How to Target Your Competitors’ Audience — and Outsmart Them

When Daniel launched his SaaS startup, he assumed that writing better copy and optimizing his funnel would be enough to grow. But after burning thousands on Meta ads with inconsistent results, he realized something deeper: his competitors weren’t just better at ads — they were better at finding the right audience.

That’s when he asked the question that changed everything: “How do I target my competitors’ audience on Facebook?”

The Real Growth Hack? Stop Guessing. Start Watching.

Daniel wasn’t alone. Thousands of marketers waste time and money trying to reach cold audiences, while their competitors quietly refine campaigns based on real user behavior. The real competitive edge isn’t better creatives — it’s knowing who to target.

But here’s the catch: Facebook (now Meta) doesn’t show you how your competitors are targeting. The Facebook Ads Library lets you see their active creatives — but not who’s seeing them, what interests or behaviors they’re using, or how much they’re spending. It’s like watching a movie without hearing the dialogue.

Can You Actually See Your Competitors’ Facebook Ad Targeting?

Not directly through Meta. And that’s why so many marketers turn to third-party tools. Platforms like BigSpy or AdEspresso provide surface-level insights: what ads are live, how many likes or comments they’re getting, and sometimes ad copy variations. Similarweb and SEMrush offer valuable traffic insights and keyword data, which are helpful for Google Ads, but still don’t tell you who the audience really is.

What Daniel needed was not just a snapshot of the competition’s creatives — he needed a full map of their targeting strategy.

Turning to AI-Powered Competitive Intelligence

This led him to explore more advanced solutions. Some modern platforms go beyond surface-level ad spy functionality by using machine learning and behavioral analytics to uncover targeting logic: job roles, seniority levels, company size, and even geographic distribution.

Instead of guessing what his ideal customer might look like, Daniel was now reverse-engineering what already worked for his rivals — not just on Meta, but on Google and LinkedIn as well.

How to Find Your Competitors’ Target Audience on Facebook

With the right data, it became surprisingly simple. After entering competitors’ brand names, Daniel got a heatmap of active ad clusters. He discovered that his top rivals focused heavily on product managers at mid-sized B2B SaaS companies — a segment he hadn’t considered targeting before.

He adjusted his Meta Ads targeting to include these roles and layered it with specific interests and behaviors. The results came quickly: his click-through rate doubled, and his cost per lead dropped by nearly 40%. For the first time, his ads were reaching the right people from the start.

What About Google Ads? Targeting Competitors There Too

Daniel took the same approach and applied it to Google. Using insights from paid search traffic and ad copy trends, he identified high-performing queries his competitors were bidding on — including branded keywords and intent-driven questions like “alternatives to [competitor].”

Instead of fighting over generic keywords, he began capturing warm leads from users who were already researching solutions. With this insight, his campaigns shifted from underperforming to ROI-positive in just weeks.

Can You Target Competitors’ Followers on Facebook?

That’s a common question, and the answer is nuanced. While Meta has removed some direct follower targeting options, behavioral data still makes it possible. By analyzing digital signals and engagement patterns, marketers can build behavioral clusters — people who interact with similar brands or communities.

Lookalike audiences based on the real attributes of competitor followers became Daniel’s workaround. The key was in behavioral patterns, not just static page likes.

Tools to Spy on Competitors’ Ads and Audiences

If you’re ready to go beyond guesswork, here are some of the most popular tools marketers use to analyze and target competitor audiences:

Signum.AI – An AI-driven go-to-market intelligence platform that reveals your competitors’ hidden ads on Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn. It uncovers targeting logic, budget ranges, winning creatives, and helps you build high-conversion segments based on real data.

BigSpy – A large ad spy tool that shows creatives from multiple platforms. Good for trend tracking but lacks detailed audience insights.

AdEspresso – Offers ad examples and some testing suggestions, useful mainly for beginners working with Meta ads.

Similarweb – Ideal for understanding your competitors’ website traffic sources and high-performing keywords. Helpful for planning Google Ads.

SEMrush – One of the most popular tools for SEO and paid search intelligence. Offers keyword research, ad copy data, and competitor PPC insights.

Each tool serves a different purpose. Some offer deeper creative inspiration, others provide search engine insights. But only a few combine both audience targeting and creative analysis.

Targeting Competitors’ Customers Isn’t About Stealing — It’s About Learning

Many marketers feel unsure about targeting competitor audiences. But it’s not unethical. In fact, it’s a sign of strategic thinking. Your competitors have already done the hard work of defining and educating the market. Why not build on that foundation?

With the right tools, you’re not stealing ideas — you’re learning from validated experiments. You get to see which offers land, which segments engage, and which channels drive performance. And then you build smarter, faster, and cheaper.

Final Thoughts: Win the Audience, Win the Market

Daniel’s story is not unique. Every day, marketers waste ad spend trying to reinvent the wheel. But the truth is, the answers are already out there — hidden in your competitors’ campaigns.

Whether you’re wondering how to target competitors’ audience on Facebook, how to find your competitors’ audience on Google Ads, or how to see what actually converts — modern marketing intelligence helps you connect the dots. It doesn’t just show you the battlefield. It hands you the map.

So if you’re ready to outsmart the competition, don’t guess. Learn. Adapt. And execute with clarity.

Artem Gladkikh
Founder & CEO, Signum.AI
Building The Ecosystem That Transforms Marketers Into AI-Driven Experts.

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