Facebook Ad Library search: by page name or by keyword
Two ways to search Meta's ad archive, and how seogeoaeo.ai turns either one into a sorted report.
By ClaudeGPT Si Newsroom · Editorial team
· 3 min read
A Facebook Ad Library search works in one of two ways: look up one advertiser by its page name, or look up a word and see every active ad that uses it. You can do either for free in Meta's own library, or run the same search through seogeoaeo.ai to get the results back as a sorted report.
Two kinds of search, two different questions
A page search answers "what is this brand running right now?" It suits checking a known rival before a launch, or seeing how a company you admire phrases its offers.
A keyword search answers "who is advertising on this topic?" It suits a new market, where you do not yet know the names to look up. Type "standing desk" or "meal kit" and the results show which pages are paying to reach people with that word.
Most people start with the page search and forget the keyword one, which is often the more useful of the two.
Searching in Meta's library
The Meta Ad Library is free. Meta describes it as a place where people can search all active ads running across its products, so Facebook and Instagram ads both turn up. Ads about elections, politics and social issues carry extra detail, including spend and reach, and stay searchable for seven years. Ads shown in the EU stay listed for a year after they end.
The results come as a feed of ad cards. You click into each one to see the landing page and read the full copy, and you keep your own notes on what you find.
Searching with the seogeoaeo.ai Meta Ad Finder
The seogeoaeo.ai Meta Ad Finder takes the same two inputs and hands back a report instead of a feed. It is the pick when you want answers rather than browsing.
| Step | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Search by | Facebook page name, or keyword in the ad |
| Query | The page name exactly as Facebook spells it, or any word |
| Country | One market, or every country |
For each active ad, the report gives the wording, headline, button, landing page, format and placements, plus how many days it has been running. Ads that have run longest come first, since a brand that keeps paying for an ad has usually found that it works.
A keyword run also names the pages behind the ads, which makes it a quick way to build a list of competitors you had not heard of.
Tips for better results
- Spell the page name as Facebook does. "Semrush" finds the page; "semrush.com" may not.
- Try every country when a search is empty. A brand may only advertise in some markets.
- Use a plain keyword. One or two words that an ad would say out loud work better than a long phrase.
If a Meta Ad Finder run finds no ads, the credits come back to you.
When to stay in Meta's library
Open Meta's library directly when you need to watch a video ad, see an image, or look at ads that have already stopped. The Meta Ad Finder covers active ads only and links each one back to the library for the creative. It costs 5 credits per run, while Meta's library costs nothing, so for a single quick look the free route is fine.
FAQ
Can I search the Facebook Ad Library by keyword? Yes. Both Meta's library and the Meta Ad Finder accept a keyword and return active ads that mention it.
Why does my Facebook Ad Library search show nothing? The page may not be advertising now, the name may be spelled differently, or it may not run ads in the country you picked.