Check on Your Competitor’s Google Ads
To dominate Google Ads, you need to know exactly what your competitors are doing. By analyzing their PPC keywords, ad strategies, and landing pages, you can optimize your own campaigns for better performance.
How to Uncover Competitor PPC Keywords
Start by entering a competitor’s domain into a tool like Semrush. You’ll get a list of their top paid keywords along with important data:
- Rank – Their position on the SERP
- Traffic % – How much traffic each keyword drives
- Volume – Monthly search volume
- KD % – Keyword difficulty for organic rankings
- CPC – Cost per click
- # of results – Organic competition
- Search trend – Seasonal or long-term interest
Why Ad Rank Matters
Keywords where your competitors consistently rank high suggest strong ad copy and optimized landing pages. Analyze these pages to understand what they’re doing right and improve your own assets accordingly.
Traffic Percentage Insights
Keywords driving large portions of traffic—especially branded ones—show what matters to your competitors. Look for non-branded terms in their top traffic drivers for opportunities they’re capitalizing on that you might have missed.
Keyword Volume Considerations
Search volume helps gauge potential reach. Focus on a balance—don’t chase only high-volume keywords with massive competition. Pair moderate volume with lower CPC and KD for better ROI.
Keyword Difficulty and PPC
Although KD is an SEO metric, it’s useful for PPC. Keywords with high difficulty are often targeted by authoritative domains, indicating strong commercial intent. If a keyword has high KD, expect higher competition in ads too.
CPC: Cost vs. Opportunity
High CPC often means high competition. If you’re just starting, focus on lower CPC terms with reasonable volume. This helps control budget while testing and optimizing your ad creatives and landing pages.
Search Trend and Timing
Search trends reveal when interest peaks. Avoid pouring ad budget into keywords declining in popularity. Use this data to plan seasonal campaigns or shift resources to evergreen topics.
Benefits of Competitor Ad Research
For PPC:
- Discover high-performing keywords
- Analyze competitor ad copy and CTA strategies
- Evaluate landing page structure and content
- Avoid wasting budget on low-performing or overpriced terms
For SEO:
- Use paid keyword data to uncover SEO content ideas
- Prioritize terms that convert well in paid campaigns
- Eliminate guesswork by targeting proven commercial-intent queries
Best Tools for Google Ads Competitor Research
- Google Keyword Planner – Access accurate keyword data from Google
- Semrush – View competitor ads, paid keywords, CPC, and landing pages
- Google Ads Transparency Center – Explore ad history and creative by advertiser
- SpyFu/iSpionage – Analyze PPC history, budgets, and keyword data over time
4 Simple Steps to Analyze Competitor Google Ads
Step 1: Identify Competitors
Search for your target keywords and note who’s running ads. Use Semrush to enter your own domain and find a list of PPC competitors with shared keywords and competition level.
Step 2: Analyze Their PPC Keywords
Use Semrush’s “Position Changes” tab to see competitor ad keywords, trends, CPCs, and sample ad copy. This helps you spot messaging patterns and strategic keyword choices.
Step 3: Review Their Landing Pages
Click on their ads (or view directly in Semrush) to analyze headlines, CTAs, layout, and trust signals. High-quality landing pages often correlate with top-ranking ads. Use this to upgrade your own.
Step 4: Organize and Track Your Insights
Keep a spreadsheet with relevant keywords, ad examples, CPC estimates, and landing page observations. Tag which terms are PPC-friendly and which are worth targeting for SEO.
Tracking competitor activity gives you an edge in creating efficient, high-converting ad campaigns. Use their performance as a benchmark and blueprint, then outperform them by refining what works and avoiding what doesn’t.
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