9 Competitor Analysis Tools for Google Ads

In the world of digital advertising, knowing what your competitors are up to can give you a significant edge. Understanding their strategies, the keywords they target, and the ad copy they use can help you refine your own campaigns for better results.

Fortunately, there are several powerful tools designed specifically for competitor analysis in Google Ads and other digital advertising platforms. Let’s explore six of the top competitor analysis tools for Google Ads available today.

The Reality of Monitoring Competitors in Google Ads

Before jumping into the tools, let’s address a common question: “Can I see how much my competitors are spending and which keywords they’re bidding on?”

With privacy concerns on the rise, Google has been limiting direct access to competitor data, especially in paid search. This means advertisers can’t directly view competitors’ ad spend or specific keywords. While this change can be frustrating, it brings balance to the market: If you can’t access certain data about competitors, they can’t access that data about you either.

That said, competitor data still exists, and knowing where to look can provide powerful insights. Let’s break down these tools for gathering industry-specific competitor insights to give your Google Ads campaigns a strategic edge.

1. Google Ads Auction Insights Report

While direct data on competitors’ keywords and spending is off-limits, the Auction Insights Report provides a wealth of information on your ad performance relative to competitors. This report is accessible under the “Campaigns” or “Ad groups” sections in Google Ads and includes metrics like impression share, overlap rate, and position above rate.

Our team focuses primarily on impression share. Impression share indicates how often your ads appear in Google search results compared to competitors. For instance, a 60-70% impression share can be a good result for a competitive field, as achieving 100% is rare.

Here are some ways to leverage the Auction Insights Report:

Identify market shifts: If a competitor’s impression share changes drastically, it might signal budget adjustments.

Track entry of new competitors: Noticing a new entrant with a significant impression share can signal rising competition.

Budget optimization: If you’re losing impression share due to budget, this may indicate competitors are outbidding you or have a larger ad spend.

Overall, the Auction Insights Report helps track your position in the market and gauge shifts in the competitive landscape.

2. Google Search Results

One of the simplest but often overlooked tools for competitor research is Google Search itself. By searching target keywords directly on Google, you can see competitor ads, messaging, and CTAs.

For deeper insights, search on different devices and at various times throughout the day. Many companies run ads at specific times to manage budgets, so checking multiple times can help you capture a fuller picture of the competitor landscape.

Using Google Search results for competitor research provides direct insight into ad copy trends, ad formats, and promotional strategies being used.

3. Google Ads Keyword Planner

Google Ads Keyword Planner is an excellent tool for estimating keyword search volumes and determining competitive bidding ranges. Enter keywords essential to your business, and Google will provide data on search volume, competition level, and top-of-page bid ranges.

Here’s how to leverage Keyword Planner:

Identify low-competition keywords: Look for high-value keywords with low competition, which can be less costly.

Optimize bids: Use estimated bid ranges to adjust your bidding strategy, keeping in mind these values may not always be precise.

Remember, Keyword Planner is a forecasting tool and should be used alongside real-time testing to determine optimal bids.

4. Google Ads Campaign Target ROAS Simulator

The Campaign Target ROAS Simulator is a budgeting tool that estimates growth based on budget adjustments. This simulator uses your campaign’s ad spend and competitors’ data to predict potential results if you increase your budget.

This tool is especially useful for:

Budget optimization: Experiment with different budget allocations to reach desired ROAS levels.

Forecast testing: Use the Campaign Target ROAS Simulator to test budget changes in real-time.

For marketers with lower traffic volumes, setting a higher target ROAS goal can sometimes backfire. Consider trying a Max Conversion Value strategy before increasing the Target ROAS feature.

5. Google Merchant Center’s Price Competitiveness

For eCommerce brands, Google Merchant Center’s Price Competitiveness report provides pricing insights by comparing your product prices to those of competitors selling similar products. This tool categorizes prices as above, at, or below industry average. Ideally, your products should fall into the “below average” category to remain competitive.

