> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.autoady.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Research competitor ads

> Find observed ads, save references, and turn evidence into a testable creative idea.

**Competitors** is a research workspace for observed ads. Use it to understand messaging and creative patterns, then build your own test with evidence you can verify.

## Find and organize references

1. Open [Competitors](https://www.autoady.io/competitive). Start in **Explore** and use advertiser or ad-copy search plus the available format, status, industry, and duration filters.
2. Choose **Find advertiser** when you need to search by brand, page name, page ID, link, or keyword. Review matches before requesting **Find more ads**.
3. If a search is queued, wait for its status. The product shows results joining the shared catalog when ready; the first visible matches may be cached observations.
4. Inspect an ad's creative, copy, advertiser, reported timing, and available analysis. Save a useful reference to **Saved ads** or organize it in **Boards** using the offered controls.
5. Use **Tracked competitors**, **Briefs**, and **Alerts** for supported ongoing research work. Confirm the selected client workspace when tracking is scoped to one.

## Decide what the evidence supports

A reported duration or an active status does not prove profitability, spend, conversion performance, or a successful test. Competitor observations are different from the performance data of your own connected ad account.

Look for a specific testable idea: a clearer product demonstration, a different objection, an offer structure, or a visual layout. Adapt the principle to your own product and verified offer. Avoid copying an advertiser's claims or implying their results apply to you.

## Check freshness and charges

Use **Refresh** or **View updates** when the catalog announces new observations. Read any displayed charge or work estimate before requesting additional retrieval or generation. A catalog update and a newly successful source search are different events.

If no matches appear, verify the advertiser identity and try a page ID or link. If a search is still queued or taking longer, check its existing status before starting another request. Clear filters before assuming the catalog has no ads.

Next: [Save your brand context](/creative/brand) and [create a distinct Studio draft](/creative/studio).


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