The Meta Ad Library is a free tool where users can search and view active and past ads from any advertiser. It was originally launched in 2018 for ads related to political and social issues, but it has since expanded to include all advertisers on Meta's platforms. You can access the Meta Ad Library directly at facebook.com.
To use the Meta Ad Library, navigate to the Ad Library, select the country you want to see ads for, and then select "All Ads" from the adjacent dropdown. Type in a business name (like a competitor) or a specific topic or keyword in the search bar. From there, you'll be able to see all the relevant results for your search.
Each card includes details for different ads, including information like: Is the ad active or inactive? When did the ad start running? If inactive, when did it stop running? Which platforms (Facebook, Instagram) the ad ran on If the ad was flagged for any special categories (such as credit, employment, housing, or social issues) Additionally, beneath each ad in the Meta Ad Library, you'll notice a "See ad details" button. Clicking that button will let you explore any variations of that ad running with different media, headlines, descriptions, or calls to action.
You can also add a filter from the Facebook Ad Library to narrow down a specific element of the resulting ads. With filters, you can review their specific ads by: Language Platform (Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network or Messenger) Media (Images, memes, images and memes, videos, and no image or video) Active status (Active or inactive) Active date (Any timeframe from the past seven years)
