Running for 287 daysAadidasHow many days it has been running
The longer it runs, the more likely it’s getting results: nobody pays for months for an ad that doesn’t sell. At 90 days or more, it gets the “90+ days” badge.
Guide
Swipe file: what it is and how to build yours
A swipe file is your collection of ads that work, saved to look back on when you create. See what it’s for, how to build yours, step by step, and how to tell which ads are worth saving.
What a swipe file is
A collection of ads, pages and copy that worked, kept as a reference. The name comes from copywriters, who kept the sales letters that worked; today, it holds the video, the image, the copy and the page of each ad.
A reference when you create
Before writing an ad, you see what already works in your niche: the hook, the format, the promise, the offer.
Faster briefs
Three example ads tell the designer, the editor or the client more than a page of briefing.
The team on the same page
The copywriter, the designer, the media buyer and the client look at the same references, with the why behind each one.
The market in perspective
Over time, it shows what competitors keep repeating: the hooks, the proof, the offers and the prices.
How to build your swipe file
Five habits that separate a useful swipe file from a forgotten folder of screenshots.
- 1
Save what sells, not just what looks good
The strongest signal is time running: an advertiser who has paid for an ad for months is selling with it. Many versions of the same ad and many ads leading to the same page count too.
- 2
Write down why
One line is enough: the hook in the first seconds, the promise, the proof, the offer. Without the note, a month from now the saved ad says nothing.
- 3
Tag it to find it later
By format (video, image, carousel), niche, type of hook and funnel stage. Tags are what turn a folder of screenshots into a reference library.
- 4
Save the page too
The ad is only half of it: the page, the funnel, the checkout and the price show how it sells. Save the whole path, from the ad to the purchase.
- 5
Open it before every campaign
In the brief, compare what you’re about to make with what already works and adapt the idea to your product — never copy another company’s ad.
How to tell if an ad is working
Meta (Instagram and Facebook) doesn’t show how much each ad sells. But advertisers who keep paying for an ad leave signals — and Spymine shows them on every ad. The examples below are from today.
Running for 287 daysAadidas
759 versionsEGEvan GrantHow many versions it has
Advertisers who create several versions of the same ad are investing in it. With 5 or more active versions, it gets the “Scaling” badge.
551 ads to the same pageFCFloripa Calistenia 2How many ads lead to the same landing page
The offer getting the most ads is the one the advertiser is pushing — and Spymine counts every ad that leads to it.
Started 4 days ago · 46 versionsIMItalo MarsiliWhat started this week
An ad that just went live and is already gaining versions is the trend before everyone sees it. Every search tells you how many started this week.
04In Spymine
Your swipe file, with the ads that are selling
In Spymine, your swipe file is your collections: save the ad, the advertiser or the offer from any screen, with your note and tags, and each ad keeps its page, funnel, checkout and price.
- Collections just for you or for the team, with a note and tags on each ad
- An ad that stops running stays saved, with how long it ran
- The full video and image, to download whenever you need
- A link for the client to see the collection without an account, and the spreadsheet
See how it works
Start your swipe file with today’s ads
See today’s strong ads, free and without signing up. To save, annotate and organize, try it free for 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
A collection of ads, pages and copy that work, kept to look back on when you create. It’s a reference for the hook, the format, the promise and the offer of your next ad.
No. It’s a reference: you study why an ad works and adapt the idea to your product and your brand. Copying another company’s video, image or copy isn’t the point — and it may infringe their copyright.
A mood board gathers visual references, about style. A swipe file gathers what sells: the whole ad, with the message, the offer and the page — and, ideally, the signals that it’s working.
In a folder of screenshots, a spreadsheet or a tool. What matters is saving the whole ad (the video, the copy and the page), noting why, and being able to find it later. In Spymine, it lives in your collections, with each ad’s page and numbers.
Yes. On Pro and Business, the team collection is shared by everyone on the account, who add ads, notes and tags — and the client sees the collection through a link, without an account.