{"id":183270,"date":"2024-12-17T05:46:41","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T10:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=183270"},"modified":"2025-12-18T08:37:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:37:22","slug":"ppc-spying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/","title":{"rendered":"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-txt\">\n\n<p>You don\u2019t have to be the next James Bond to start PPC spying\u2014all you need is a license to Ahrefs.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<p>In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share seven ways you can start spying on your competitors\u2019 paid search campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"What is PPC spying, and why is it important?\" data-section=\"what-is-ppc-spying-and-why-is-it-important\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_kgcdm8tm78vj\"><\/a>What is PPC spying, and why is it important?<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>PPC spying is when businesses use marketing intelligence tools, like Ahrefs, to obtain data about their competitors\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-marketing\/\">pay-per-click (PPC) marketing campaigns<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal of PPC spying is to improve your PPC campaigns by adapting your strategy based on what your competitors are&nbsp;doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gives you a competitive advantage<\/strong> \u2014 PPC spying enables businesses to outperform their rivals by identifying their top-performing ad creatives, keywords, and overall strategy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Helps you identify important trends<\/strong> \u2014 PPC spying helps you identify paid search trends across all of your competitors rather than focusing on a single ad on a search result<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Provides ad inspiration<\/strong>\u2014Spying and analyzing competitors\u2019 ad copy enables you to improve your own ads, which could help increase your conversion rates and click-through rates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, PPC spying is important because it gives you a bird\u2019s-eye view of your competitors\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-vs-seo-overlap-study\/\">PPC strategies<\/a>, which you can use to improve your&nbsp;own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, without further ado, here are seven ways to start PPC spying on your competitor\u2019s Google ads using Ahrefs.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"1. Spy on your competitor\u2019s paid traffic and traffic cost\" data-section=\"1-spy-on-your-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_2x1yn5kio29\"><\/a>1. Spy on your competitor\u2019s paid traffic and traffic cost<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the basics. The first thing you want to find out is how much traffic your competitors are getting and what it\u2019s costing them. You can see both using the Ahrefs<strong> Paid traffic<\/strong> report\u2014for any website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"808\" height=\"720\" class=\"wp-image-183271\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif\" alt=\"Spy On Competitor's Paid Traffic And Traffic Cost\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_aisxb17e6yrn\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To access this report, input their website URL into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>. I\u2019ve entered canva.com as an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1084\" height=\"404\" class=\"wp-image-183272\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-a-domain-into-site-explorer-screenshot.png\" alt=\"Entering A Domain Into Site Explorer Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-a-domain-into-site-explorer-screenshot.png 1084w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-a-domain-into-site-explorer-screenshot-680x253.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-a-domain-into-site-explorer-screenshot-768x286.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1084px) 100vw, 1084px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then click the <strong>Paid search<\/strong> tab below on the <strong>Overview<\/strong>. You\u2019ll see the <strong>Paid traffic<\/strong> report, where you can toggle <strong>traffic and traffic costs<\/strong> on and off. This will display a time series graph that automatically plots the historical data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1540\" height=\"926\" class=\"wp-image-183273\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/clicking-on-the-paid-search-tab-screenshot.png\" alt=\"Clicking On The Paid Search Tab Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/clicking-on-the-paid-search-tab-screenshot.png 1540w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/clicking-on-the-paid-search-tab-screenshot-680x409.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/clicking-on-the-paid-search-tab-screenshot-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/clicking-on-the-paid-search-tab-screenshot-1536x924.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1540px) 100vw, 1540px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Also, if you scroll back up to the dashboard and look for <strong>Paid search <\/strong>on the right-hand side, it shows you the estimated number of monthly searches your competitor gets from paid search and the estimated monthly cost of the traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"816\" height=\"274\" class=\"wp-image-183274\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-search-report-dashboard-screenshot.png\" alt=\"Paid Search Report Dashboard Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-search-report-dashboard-screenshot.png 816w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-search-report-dashboard-screenshot-680x228.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-search-report-dashboard-screenshot-768x258.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_605zrwjrkrlf\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Being able to check on any of your competitors\u2019 paid search performance provides you with insights into their budget for PPC and the traffic acquired. Looking at the Canva example, we can see that they ramped up their PPC spend, which led to huge spikes in traffic due to the Black Friday weekend before Christmas in the last quarter.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"2. Spy on the location of your competitor\u2019s paid traffic\" data-section=\"2-spy-on-the-location-of-your-competitors-paid-traffic\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_3axmtz99g4f6\"><\/a>2. Spy on the location of your competitor\u2019s paid traffic<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>If you work with a client that operates in multiple territories, chances are their competitors will also be working across multiple territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To spy on your competitor\u2019s paid traffic across different locations, you can use Ahrefs\u2019 <strong>Paid traffic by location<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1068\" height=\"1224\" class=\"wp-image-183275\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-traffic-by-location-report.png\" alt=\"Paid Traffic by Location Report\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-traffic-by-location-report.png 1068w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-traffic-by-location-report-371x425.png 371w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-traffic-by-location-report-768x880.