How to Use Facebook Ad Library in 2025

The Facebook Ad Library has become an essential tool for marketers, advertisers, and business owners looking to analyze ad strategies, gain competitor insights, and improve their own ad performance. 

Whether you’re running Facebook Ads or just want to see what works in your industry, the Ad Library provides transparency and access to active ads across Meta’s platforms.

But how can you leverage this tool effectively to improve your Facebook Ad campaigns?

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What the Facebook Ad Library is and why it’s useful.
• How to access and navigate the Ad Library in 2025.
• Powerful ways to use the Ad Library for competitive research, inspiration, and optimization.

By the end, you’ll have a clear strategy for using Facebook Ad Library to refine your ads, boost engagement, and outperform competitors.

What is Facebook Ad Library?

The Facebook Ad Library is a free tool provided by Meta that allows anyone to search for and view active ads running across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network. 

It was originally launched to promote ad transparency, especially for political and social issue ads, but it has since evolved into a powerful resource for marketers and advertisers.

Key Features of Facebook Ad Library

• Search Functionality: Look up ads by keyword, advertiser name, or topic.
• Filter Options: Sort ads by location, platform, ad type, or industry.
• Transparency Reports: View spending trends for political and social issue ads.
• Ad Details: See active and inactive ads, along with variations in ad creatives, copies, and CTAs.
• New AI-Powered Insights: Meta now provides automated performance insights on ad trends.

How to Access the Facebook Ad Library?

The Facebook Ad Library is a publicly accessible tool, meaning you don’t need a Facebook account to browse ads. Here’s how to access it:

Step 1: Visit the Facebook Ad Library

Go to the official Facebook Ad Library page: https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/

Step 2: Choose Your Country & Ad Category

Once on the site, you can:

• Select your country (or leave it as “All” for a global view).
• Choose an ad category (e.g., All Ads, Political Ads, Social Issues, Housing, etc.).

For business or eCommerce ads, simply select “All Ads” to browse general advertising campaigns.

Step 3: Search by Keyword, Advertiser, or Topic

You can search for ads in three main ways:

• By Advertiser Name – See all active ads from a specific competitor.
• By Keyword – Find ads related to a specific product, service, or industry.
• By Topic – Browse trending ad topics in your market.

Once you enter a search term, a list of active ads will appear with detailed information on when the ad started, the variations used, and the platforms it’s running on.

Step 4: Analyze the Ad Details

Clicking on an ad will show you:

• Creative Variations – Meta often tests multiple versions of the same ad, so you can see how advertisers A/B test their campaigns.
• Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons – Learn how different brands engage users (e.g., “Shop Now” vs. “Learn More”).
• Platform Distribution – See if the ad is running on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or the Audience Network.

With these insights, you can identify common trends and successful strategies in your industry.

5 Ways to Use Facebook Ad Library Properly

1. Conduct Competitive Research

One of the biggest advantages of Facebook Ad Library is its ability to uncover competitors’ advertising strategies.

By searching for direct competitors, you can analyze:

• The types of ads they’re running (video, carousel, static image).
• How often they update or refresh their ads.
• Their CTA choices (e.g., “Sign Up” vs. “Book Now”).

If you notice a competitor has been running the same ad for months, it likely performs well—giving you valuable insight into what works in your industry.

2. Get Ad Creative Inspiration

If you’re struggling with ad design or copywriting, browsing the top-performing ads in your industry can spark new ideas.

Pay attention to:

• Headline structures – What phrases grab attention?
• Visual styles – Are brands using bold colors, animations, or UGC (user-generated content)?
• Offers & Discounts – Are brands using limited-time promotions or social proof?

By studying successful ads, you can refine your own ad creatives to be more engaging and effective.

3. Analyze Ad Formats & Placements

The Ad Library shows where each ad is running, helping you determine which platforms perform best.

For example:

• Ecommerce brands may focus more on Instagram Stories & Reels ads.
• B2B businesses often prioritize Facebook Feed or Messenger ads.

Understanding these trends can help you optimize your ad placement for better results and lower costs.

4. Identify Seasonal & Trending Ads

The Facebook Ad Library allows you to track seasonal promotions and trends in real time.

For example:

• During Black Friday, you can see what discounts competitors are offering.
• Leading up to Christmas, brands may shift toward holiday-themed creatives.

By monitoring trends, you can prepare your ad campaigns in advance and ensure they align with consumer demand.

5. Improve Your Ad Copy & Messaging

The best ads have engaging headlines, persuasive copy, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs).

Look at:

• How brands structure their messaging.
• Whether they use social proof (testimonials, reviews).
• How they create urgency with words like “limited time” or “only a few left.”

You can apply these findings to your own ads to improve engagement and conversion rates.

Also read: How to Use Google Ads Library

Conclusion

The Facebook Ad Library is an invaluable tool for advertisers, marketers, and business owners looking to stay ahead in 2025. 

Whether you want to analyze competitors, find ad inspiration, or optimize your own campaigns, this free resource provides unmatched transparency into the world of Facebook advertising.

If you’re looking to take your Facebook Ads to the next level, our ads specialists in Sydney can help you create high-performing campaigns that maximize ROI and drive real results.

By leveraging Facebook Ad Library insights, combined with expert strategy and optimization, you can ensure your ads are competitive, effective, and profitable.