With this report, you can:

Benchmark your prices: See how your prices stack up and identify areas where you can be more competitive.

Optimize based on industry averages: Adjust your pricing strategy based on industry norms to increase appeal.

Note: To access the Price Competitiveness tool, your products must have Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTINs).

6. Google Merchant Center’s Best Sellers

Google Merchant Center’s Best Sellers report offers valuable insights into popular products within your Google Shopping feed. This can help you determine which products are trending and adjust your campaigns accordingly.

With the Best Sellers report, you can:

Identify popular product trends: Monitor items that are in high demand within your industry.

Optimize Shopping campaigns: Promote popular items to capitalize on trending products.

Filtering by category helps narrow down best sellers within specific niches, making it easier to refine your strategy.

7. Semrush’s PPC Toolkit

While Semrush is widely recognized for SEO, it also offers a PPC Toolkit packed with features for competitive analysis. With this toolkit, you can track competitors’ top-performing ads, keywords, and ad placements.

Key features of Semrush’s PPC Toolkit include:

Ad tracking: View competitors’ text and display ads to understand their messaging and positioning.

Keyword analysis: Identify high-performing keywords competitors are targeting.

Positioning insights: Assess competitors’ market positioning and find gaps you can capitalize on.

Using Semrush’s PPC Toolkit can provide a wealth of data-driven insights that improve both your strategy and ROI.

8. Ahrefs’ Site Explorer

Known for its powerful SEO capabilities, Ahrefs Site Explorer also offers a robust set of tools for paid search marketers. With Ahrefs, you can analyze a competitor’s domain, examine backlinks, and track paid traffic trends.

Here’s how Ahrefs Site Explorer can help with Google Ads:

Paid traffic insights: Access a breakdown of paid search performance for competitors.

Keyword discovery: Find keywords competitors are actively bidding on.

Backlink analysis: Review link sources that are driving referral traffic to competitor sites.

Ahrefs is an essential tool for analyzing organic and paid traffic to spot industry trends and untapped opportunities.

9. SpyFu’s PPC Research

Finally, SpyFu’s PPC Research offers insights into competitors’ Google Ads strategies. It shows you which keywords they’re targeting, estimated monthly spending, and ad copy samples.

Using SpyFu PPC Research:

View ad history: See how competitors’ ad strategies have evolved over time.

Analyze ad copy: Assess competitor messaging and adapt ideas that align with your brand.

Budget analysis: Estimate competitors’ ad spending for targeted keywords.

SpyFu is an invaluable tool for understanding competitors’ PPC trends and aligning your strategy with industry movements.

FAQs 

Q: How can competitor analysis tools help my Google Ads campaigns? 

Competitor analysis tools provide valuable insights into your competitors’ strategies, allowing you to refine your own campaigns based on proven tactics and avoid potential pitfalls.

Q: Can these tools help me find new keywords for my campaigns? 

Yes, most tools offer keyword analysis features that allow you to discover new keywords based on what your competitors are using effectively.

Q: Are these tools suitable for small businesses? 

Absolutely! These tools cater to businesses of all sizes by providing scalable solutions and actionable insights that can be tailored to fit your budget and needs.

Q: Which tool is best for monitoring social media ads? 

While primarily focused on Google Ads, some tools like SEMrush also offer insights into social media ad strategies, making them versatile for multi-channel competitor analysis.

Conclusion

While accessing detailed data on competitors’ ad spend and keywords may no longer be possible, these nine tools provide substantial insights for Google Ads strategy. By analyzing impression share, adjusting pricing, and monitoring trending products and ad copy, you can optimize your campaigns to stay competitive.

Embrace industry-wide data trends and strategic insights to grow your Google Ads performance without relying on direct competitor data. With careful analysis and an agile approach, you can make your Google Ads campaigns both effective and profitable.

Ready to take your Google Ads campaigns to the next level? Start leveraging these tools today for a competitive edge in the PPC world!