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1068px) 100vw, 1068px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>This report shows you the countries from which your competitor is getting the most paid traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_kfyhq05g5qap\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Paid traffic by location<\/strong> report is to the right of the <strong>Paid traffic<\/strong> and <strong>Paid keywords<\/strong> reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_p8ana0sosqnw\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If one of your competitors expands to a new territory, they will likely test the waters with PPC to see if they get any traction. This report shows where a competitor is spending most of their PPC budget, and it can be useful in identifying new market opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can also help you optimize your own Ad spend. If you know that a competitor is spending most of their PPC budget in one country, it may be beneficial for you to increase investment in other similar regions.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"3. Spy on the number of paid pages and paid keywords your competitor has\" data-section=\"3-spy-on-the-number-of-paid-pages-and-paid-keywords-your-competitor-has\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_ofhd6x2c4bho\"><\/a>3. Spy on the number of paid pages and paid keywords your competitor has<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>If you want to understand the scale of a competitor\u2019s paid campaign, you can check the number of keywords they are bidding on and the pages they are sending the traffic to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1468\" height=\"1202\" class=\"wp-image-183276\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-keywords-and-paid-pages-report.png\" alt=\"Paid Keywords And Paid Pages Report\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-keywords-and-paid-pages-report.png 1468w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-keywords-and-paid-pages-report-519x425.png 519w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/paid-keywords-and-paid-pages-report-768x629.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1468px) 100vw, 1468px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_uhd10ufcyx6f\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To see this screen, just scroll down from the <strong>Paid traffic<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_aipkxodlt5jr\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The charts for <strong>Paid keywords<\/strong> and <strong>Paid pages <\/strong>help us understand the historical performance of a competitor\u2019s Google ads campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From these charts, we can analyze the seasonality of our competitors\u2019 paid search campaigns, specifically the number of paid keywords they\u2019re bidding on and the number of paid pages they\u2019re sending paid traffic to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Identifying peaks and troughs here could lead to changes in our own PPC strategy. For example, if a competitor vastly increases the number of keywords or pages at a certain time of year, it could indicate increased demand they want to capture\u2014for example, for an event like Black Friday or Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If keywords and pages are reduced, it could mean either that demand has reduced or that their SEO is doing so well that they don\u2019t need paid advertising. Or it could simply be a&nbsp;test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, you\u2019ll have to use your intuition and your own data to determine the exact reason for peaks and troughs in this&nbsp;data.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"background-color: #d5d5d5;\"><\/span><\/p><div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/how-to-use-ahrefs\/site-explorer\/paid-keywords\">Ahrefs Academy: How To Use Ahrefs \u2013 Paid Keywords<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/how-to-use-ahrefs\/site-explorer\/paid-pages\">Ahrefs Academy: How To Use Ahrefs \u2013 Paid&nbsp;Pages<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"background-color: #d5d5d5;\"><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"4. Spy on your competitor\u2019s top-performing ads\" data-section=\"4-spy-on-your-competitors-top-performing-ads\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_5xbln0akbkhl\"><\/a>4. Spy on your competitor\u2019s top-performing ads<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Spying on your competitor\u2019s top-performing ads allows you to learn what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not. And the best place to do it is in the <strong>Top Ads<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1444\" height=\"1206\" class=\"wp-image-183277\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-ads-screenshot.jpg\" alt=\"Top Ads Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-ads-screenshot.jpg 1444w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-ads-screenshot-509x425.jpg 509w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-ads-screenshot-768x641.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1444px) 100vw, 1444px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_pczbmei30bm7\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To see your competitor\u2019s <strong>Top Ads<\/strong>, scroll down from the <strong>Paid pages <\/strong>report, and you\u2019ll see the ads sorted from highest to lowest traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to see all of your competitors\u2019 ads, you can click the <strong>View all<\/strong> button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_xylldkwwmwvc\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Spying on your competitor\u2019s top-performing ads is useful because you can learn what works and what doesn\u2019t without spending a dollar on&nbsp;PPC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"background-color: #d5d5d5;\"><\/span><\/p><div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/how-to-use-ahrefs\/site-explorer\/ads\">Ahrefs Academy: How To Use Ahrefs \u2013&nbsp;Ads<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"5. Spy on your competitor\u2019s top-paid keywords and paid pages\" data-section=\"5-spy-on-your-competitors-top-paid-keywords-and-paid-pages\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_gpzt464dzzub\"><\/a>5. Spy on your competitor\u2019s top-paid keywords and paid&nbsp;pages<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Although it\u2019s interesting seeing the top-performing ads, sometimes you want to know <em>what<\/em> keywords are driving this traffic and also <em>what <\/em>pages your competitors are sending traffic to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the example below, it\u2019s probably no surprise that Canva is sending the lion\u2019s share of their paid traffic to their homepage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1257\" class=\"wp-image-183278\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-paid-keywords-and-top-paid-pages.png\" alt=\"Top Paid Keywords And Top Paid Pages\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-paid-keywords-and-top-paid-pages.