with the promise of a snug fit and sleek design, but the bottom felt like a thong—constantly needing adjustment. Major letdown.”
From there, you can spin ad hooks like:
“Tired of underwear that’s sexy, but uncomfortable? Ours stays put—no more awkward adjusting every time you sit down.”
Reddit, Forums & More
Don’t stop at reviews! Head to forums and Reddit to see what people really say when they think brands aren't looking.
Search the brand or product name for discussions.
Pay attention to recurring compliments or complaints.
Spot the “what I wish it had” or “here’s what’s missing” threads.
Collect your findings in an Excel or Google Sheet so you can refer to them anytime.
Reddit threads and forum posts about real product use cases
Organizing and Using Your Research
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the data and screenshots. Here’s how to make sense of it:
Create a spreadsheet or use an ad research tool.
Create columns for brand, creative type, hook, message, pain point, visual concept, and notes.
Use boards or folders in tools like AdNova and Foreplay for easy access.
Sample Excel Structure:
| Brand | Type | Hook | Message | Visuals | Notes ||----------|---------|--------------------------|---------------|----------------|----------------------|| Skims | Video | “Fits every body” | Comfort + Fit | Multiple Models| Been running 14 days || Flexia | Image | “Free Shipping Now” | Limited time | Color variety | Good colorways |
Keeping things organized means you’ll never scramble for ideas when it’s time for a new creative batch.
Final Tips and Next Steps
Set aside at least 15 to 30 minutes every week for ad research.
Look for what’s working both inside and outside your direct industry.
Focus on what’s running longest or getting the most interaction.
Don’t just collect ideas—test them with your own brand’s twist.
Regularly review your ad boards and research sheets to spark creativity.
Turn pain points and real-life issues into big hooks for your own ads.
“Research every day, or at the very least once a week. It’s the #1 way to always have fresh ad ideas and stay ahead of your competitors.”
About Vincent & Chipper
I’ve been running ads for nearly a decade and have helped countless brands hop from six to seven figures and beyond. My agency, Chipper, specializes in DTC and EMM brands and manages seven-figure ad spends across the globe. We love creative testing, finding sneaky winning ideas, and helping brands grow fast while keeping profits in check.
Get in Touch
If you found this guide useful, I’d love for you to subscribe for more guides and tips on meta ads, TikTok, Google, and more. If you need help setting up your ad accounts or want to scale your brand to the next level, book a call with me using the link below—let’s make your brand the next big name.
Links:
If you’d like a copy of our personal Excel ad research sheet, just drop a comment—I’m happy to send it over!
Thanks for following along. Keep researching, keep testing, and see you in the next guide.
Remember: The best ad ideas aren’t about being original—they’re about spotting what works and giving it your unique spin.
Let your research power your next creative breakthrough!
