How can SEM competitor analysis help you find new ad formats?

2 How to find your SEM competitors

Before you can analyze your competitors' ad formats, you need to know who they are. You can start by using a keyword research tool, such as Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush, to find out who is bidding on the same keywords as you. You can also use a competitive intelligence tool, such as SpyFu or iSpionage, to get a more comprehensive view of your competitors' SEM campaigns, including their ad copy, landing pages, and budget. You can also search for your keywords on Google and see who appears in the paid results.

3 How to analyze your competitors' ad formats

Once you have a list of your SEM competitors, you can start to examine their ad formats. You can use the same tools mentioned above to see what types of ads they are running, such as text ads, image ads, video ads, or shopping ads. You can also look at the features and extensions they are using, such as callouts, sitelinks, reviews, or location. You can also check their ad performance metrics, such as click-through rate, conversion rate, or quality score. You can use these data to compare your own ads and see how you stack up against your competitors.

4 How to find new ad formats from your competitors

Based on your SEM competitor analysis, you can find new ad formats that can enhance your campaigns. For example, you could try a different ad type, such as video ads or shopping ads, if they are relevant to your products or services. Adding features or extensions, such as reviews or location, might increase your credibility or convenience. You can also test different variations of your ad copy, images, or videos to see which resonates most with your audience. Experimenting with different ad sizes, positions, or placements based on where your competitors are showing up may also attract more attention.

5 How to measure the impact of new ad formats

After you implement new ad formats based on your SEM competitor analysis, you need to measure the impact of your changes. You can use tools such as Google Ads or Google Analytics to track your ad performance metrics, such as impressions, clicks, conversions, or revenue. You can also use tools such as Google Optimize or Unbounce to run A/B tests or multivariate tests to compare different versions of your ads and see which ones perform better. You can use these results to optimize your ads and improve your return on investment.