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-paid-keywords-and-top-paid-pages-680x417.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-paid-keywords-and-top-paid-pages-768x471.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/top-paid-keywords-and-top-paid-pages-1536x943.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_k8c70x4cru5a\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To see your competitor\u2019s <strong>Top paid keywords<\/strong> and <strong>Top paid pages<\/strong> report, scroll down from the <strong>Top ads<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_ip7kdtiqxh2d\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing the exact keyword is useful for two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Find new keywords<\/strong> \u2013 It can allow you to uncover new keywords you might not have discovered yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Find high-value keywords<\/strong> \u2013 With paid traffic, competitors aren\u2019t usually going to put money into keywords that don\u2019t offer a good return. Spying on their paid keywords allows you to find the most high-value keywords.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, with your competitor\u2019s <strong>Top paid pages<\/strong>, you can see which pages they prioritize for paid activity, giving you insights into their overall marketing strategy.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"6. Spy on the history of all your competitors\u2019 paid ads for any keyword\" data-section=\"6-spy-on-the-history-of-all-your-competitors-paid-ads-for-any-keyword\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_u57fje3plbjj\"><\/a>6. Spy on the history of all your competitors\u2019 paid ads for any keyword<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>So far, we\u2019ve only looked at spying on one competitor in isolation, but what if you want to look at <em>all<\/em> the competitors bidding on a particular keyword? This is easy to do using <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> and the <strong>Ads position history<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This report shows us two things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When competitors started and finished bidding on this keyword<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What landing page they send the traffic to<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"601\" class=\"wp-image-183279\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot.png\" alt=\"Ads Position History Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-680x200.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-768x225.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-1536x451.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_pm06xgvgmz78\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>, enter your keyword in the search bar. I\u2019ve used \u201cahrefs\u201d and then scrolled down to the <strong>Ad position history <\/strong>report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1566\" height=\"882\" class=\"wp-image-183280\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-ahrefs-into-keywords-explorer.png\" alt=\"Entering Ahrefs Into Keywords Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-ahrefs-into-keywords-explorer.png 1566w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-ahrefs-into-keywords-explorer-680x383.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-ahrefs-into-keywords-explorer-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/entering-ahrefs-into-keywords-explorer-1536x865.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1566px) 100vw, 1566px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the example below, we can see one of our competitors placed some ads on our brand keyword a few years&nbsp;ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1514\" height=\"402\" class=\"wp-image-183281\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-1.png\" alt=\"Ads Position History Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-1.png 1514w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-1-680x181.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-1-768x204.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1514px) 100vw, 1514px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The colored marks indicate where a competitor has placed a paid Google ad on this particular keyword over time, the longer the length of the mark means the ad ran for a longer period of&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this report\u2019s strength is in its ability to show <em>all<\/em> competitors bidding on this keyword. If we enter \u201cChristmas tree\u201d into the search bar, we can see a variety of competitors bidding on this keyword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"438\" class=\"wp-image-183282\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-2.png\" alt=\"Ads Position History Screenshot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-2.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-2-680x145.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-2-768x164.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ads-position-history-screenshot-2-1536x329.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Hovering over any of the colored marks will reveal the exact ad that was run. This is useful for monitoring paid activity and seeing how competitors have changed their ads over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2408\" height=\"720\" class=\"wp-image-183283\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/showing-ads-overlay-pop-up-in-ads-position-history.gif\" alt=\"Showing Ads Overlay Pop Up In Ads Position History\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>This is a really good way to quickly assess the competition before you launch your PPC activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_seq9ekfn62sl\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For quick spot checks on important keywords, like your brand, you can see which competitors are placing ads on certain keywords. Often it will be more than one competitor for competitive terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This overview is also useful for helping you understand the peak advertising periods. If competitors run a lot of ads at a certain time of year, you can use this information to inform your own campaigns for the next&nbsp;year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also useful for allocating PPC budgets. If you can see the timing of the competitors\u2019 ads, you can allocate more budget to be spent during these periods.