# Get alerts for new Facebook ads from a competitor

**Use case:** 

Run this task on a schedule, for example every morning, and each run returns only the ads a competitor launched since the last run. The first run returns the current ads; later runs skip ads you already have, and repeats are not charged. The example watches HelloFresh in the United States. Connect it to Slack, email or Google Sheets for alerts.

## Input

```json
{
  "searchTerms": [
    "running shoes"
  ],
  "pageUrls": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/HelloFreshUS"
  ],
  "countries": [
    "US"
  ],
  "activeStatus": "active",
  "adType": "all",
  "mediaType": "all",
  "searchMode": "keyword_unordered",
  "sortBy": "relevance",
  "skipDuplicateVersions": false,
  "oneAdPerAdvertiser": false,
  "maxAdsPerSource": 100,
  "includeAdDetails": false,
  "countOnly": false,
  "includeMarkdown": false,
  "includeRawData": false,
  "onlyNewAds": true,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ]
  },
  "maxConcurrency": 4,
  "maxRetries": 6
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "pageName": {
    "label": "Advertiser",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "isNew": {
    "label": "New since last run",
    "format": "boolean"
  },
  "firstSeenDate": {
    "label": "First delivered",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "startDate": {
    "label": "Started",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "status": {
    "label": "Status",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "title": {
    "label": "Headline",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "adLibraryUrl": {
    "label": "Ad Library link",
    "format": "string"
  }
}
```

## How it works

### 1. Sign up on Apify or log in

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper & Ad Monitor Actor is ready to run with the inputs already set for "Get alerts for new Facebook ads from a competitor". [Sign up or log in](https://console.apify.com/create-task-from-example/oeqeboqLN9dstWDgV) and you'll land in Apify Console with a copy of this exact task.

### 2. Start the "Get alerts for new Facebook ads from a competitor" task

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper & Ad Monitor Actor will start running based on the input automatically. You can also change all the input fields, like search terms (keywords or brand names), facebook pages (advertisers), and more, to match your specific use case.

### 3. Receive the "Get alerts for new Facebook ads from a competitor" output

Monitor the progress in real time. You will be notified as soon as your dataset is complete and ready for review. Each result includes data such as advertiser, new since last run, first delivered, and more.

### 4. Integrate into your workflow

The final output is delivered in JSON, CSV, or Excel format, ready to be plugged into your workflow. You can also [run the "Get alerts for new Facebook ads from a competitor" task via API](https://apify.com/panix/facebook-ads-library-scraper.md).

## FAQ

### How does the new Facebook ads alerts task know what is new?

The new Facebook ads alerts task remembers the IDs of the ads it delivered, in your own Apify account. Each scheduled run skips those ads, stops soon after reaching them, and marks rows with isNew and firstSeenDate.

### How do I get the alerts in Slack or by email?

Save the new Facebook ads alerts task, add a daily schedule, then open the task's Integrations tab and connect Slack, email, Google Sheets, Zapier, Make or a webhook to receive each run's new ads.

### Am I charged again for ads I already have?

Ads delivered by an earlier run of the new Facebook ads alerts task are skipped and never charged. A daily check that finds 20 new ads costs about $0.013 on the Starter plan.

### Can I watch several competitors?

Add more Facebook Page URLs or keywords. The new Facebook ads alerts task keeps one watchlist per set of inputs; set a Watchlist name to keep the same watchlist when you change the inputs.

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [Facebook Ads Library Scraper & Ad Monitor](https://apify.com/panix/facebook-ads-library-scraper.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/panix/facebook-ads-library-scraper.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/panix/facebook-ads-library-scraper.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).