I was running a small e-commerce side hustle, selling quirky gadgets, and my first few ad attempts bombed hard – think crickets in the comments and zero sales.
That’s when I stumbled upon TikTok’s own tools like the TikTok Ad Library and TikTok Creative Center. They became my secret weapons for spying on what worked without spending a penny.
Fast forward to now, and we’ve turned that into a full strategy here at AFFINCO, helping brands scale their TikTok presence. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how we use these free gems to spy on TikTok ads, spot winners, and boost campaigns.
Why TikTok Ads Matter for E-commerce Brands and Dropshippers
TikTok has exploded into a powerhouse for e-commerce, with over 1.7 billion users scrolling through endless feeds daily. For dropshippers and marketers like us, it’s a goldmine for reaching Gen Z and millennials who crave quick, fun buys.
We’ve seen our clients double their traffic by tapping into viral trends, but the key? Knowing what ads are crushing it. That’s where spying on TikTok ads comes in – not in a shady way, but smartly using free resources to learn from the best.
At AFFINCO, we always start with TikTok’s native tools because they’re cost-free and packed with insights. Tools like the TikTok Ad Library (also known as the Commercial Content Library or CCL) and TikTok Creative Center let you find TikTok ads without fancy software.
They’re perfect for top-of-funnel (TOFU) awareness or middle-of-funnel (MOFU) engagement, helping you test ideas before pouring cash into campaigns. We’ve used them to scout competitors’ creatives, tweak our hooks, and even find hot products. But stick around – we’ll also cover their limits and why we pair them with pro options.
🚀 Getting Started with TikTok Ad Library: Your Free Spy Tool
First off, the TikTok Ad Library is TikTok’s transparency hub, showing ads that have run on the platform. It’s like peeking into your rivals’ playbooks. We at AFFINCO use it daily to spy on TikTok ads and gather intel on what’s performing.
To access it, head to library.tiktok.com/ads. No account needed at first, but signing in with a TikTok Business account unlocks more features. Once inside, you’ll see a clean interface with search bars and filters. Here’s how we navigate it:
- Basic Search: Type in keywords like “wireless earbuds” to find TikTok ads related to your niche. It pulls up ads containing those terms in captions or descriptions.
- Filtering Options: Narrow down by country (e.g., UK, US), ad type (video, image), advertiser name, or date range. We often filter by “last 7 days” to catch fresh trends.
- Performance Metrics: Each ad shows likes, duration, and impressions if available. Sort by popularity to see top performers.
For example, last month, we were prepping a dropshipping campaign for fitness gear. I searched “yoga mat” in the TikTok Ad Library, filtered to the UK, and found a competitor’s ad with 500k+ likes. It used a funny skit – we borrowed the vibe (ethically, of course) and saw our engagement jump 40%.
That’s the power of this TikTok ad spy tool free
| Filter Type | What It Does | Our Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Targets specific regions like US or EU | Start with your main market to see localised trends. |
| Ad Type | Video, carousel, or branded effects | Focus on videos – they dominate TikTok |
| Advertiser Name | Search by brand or competitor | Spy on big players like Shein for e-com inspo |
| Keywords | Matches ad text or hashtags | Use LSI terms like “TikTok shop deals” for broader results |
This setup makes it easy to spy on TikTok ads without breaking the bank. We’ve built entire MOFU strategies around it, like creating lookalike audiences based on winning ad styles.
🎯 Jumping Deeper with TikTok Creative Center
Now, let’s talk about TikTok Creative Center – the creative brain behind your ad spying. Found at ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter it’s a dashboard for trends, top ads, and tools to build your own content. We treat it as an extension of the Ad Library, using it to refine what we find.
Sign in with your TikTok account (business one preferred) for full access. The layout is intuitive: tabs for Top Ads, Trends, and Creative Tools.
- Top Ads Dashboard: This is gold for spying on TikTok ads. Filter by industry (e.g., e-commerce), objective (conversions, traffic), and region. Sort by CTR or impressions to see high-performers. We spotted a dropshipping ad for phone cases with 2M views – it inspired our next product launch.
- Trend Discovery: Hunt for trending hashtags, sounds, and videos. Search by keyword to see rising LSI terms like “viral TikTok products” or “dropshipping hacks”. Last quarter, we jumped on a sound trend and boosted our video views by 25%.
- Search Functions: Use advanced filters like ad language, format, or likes. Combine with keywords to find TikTok ads that match your funnel stage.
When I first used the TikTok Creative Center, it was for a SaaS client promoting email tools. We filtered top ads in “tech” and found user-generated style creatives outperforming polished ones. We replicated that, and conversions spiked. It’s all about real application – test one insight per campaign to track what sticks.
🕵️♂️ Real-World Examples: How We Spy and Apply Insights
At AFFINCO, we don’t just browse; we act. Here’s a quick case from our team: For an e-com brand selling beauty products, we used the TikTok Ad Library to search “lip gloss” filtered to Europe. Found an ad with 1M impressions using a before-after hook.
In TikTok Creative Center, we checked related trends like #BeautyHacks. We created a similar ad, added our twist, and ran it – ROI hit 3x within weeks.
Another time, for dropshippers, we spied on “kitchen gadgets” ads. Filtered by high likes in the US, spotted a pattern: short, humorous videos convert best. We advised clients to mimic, and sales popped.
Pro tip: Download ad creatives (where allowed) and analyse hooks, CTAs, and music. Tools like these make the TikTok ad spy tool free a game-changer for TOFU content that builds awareness.
The Limitations of Free Tools: Where They Fall Short
Alright, let’s keep it real – these free tools aren’t perfect. We’ve hit walls at AFFINCO, especially scaling up. The TikTok Ad Library and Creative Center offer basics, but they lack depth for serious players.
In one campaign, we couldn’t analyse why a competitor’s ad tanked after week two – free tools didn’t show timeline data. That’s when we turned to pro solutions.
💻 Level Up with BigSpy: The Pro TikTok Ad Spy Tool
Enter BigSpy – our go-to for overcoming those limits. It’s a dedicated TikTok ad spy tool with a massive database covering 1B+ ads across platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. At AFFINCO, we use it to dig deeper, especially for e-com and dropshipping.
BigSpy shines with:
For instance, we used BigSpy to analyse a rival’s TikTok campaign for apparel. It showed their ad ran 30 days with peaking engagement at day 10 – we optimised ours accordingly, boosting ROI by 50%.
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🎁 Exclusive TikTok for Business Cashback Deals
To sweeten the pot, pair your spying with TikTok for Business.
We’ve secured exclusive cashback:
- Spend $200, get $200 in ad credits
- Spend $500, get $500
- Spend $1,500, get $1,000
It’s a no-brainer for testing spied ideas without full risk. Sign up via AFFINCO partner links for these deals.
📋 Putting It All Together: Your TikTok Ad Spy Strategy
We’ve scaled client campaigns from $1k to $10k monthly this way. For e-com brands and dropshippers, it’s about staying agile in TikTok’s fast world.
🔍 Final Thoughts: Spy Smart, Scale Big
So, that’s the playbook. Free tools like the TikTok Ad Library are your starting line, perfect for snagging quick wins—we’ve seen a single insight boost engagement by 40%.
But to truly crush it, you’ll need deeper data. That’s where ad spying with a pro tool like BigSpy comes in, giving you the analytics to build campaigns that last. It’s about making every dollar count instead of just guessing.
Ready to turn your competitor’s best TikTok ads into your own winning formula?