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"7. See the cost per click (CPC) for any competitor keyword\" data-section=\"7-see-the-cost-per-click-cpc-for-any-competitor-keyword\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_fwel0zbi81lf\"><\/a>7. See the cost per click (CPC) for any competitor keyword<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Cost per click (CPC) is the amount you pay when a user clicks on an ad. It\u2019s an important metric for marketers as it helps them understand how much they will need to spend to attract potential customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1650\" height=\"880\" class=\"wp-image-183284\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighing-the-cpc-column-in-site-explorer.png\" alt=\"Highlighing The CPC Column In Site Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighing-the-cpc-column-in-site-explorer.png 1650w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighing-the-cpc-column-in-site-explorer-680x363.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighing-the-cpc-column-in-site-explorer-768x410.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighing-the-cpc-column-in-site-explorer-1536x819.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1650px) 100vw, 1650px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_ho13ruq1rqja\"><\/a>How to do&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find CPC in Ahrefs by entering any domain into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>\u2019s search box and then heading to the <strong>Paid keywords<\/strong> report<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"420\" height=\"238\" class=\"wp-image-183285\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighing-paid-keywords-screenshot.png\" alt=\"Highlighing Paid Keywords Screenshot\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to identify paid keywords within a certain range, you can use the CPC filter. I\u2019ve set a filter for ads above $10 CPC to see the most expensive keywords. We can see that Canva is only bidding on a single keyword above $10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1596\" height=\"764\" class=\"wp-image-183286\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighting-a-high-cpc-in-site-explorer.png\" alt=\"Highlighting A High CPC In Site Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighting-a-high-cpc-in-site-explorer.png 1596w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighting-a-high-cpc-in-site-explorer-680x326.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighting-a-high-cpc-in-site-explorer-768x368.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/highlighting-a-high-cpc-in-site-explorer-1536x735.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1596px) 100vw, 1596px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_pcqm3sdfe20a\"><\/a>Why it\u2019s useful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeing the CPC for each keyword allows you to manage your advertising budget effectively. Enabling you to provide the best return on investment in your PPC campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By understanding CPC, you can also update and optimize your bidding strategies accordingly.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Common pitfalls of PPC spying\" data-section=\"common-pitfalls-of-ppc-spying\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_xd6lxitn7s5g\"><\/a>Common pitfalls of PPC spying<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Spying on competitors\u2019 paid activity is a useful way to get a competitive advantage. But it\u2019s worth noting some common pitfalls, which, if you\u2019re not careful\u2014-you can fall&nbsp;into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what they are and how to avoid&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_r127bisqtdc0\"><\/a>Over-focusing on competitor ads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Although PPC spying is a useful way to get insights about your competitors\u2019 paid activity, if you over-obsess and over-analyze your competitor\u2019s ads, you could lose sight of your own PPC campaign. Try to focus on getting a few key insights and then use those to inform your PPC strategy.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">Tip<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n\n<p>Using the Ads position history in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>, you can analyze the paid competition for any keyword, giving you a 30-second view of the paid search landscape before running your&nbsp;ads.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_inm0iaksz947\"><\/a>Misinterpreting the&nbsp;data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Like SEO, PPC has many metrics by which you can measure your campaigns\u2019 success. Sometimes, these metrics can be misunderstood or misinterpreted.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">Tip<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n\n<p>In Ahrefs, if you are unsure of any PPC metrics meanings, you can hover over the text to get their definitions.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Before you launch your next campaign, make sure you understand key <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-metrics\/\">PPC metrics<\/a> like click-through rate (CTR), cost per acquisition (CPA), conversion rates (CR), quality score (QS), and return on ad spend (ROAS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_6c6onn3x46fp\"><\/a>Overreacting to competitors\u2019 short-term strategies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With so much data at your fingertips, it\u2019s easy to overreact when you see a competitor\u2019s PPC campaign unfold\u2014especially if it impacts keywords traditionally \u201cowned\u201d by your&nbsp;brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why it\u2019s often best to establish a long-term PPC strategy. PPC teams run tests regularly to see what works and what doesn\u2019t, so the reality is that a lot of PPC advertising is relatively short-term.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">Tip<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n\n<p>Try not to be overly reactionary to your competitors\u2019 PPC campaigns.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-183270-_lr7irhkkw7vd\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahrefs is already well known for its SEO features, but as we\u2019ve seen, some of its PPC features are super useful for spying on your competitors\u2019 paid ad campaigns. By using these insights in your PPC strategy alongside your first-party data, you can stay one step ahead of your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already use Ahrefs for SEO, give our PPC features a whirl on your next paid campaign, and start PPC spying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got suggestions for PPC features you\u2019d like to see in Ahrefs? Let me know <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/chris-haines-seo\">on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share seven ways you can start spying on your competitors\u2019 paid search campaigns. PPC spying is when businesses use marketing intelligence tools, like<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":178,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[196],"tags":[],"coauthors":[437],"class_list":["post-183270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paid-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share 7 ways to spy on your competitors\u2019 paid campaigns.