A weekly review
that ends in a decision.
Use this original Ad8 template to keep the research focused. It is a suggested workflow, not a performance guarantee.
- Start with the questionThis week, we need to understand ______ so we can decide ______.
- Declare the research scopePages, markets, dates and formats
- Record three observationsThree concrete, referenced observations
- Write a competing explanationAsk what else could explain the pattern
- Select a small test setOne to three ideas, one variable
- Define your own evaluationMeasure with your own systems
- Save a concise conclusionSave a concise, revisitable summary
A weekly review, in motion.
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Each week, open what changed across your followed Pages, and check the coverage first.
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Compare messages and offers side by side, and separate what you saw from what you infer.
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End the review with a decision: one original test, with a clear variable.
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Next week, come back to the same tracked set with a sharper question. Your own results decide whether a test worked.
Seven steps, one decision
Start with the question
Write one sentence: “This week, we need to understand ______ so we can decide ______.” A useful question is narrower than “show me competitors’ ads.” For example, investigate whether your next batch should explain a use case or lead with an offer.
This week, we need to understand whether bundles lead the category so we can decide what the next batch opens with.
Declare the research scope
Record the advertiser Pages, selected markets, requested dates, actual available observations, and media formats included. State which checks are partial or old. Avoid comparing raw totals from unequal samples without an explicit caveat.
Record three observations
For each observation, write what the ad actually shows and attach the record reference. Keep statements concrete: the headline mentions a bundle, the visual shows a single product, or the offer includes a stated condition.
The headline mentions a bundle.
The visual shows a single product.
The offer includes a stated condition: free shipping over $60.
Each observation links to one record.
Write a competing explanation
Ask what else could explain the pattern. Additional records may be variants. A change may be a catch-up collection. A missing result may be a failed check. This prevents a neat story from becoming stronger than the evidence.
Pattern to explain: 6 new bundle ads in 12 days
Additional records may be variants of one creative.
The change may be a catch-up collection.
A missing result may be a failed check.
Select a small test set
Choose one to three ideas relevant to your product. State the customer problem, original message, necessary proof, visual direction, and single variable being tested. Exclude concepts that require unsupported claims or someone else’s creative assets.
Bundle headline
Routine headline
Same product, same offer line, same layout. Only the headline changes.
Define your own evaluation
Decide where and how you will measure the test using your own systems. Do not use a competitor’s observation count as your success criterion.
Measured in our own ad account
Evaluation window agreed before launch
Competitor observation count as success criterion
A competitor’s observation count never decides the result.
Save a concise conclusion
“We observed ____. The uncertainty is ____. We will test ____ against ____. We will evaluate it using ____.” Keep the supporting records accessible so the next review can revisit the reasoning.
We observed bundle headlines in 8 of 18 new Halden Jewelry ads. The uncertainty is that the UK check is partial. We will test a bundle headline against a routine headline. We will evaluate it using click-to-purchase rate in our own account.
Supporting records: 3 linked A-0412 A-0418 A-0431
See the evidence.
Shape your next test.
Study collected creative records without mistaking observations for performance.
Start with a better
creative question.
Explore the sample. Review the proposed plan. See how Ad8 could fit your research workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What is the weekly competitor review template?
It is an original Ad8 template for keeping research focused and ending the review in a decision. It is a suggested workflow, not a performance guarantee.
How do I start a weekly review?
Write one sentence: “This week, we need to understand ______ so we can decide ______.” A useful question is narrower than “show me competitors’ ads.”
What should the research scope record?
Record the advertiser Pages, selected markets, requested dates, actual available observations, and media formats included, and state which checks are partial or old.
Why write a competing explanation?
It prevents a neat story from becoming stronger than the evidence. Additional records may be variants, a change may be a catch-up collection, and a missing result may be a failed check.
How should I evaluate the test?
Decide where and how you will measure the test using your own systems. Do not use a competitor’s observation count as your success criterion.