Competitive Ads Extractor
This skill extracts your competitors' ads from ad libraries and analyzes what's working—the problems they're highlighting, use cases they're targeting, and copy/creative that's resonating.
When to Use This Skill
- •Researching competitor ad strategies
- •Finding inspiration for your own ads
- •Understanding market positioning
- •Identifying successful ad patterns
- •Analyzing messaging that works
- •Discovering new use cases or pain points
- •Planning ad campaigns with proven concepts
What This Skill Does
- •Extracts Ads: Scrapes ads from Facebook Ad Library, LinkedIn, etc.
- •Captures Screenshots: Saves visual copies of all ads
- •Analyzes Messaging: Identifies problems, use cases, and value props
- •Categorizes Ads: Groups by theme, audience, or format
- •Identifies Patterns: Finds common successful approaches
- •Provides Insights: Explains why certain ads likely perform well
How to Use
Basic Extraction
code
Extract all current ads from [Competitor Name] on Facebook Ad Library
code
Scrape ads from [Company] and analyze their messaging
Specific Analysis
code
Get all ads from [Competitor] focusing on their messaging about [specific problem]. What pain points are they highlighting?
Competitive Set
code
Extract ads from these 5 competitors: [list]. Compare their approaches and tell me what's working.
Specific Platform
code
Get LinkedIn ads from [Competitor] and analyze their B2B positioning strategy
Example
User: "Extract ads from Notion on Facebook Ad Library and tell me what messaging is working for them."
Process:
code
Accessing Facebook Ad Library... Searching for: Notion Found: 23 active ads Extracting screenshots... [████████████████████] 100% Saved to: competitor-ads/notion/ - ad-001-collaboration.png - ad-002-productivity.png - ad-003-templates.png ... Analyzing messaging...
Output:
code
# Notion Ad Analysis
## Overview
- Total Ads: 23 active
- Primary Themes: Productivity (35%), Collaboration (30%),
Templates (20%), AI Features (15%)
- Ad Formats: Static images (60%), Video (40%)
- CTA Patterns: "Try for free", "Get started"
## Key Problems They're Highlighting
1. **Scattered Information** (8 ads)
Copy: "Stop switching between 10 different tools"
Why it works: Direct pain point many teams face
2. **Meeting Overload** (5 ads)
Copy: "Replace unnecessary meetings with async updates"
Why it works: Post-COVID remote work pain point
3. **Lost Documentation** (4 ads)
Copy: "Never ask 'where is that doc?' again"
Why it works: Universal workplace frustration
## Successful Creative Patterns
### Pattern 1: Before/After Split
- Shows chaotic tool landscape → Clean Notion workspace
- Used in 6 high-performing ads
- Visual metaphor is immediately clear
### Pattern 2: Feature Showcase
- GIF of actual product usage
- Shows specific feature in 5 seconds
- Used for new features (AI, templates)
### Pattern 3: Social Proof
- "Join 20M users" messaging
- Customer logos
- Used in 4 ads targeting enterprise
## Copy That's Working
Best Headlines:
1. "Your team's knowledge, finally in one place"
→ Benefit-focused, addresses pain directly
2. "The all-in-one workspace"
→ Clear positioning, broad appeal
3. "AI that actually helps you work"
→ Addresses AI skepticism, practical angle
Best Body Copy Patterns:
- Short sentences (under 10 words)
- Focus on outcomes not features
- Include specific numbers ("Cut meetings by 50%")
## Audience Targeting Insights
Based on ad variations:
- Startup founders: Solo productivity angle
- Team leads: Collaboration and alignment
- Enterprise: Security and compliance mentions
- Students: Free plan, templates, organization
## Recommendations for Your Ads
1. **Test the "tool sprawl" pain point**
→ Strong resonance based on their ad frequency
2. **Use product screenshots over abstract visuals**
→ All their top ads show actual UI
3. **Lead with the problem, not the solution**
→ "Tired of X?" performs better than "Introducing Y"
4. **Keep copy under 100 characters**
→ Their shortest ads seem most frequent
5. **Test before/after visual formats**
→ Proven pattern in their creative
## Files Saved
- All ads: ~/competitor-ads/notion/
- Analysis: ~/competitor-ads/notion/analysis.md
- Best performers: ~/competitor-ads/notion/top-10/
Inspired by: Sumant Subrahmanya's use case from Lenny's Newsletter
What You Can Learn
Messaging Analysis
- •What problems they emphasize
- •How they position against competition
- •Value propositions that resonate
- •Target audience segments
Creative Patterns
- •Visual styles that work
- •Video vs. static image performance
- •Color schemes and branding
- •Layout patterns
Copy Formulas
- •Headline structures
- •Call-to-action patterns
- •Length and tone
- •Emotional triggers
Campaign Strategy
- •Seasonal campaigns
- •Product launch approaches
- •Feature announcemen