Introduction to Facebook Ad Library
- The Facebook Ad Library was opened a few years ago.
- Tutorial focuses on scraping ads from the library.
Scraping Ads Overview
- Not all ads are scraped, but the method can save and retrieve specific data.
- Ads can be accessed by inspecting their source and finding the data.
Inspecting the Ad Source
- Start by clicking on the desired ad and inspecting it.
- Look for fetch requests that provide the ad data.
Identifying Server-Rendered Data
- The data is server-rendered (e.g., using frameworks like Next.js or React).
- The data is stored in script tags, often as JSON, making it easier to extract.
Locating the JSON Data
- Search within script tags to find JSON data.
- Example: Find the ad creative ID or other details within the JSON.
Avoiding Puppeteer or Selenium
- Avoid using browser automation tools like Puppeteer or Selenium if JSON is readily available in the script tags.
- Directly parse the JSON for simplicity.
Extracting JSON Data
- Copy the request using "Copy as Node Fetch" to replicate the data-fetching process.
- Parse the HTML response to locate the relevant script tag containing JSON data.
Parsing HTML with Cheerio
- Use the Cheerio library to parse HTML and locate specific script tags.
- Identify the correct script tag based on the presence of specific keywords like "cards."
Processing the JSON
- Extract and slice the JSON from the script tag by determining start and end indices.
- Clean up and format the data for use.
Final JSON Data
- The extracted JSON contains detailed information, including:
  - Ad ID
  - End date
  - Status (active/inactive)
  - Ad creative ID
  - Page name and ID
  - URL, Instagram handle, spend, and start date.
Benefits of JSON Extraction
- Extracted JSON provides much more data compared to raw HTML.
- Includes critical metadata like CTAs, captions, and Instagram details.
Key Steps Summarized
- Get the HTML of the page.
- Parse the script tag to extract JSON data.
- Process the JSON to retrieve ad information such as IDs, dates, and other metadata.
Output Example
- The JSON includes all data required to analyze the ad, like start/end dates, active status, captions, and spend details.
Conclusion
- Scraping the Facebook Ad Library involves fetching HTML, locating JSON in script tags, and parsing it for ad data.
- This method is efficient and avoids unnecessary overhead like browser automation tools.