Competitor PPC & Paid Search Ads research is one of the fastest ways to understand what rivals are doing with Google Ads and to create your own campaign on a much more improved optimized basis. I use the Semrush Advertising Research tool to uncover competitor ads strategy and their budgets, analyze competitor keyword ads and ad copies, and assess the PPC competition.
Table of Contents
- How do I access the Semrush Advertising Research tool and start a domain analysis?
- What does the paid search position chart show and how do I read it?
- How can I track position change to spot new, improved, or lost keywords?
- How do I identify and analyze PPC competitors using the tool?
- How do I review ad copies and learn which keywords each ad targets?
- What insights do I get from Ads History and how can it inform budgeting?
- What do Paid Pages and Subdomains reveal about paid traffic distribution?
- Which key data points should I prioritize when doing competitor PPC & paid search ads analysis?
- How do I turn these insights into a better search engine advertising campaign?
How do I access the Semrush Advertising Research tool and start a domain analysis?
I open Semrush and go to the Advertising section under Advertising Research. I enter any domain I want to check for PPC, select the target country, and click Search. The tool immediately returns the principal factors: the position showing the total number of keywords they are running ads on, the number of traffic they are receiving, and estimated traffic cost.
What does the paid search position chart show and how do I read it?
The basic chart view shows paid search position over different time ranges: month, six months, one year, two years, or all time. The table lists each keyword they run ads for, the landing page targeted for that keyword, traffic received from each page, cost estimates, competitive density, CPC, and ranking positions.
For example, when a company targets “SEO” it may point that keyword to a specific page, while “local SEO” points to a different page. The table helps me identify which pages are driving paid traffic, how many keywords rank for those pages, and the associated traffic cost.
How can I track position change to spot new, improved, or lost keywords?
Position change shows all Google keyword positions and highlights which ones are new, improved, lost, or declined. I scan the “new” column to find recently targeted keywords and the “lost” column to identify keywords where the advertiser dropped from position. If a keyword moved to lost, it might be because another advertiser outbid them or increased their budget.
How do I identify and analyze PPC competitors using the tool?
The Competitors section lists competitive positioning for the keywords the domain targets. It shows how many competitors are in the space and the percent overlap in common keywords between you and each competitor. I often click into a competitor from this list to open it in the Analytics section and analyze their advertising strategy in depth.
How do I review ad copies and learn which keywords each ad targets?
The Ad Copies view automatically shows all ad copies run by the domain. I can see the ad title, destination URL, ad type, and sort by number of keywords targeted. Clicking an ad copy lists all keywords that ad targets. That helps me see which messaging maps to which keyword sets and where they focus spend.
What insights do I get from Ads History and how can it inform budgeting?
Ads History provides a calendar-style history showing coverage and ranking for each keyword month by month. I look for months where coverage falls to zero or the ad is not in the first position. Those patterns tell me whether they reduced budget, stopped targeting a keyword, or got outbid. If I see poor historical coverage on a high-volume keyword, I flag it for better PPC optimization.
What do Paid Pages and Subdomains reveal about paid traffic distribution?
Paid Pages (available on higher plans) show which pages receive the most paid traffic and how many keywords drive that traffic. For example, a product page might receive 13.7k paid visits and account for 28% of total paid traffic with 90 keywords ranking. The Subdomains view highlights which subdomains attract the most ad traffic. These insights help prioritize landing pages and allocate budget.
Which key data points should I prioritize when doing competitor PPC & paid search ads analysis?
- Number of keywords the competitor is bidding on
- Traffic and traffic cost estimates to judge budget scale
- Landing pages used for each keyword
- Ad copies and the keywords each copy targets
- Position changes to spot opportunities and threats
- Competitor overlap to identify direct PPC rivals
How do I turn these insights into a better search engine advertising campaign?
I use the analysis to uncover gaps where competitors have weak coverage or lost positions. If I find high-volume keywords with poor competitor coverage, I prioritize those in my campaigns. I also replicate successful ad copy themes while improving landing pages and adjusting bids based on estimated traffic cost. Ultimately, the goal is to create a campaign that is better optimized and more targeted than the competition.
What metrics does Semrush Advertising Research show for a domain?
It shows number of keywords, estimated traffic, traffic cost, competitive density, CPC, landing pages targeted, ad copies, position changes, competitor overlap, ads history, paid pages, and subdomain traffic details.
Can I see historical ad performance and month-by-month coverage?
Yes. Ads History provides month-by-month coverage for keywords, showing when an ad ranked, when it lost position, and months with zero coverage.
How do I use competitor overlap to prioritize targets?
Look at competitors with high percent overlap and identify common keywords you both target. Then find keywords you rank for but competitors do not, or vice versa, and adjust bidding and budgets accordingly.
Are Paid Pages and Subdomains available on all Semrush plans?
Paid Pages and some subdomain details are available on higher-tier plans such as Guru and Business, so access may vary by subscription level.
