Skip to content
Ads Lighthouse

Google Ads search ads

See every Google ad on your brand searches.

Ads Lighthouse checks Google results for the keywords you choose, in the places and on the devices you choose, and keeps each paid text ad it observes with the search behind it.

7-day free trial. Cancel anytime before it ends.

What we capture on Google

Each check reads the first page of Google results for one keyword, location and device, and saves every paid text ad on it.

Ad formats

  • Paid text ads (search ads) on the first page of Google results
  • Ads anywhere on that page, each with its position
  • Sponsored product listings are a separate source: see Google Shopping
An illustrative Google results page for a brand search, with two fictional paid text ads. A brand mention in another advertiser's copy is highlighted.

Saved for each ad

Position
Where the ad appeared among the paid results on the page.
Advertiser domain
The domain behind the ad, used to group ads by advertiser.
Headline
The ad title as it was shown.
Description
The ad text as it was shown.
Display URL
The visible URL or breadcrumb line of the ad.
Destination URL
The link behind the ad, with its tracking parameters, when it is present.
Search context
Search term, country, location, device, operating system when set, and time.

Coverage

Countries
213 countries you can monitor on Google.
Locations
A whole country or specific cities and regions from a searchable catalog. 2 to 100 locations per project, depending on the plan.
Devices
Desktop and mobile. An on-demand check can pin Windows or macOS on desktop, or Android or iOS on mobile; scheduled checks use the default for the device.
Schedules
Once a day, Twice a day, Every 6 hours, Every 4 hours, Every 2 hours, up to the most frequent schedule your plan allows, plus on-demand checks.
Depth
The first page of results for each search.
Plans
Included on every plan.

What you can do with it

Plan availability

Read from the live plan configuration.

  • StarterIncluded
  • GrowthIncluded
  • ScaleIncluded
  • BusinessIncluded
  • EnterpriseIncluded

Platform notes

  • Google's trademarks policy covers the use of trademarks in ad text and describes how a trademark owner can submit a complaint. Its treatment of trademarks used as keywords differs from its treatment of ad text.

    Google Ads policy: Trademarks
  • Keyword match types let an ad show on searches beyond the literal text of the advertiser's keyword. The search you monitor and the keyword an advertiser bought are different things.

    Google Ads Help: About keyword matching options
  • Responsive search ads combine up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, and not every line shows every time. One ad can therefore appear as several variations across your checks.

    Google Ads Help: About responsive search ads

Official sources checked on .

What it does not show

  • An observed ad shows that it appeared for one search at one time, place and device. It is not proof of the keyword bought, of spend, of continuous activity or of an infringement.
  • Checks read the first page of results only. Ads that would appear on later pages are not captured.
  • Ad assets such as sitelinks, images and call buttons are not saved; the headline, description and links are.
  • Ads on YouTube, Gmail, Maps, the Display Network and search partner sites are not monitored.
  • Policy screening and landing page captures are limited features: screening is AI-assisted decision support, not a Google decision or legal advice, and captures are page text, not screenshots.

Common questions

Do I need to connect my Google Ads account?

No. Collecting search results is part of the service. An optional Google Ads connection opens separate reports from your own account on demand and does not feed monitoring.

Does an ad on my brand search prove a competitor bid on my brand?

No. Match types let ads show on searches beyond the advertiser's keyword. An observation shows that the ad appeared for that search, not which keyword or setting triggered it.

Which Google results pages are checked?

The first page of Google results for each keyword, location and device in your monitoring plan, on the schedule you choose or when you run a check yourself.

Can I see ads from a specific city?

Yes. Choose a whole country or specific cities and regions, such as New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. Your plan sets how many locations each project can monitor.

Start with the searches that matter to your brand.

Create a free account, then start a 7-day trial with a reminder email before the first charge. Cancel anytime before the trial ends from Settings > Billing.

Your privacy choices

We use storage needed for sign-in and your workspace. With your permission, optional analytics and marketing tags can help us understand visits and measure campaigns. Read our Cookies & browser storage notice.