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share 7 ways to spy on your competitors\u2019 paid campaigns.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-12-17T10:46:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-18T13:37:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/ahrefs_blog.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chris Haines\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@chris_at_b449\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chris Haines\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9afb394ccc6e0e19c199d26984a8b0b2\"},\"headline\":\"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-17T10:46:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-18T13:37:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2309,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/ppc-spying-7-ways-to-spy-by-chris-haines-paid-marketing-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Paid Marketing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/\",\"name\":\"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-17T10:46:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-18T13:37:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share 7 ways to spy on your competitors\u2019 paid campaigns.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ppc-spying\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif\",\"width\":808,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"Spy On Competitor's Paid Traffic And Traffic Cost\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\",\"description\":\"Link Building Strategies &amp; SEO Tips\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ahrefs\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/ahrefs-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/ahrefs-logo.png\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"Ahrefs\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/Ahrefs\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/ahrefs\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/ahrefs\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/c\\\/ahrefscom\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9afb394ccc6e0e19c199d26984a8b0b2\",\"name\":\"Chris Haines\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/ChrisHaines_2x.jpg5328cbfe0b80f39d8800869ef43bebfc\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/ChrisHaines_2x.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/ChrisHaines_2x.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Chris Haines\"},\"description\":\"Chris is an SEO director who has 10 years of experience in SEO, agency side. When not involved in SEO, he enjoys messing around with vintage synthesizers, walks on sandy beaches, and a good cup of tea.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/chrishaines.uk\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/uk.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/chris-haines-seo\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/chris_at_b449\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/chris-haines\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads","description":"In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share 7 ways to spy on your competitors\u2019 paid campaigns.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads","og_description":"In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share 7 ways to spy on your competitors\u2019 paid campaigns.","og_url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/","og_site_name":"SEO Blog by Ahrefs","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/","article_published_time":"2024-12-17T10:46:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-12-18T13:37:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/ahrefs_blog.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Chris Haines","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@chris_at_b449","twitter_site":"@ahrefs","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/"},"author":{"name":"Chris Haines","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9afb394ccc6e0e19c199d26984a8b0b2"},"headline":"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads","datePublished":"2024-12-17T10:46:41+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-18T13:37:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/"},"wordCount":2309,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ppc-spying-7-ways-to-spy-by-chris-haines-paid-marketing-1.jpg","articleSection":["Paid Marketing"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/","name":"PPC Spying: 7 Ways to Spy on Your Competitors\u2019 Ads","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif","datePublished":"2024-12-17T10:46:41+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-18T13:37:22+00:00","description":"In this article (for your eyes only), I\u2019ll share what PPC spying is, why it\u2019s important, and share 7 ways to spy on your competitors\u2019 paid campaigns.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-spying\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/spy-on-competitors-paid-traffic-and-traffic-cost.gif","width":808,"height":720,"caption":"Spy On Competitor's Paid Traffic And Traffic Cost"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/","name":"SEO Blog by Ahrefs","description":"Link Building Strategies &amp; SEO Tips","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Ahrefs","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ahrefs-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ahrefs-logo.png","width":2048,"height":768,"caption":"Ahrefs"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ahrefs","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ahrefs\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/ahrefscom"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9afb394ccc6e0e19c199d26984a8b0b2","name":"Chris Haines","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ChrisHaines_2x.jpg5328cbfe0b80f39d8800869ef43bebfc","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ChrisHaines_2x.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ChrisHaines_2x.jpg","caption":"Chris Haines"},"description":"Chris is an SEO director who has 10 years of experience in SEO, agency side. When not involved in SEO, he enjoys messing around with vintage synthesizers, walks on sandy beaches, and a good cup of tea.","sameAs":["https:\/\/chrishaines.uk\/","https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/chris-haines-seo","https:\/\/x.com\/chris_at_b449"],"url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/author\/chris-haines\/"}]}},"as_json":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/178"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183270\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183270"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=183270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}