Have you monitored and reported on competitor advertising activity? If so, what insights did you gain from this?

Sample answer to the question

Yes, I have monitored and reported on competitor advertising activity in my previous role as a Marketing Coordinator. It was an essential part of my responsibilities to stay updated on what our competitors were doing in terms of advertising. By monitoring their advertising activity, I gained valuable insights into their strategies, messaging, and targeting. This helped us identify areas where we could differentiate ourselves and create more effective campaigns. For example, we noticed that one of our main competitors was running a successful Facebook ad campaign targeting a specific demographic. We decided to test a similar campaign targeting the same demographic but with a different messaging approach. It turned out to be a great success, resulting in increased engagement and conversions. Overall, monitoring competitor advertising activity allowed us to stay competitive and make data-driven decisions in our own advertising efforts.

A more solid answer

Yes, I have extensive experience monitoring and reporting on competitor advertising activity. In my previous role as a Marketing Coordinator, I was responsible for conducting regular competitor analysis to stay updated on industry trends and effectively position our products in the market. I used various digital marketing tools such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, and SEMrush to track our competitors' advertising campaigns. By analyzing their ads, targeting strategies, messaging, and performance metrics, I gained valuable insights into their advertising strategies. For example, I noticed that one of our competitors was running a highly successful YouTube video campaign that was driving a significant amount of traffic to their website. I shared this insight with our team, and we decided to leverage video ads as well, resulting in a 30% increase in website traffic and engagement. Additionally, I regularly reported on competitor advertising activity and presented my findings to the marketing team. This facilitated data-driven decision-making and helped us refine our advertising strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

Why this is a more solid answer:

The solid answer provides more detail about the candidate's experience in monitoring and reporting on competitor advertising activity, including the use of specific digital marketing tools and the ability to analyze ads, targeting strategies, messaging, and performance metrics. The candidate also shares a specific example of how they used insights from competitor advertising to improve their own campaigns. The answer demonstrates the candidate's analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as their proficiency with digital marketing tools and understanding of advertising principles and marketing strategies. However, it could still be more comprehensive and provide additional examples of insights gained from competitor advertising.

An exceptional answer

Yes, I have been actively monitoring and reporting on competitor advertising activity throughout my career. In my previous role as a Marketing Coordinator at a leading e-commerce company, I developed a comprehensive competitor analysis framework to track and analyze competitor advertising strategies. This framework involved regularly monitoring their advertising campaigns across various channels, such as search ads, display ads, social media ads, and email marketing. I used advanced digital marketing tools like Ahrefs, AdBeat, and Competitor Monitor to gain deep insights into their advertising tactics, budget allocations, targeting strategies, creatives, and performance metrics. One important insight I gained was that a competitor was using influencer marketing to target a specific niche audience. This inspired us to collaborate with relevant influencers and create targeted content that resonated with our audience. As a result, we saw a significant increase in brand awareness and engagement. I also reported on competitor advertising activity in monthly presentations to the executive team, providing actionable insights and recommendations for our own advertising strategies. My extensive experience in monitoring and reporting on competitor advertising activity has honed my analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, and has given me a deep understanding of advertising principles and marketing strategies.

Why this is an exceptional answer:

The exceptional answer goes above and beyond in providing extensive detail about the candidate's experience in monitoring and reporting on competitor advertising activity. The candidate demonstrates their ability to develop a comprehensive competitor analysis framework and effectively use advanced digital marketing tools to gain deep insights into competitor advertising tactics. They also share a specific example of how they used insights from competitor advertising to implement influencer marketing and achieve tangible results. The answer showcases the candidate's strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as their proficiency with digital marketing tools and understanding of advertising principles and marketing strategies. However, it could still provide more examples of insights gained from competitor advertising and how they applied those insights to improve their own campaigns.

How to prepare for this question

Familiarize yourself with various digital marketing tools such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, SEMrush, Ahrefs, AdBeat, and Competitor Monitor. Understand how to use these tools to track and analyze competitor advertising campaigns.
Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in advertising. Read industry publications, attend webinars, and follow thought leaders in the field.
Practice conducting competitor analysis and presenting findings to a team. Take the time to analyze competitor ads, messaging, targeting strategies, and performance metrics to identify actionable insights.
Develop a framework or system for regularly monitoring and reporting on competitor advertising activity. This will demonstrate your organization and attention to detail during the interview process.

What interviewers are evaluating

Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proficiency with digital marketing tools
Understanding of advertising principles and marketing strategies