Can Ahrefs show you what Display Ads your competitors are running? It’s a reasonable thing to want. Ahrefs already reveals competitor paid search keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. So why not display too?
The reason is more straightforward than you’d think. Ahrefs is built around search intelligence. Display Ads don’t live in search results. They’re served programmatically across millions of websites, apps, and Google properties like YouTube and Gmail. That puts them on an entirely different data layer, one Ahrefs doesn’t touch.
Here’s what that means for your research and what tools fill the gap.
TL;DR: Ahrefs tracks paid search ads in Google SERPs but has no visibility into Display, YouTube, Gmail, or Shopping ad creatives. For competitor display ad research, use the free Google Ads Transparency Center, SEMrush, SpyFu, or AdBeat.
What Does Ahrefs Actually Crawl?
Ahrefs captures two types of data: organic search intelligence from crawling the web and paid search data pulled directly from Google search results. The paid side is where its advertising coverage begins and ends.
For a closer look at how Ahrefs data stacks up against what Google tracks natively, see our breakdown of Ahrefs vs Google Search Console metrics.
Paid Search Keywords (Search Ads)
Inside Site Explorer, the Paid keywords and Paid pages reports show which keywords a competitor is bidding on in Google Search, which ad copy they’re running, and which landing pages those ads point to. This covers the text-based ads labeled “Sponsored” at the top and bottom of Google search results.
What Ahrefs Does Not Track
Ahrefs has zero visibility into:
- Google Display Ads: banner ads, image ads, and responsive display ads running across websites in the GDN
- YouTube Ads: pre-roll, mid-roll, or display ads appearing on YouTube
- Gmail Ads: promotional ads served inside Gmail inboxes
- Shopping Ads: Google Shopping product listing ad creatives
If a competitor is running a retargeting campaign with banner ads across 50,000 websites, Ahrefs won’t surface a single impression of it.
Why Doesn’t Ahrefs Track Display Ads?
Display Ads are served programmatically. Google’s ad system uses audience targeting, demographic signals, and behavioral data to decide who sees which ad and where.
Those ads are dynamically injected into third-party websites, not tied to a search query, and not crawlable in any traditional sense. Since they exist entirely outside SERPs, they are not included in Ahrefs’ data collection.
Search Ads vs. Display Ads: A Quick Comparison
| Feature | Google Search Ads | Google Display Ads |
| Where they appear | Google Search results | Websites, apps, YouTube, Gmail |
| Ad format | Text only | Images, banners, video, responsive |
| Targeting method | Keywords (search intent) | Audiences, demographics, placements |
| User intent | High (actively searching) | Lower (browsing or passive) |
| Ahrefs visibility | Yes (Paid keywords report) | No (not tracked) |
| Best research tool | Ahrefs, SEMrush, SpyFu | Google Ads Transparency Center, AdBeat |
How Do You Research Competitor Display Ads?
Several tools are built specifically for Display Ad competitive intelligence:
Google Ads Transparency Center
Google’s own free tool shows active ads from any advertiser across Search, Display, and YouTube. Search any brand and see exactly what creative they’re running right now.
Pros:
- Free
- No account required
- Data comes straight from Google
- Covers all ad formats
Cons:
- Limited historical data
- No impression or spend estimates
- Minimal competitive metrics
SEMrush Display Advertising Tool
Goes deeper than free tools, showing estimated impressions, publisher placements, and ad creative history for competitors running display campaigns.
Pros:
- Detailed competitive data
- Historical creative tracking
- Integrates with SEMrush’s broader SEO and PPC suite.
Cons:
- Requires a paid SEMrush subscription
- Data accuracy varies by market.
SpyFu
Primarily a paid search intelligence tool (similar to Ahrefs) that also surfaces some display ad data.
Pros:
- Strong paid search coverage
- Affordable entry-level pricing
- Good for combining search and display research
Cons:
- Display ad data is limited compared to dedicated tools
- Better suited for search ad analysis
READ: SpyFu vs SEMrush vs Moz – Which Is Better for Keyword Research
AdBeat and Moat
Purpose-built display ad intelligence platforms offering the deepest visibility into competitor placements and creative history.
Pros:
- Comprehensive display ad data, long creative history
- Detailed publisher and placement insights.
Cons:
- More expensive than general SEO tools
- Overkill if display ads aren’t a core part of your strategy
What Can You Use Ahrefs For in a Paid Ads Strategy?
Even with its Display Ad blind spot, Ahrefs adds real value on the keyword and landing page side of paid advertising:
- Keyword research for Search Ad campaigns: find high-intent keywords competitors are missing, with volume and difficulty data to prioritize where to spend
- Competitor paid keyword analysis: see exactly what a competitor is bidding on and what ad copy they’re testing
- Landing page intelligence: analyze which pages competitors send paid traffic to and identify patterns in their conversion strategy
- SEO-PPC crossover opportunities: find terms where you can win organically and reinforce with paid
Build a Complete Ads Strategy Beyond One Channel
Ahrefs is a strong tool for organic SEO and paid search intelligence. For Display Ads, you need a different strategy, one that goes beyond keywords and into audiences, creative formats, and placement networks.
If you want a fully paid advertising setup that actually drives results, Sierra Exclusive can help. We manage paid advertising campaigns for small and mid-sized businesses across Sacramento and beyond.
Book a consultation with us and let’s talk about what the right ad strategy looks like for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ahrefs track Google Display Ads?
No. Ahrefs’ paid advertising data is limited to text-based search ads in Google search results. Display Ads running across websites, apps, YouTube, and Gmail are not part of its crawl or reporting. For display ad research, start with the free Google Ads Transparency Center.
Does Ahrefs track Google Ads at all?
Partially. Ahrefs tracks paid search ads: the text ads at the top and bottom of Google search results. Inside Site Explorer, you can see competitor paid keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. Display, Video, Shopping, and Gmail ad formats are not tracked.
What is the difference between Google Search Ads and Google Display Ads?
Search Ads appear in Google search results and are triggered by keywords. Display Ads are visual ads (images, banners, video) that run across websites, apps, YouTube, and Gmail. They target audiences by behavior and demographics rather than search queries.
What tool can I use to research competitor Display Ads?
The best free starting point is the Google Ads Transparency Center, which shows active ads from any advertiser at no cost. For deeper intelligence, SEMrush’s Display Advertising tool, SpyFu, SimilarWeb, and AdBeat provide more detailed placement data and creative tracking.
Can Ahrefs help with Google Ads strategy?
Yes, for the search side. Ahrefs is strong for identifying keywords to bid on, analyzing competitor paid search campaigns, and finding PPC keyword gaps. It won’t help with Display Ad creative or placement research, but it’s a solid foundation for any Google Search Ads campaign.
