Discover 8 Valuable Tools to Enhance Your PPC Reporting for Free
Reporting plays a crucial role in the management of paid media, as it helps communicate results to stakeholders and informs optimization decisions. However, many third-party reporting tools can be expensive or inaccessible to PPC managers due to budget constraints or complex approval processes. Luckily, there are several free options available that can enhance your PPC reporting. In this article, we will explore eight valuable tools that you can use at no cost.
1. Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio)
Looker Studio is a comprehensive tool for building interactive reports that can be viewed in a browser or downloaded as a PDF. As it is owned by Google, it seamlessly integrates with other Google-owned properties such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, Search Ads 360, and Display and Video 360. For other platforms, data can be exported to Google Sheets and synced to a report. Looker Studio allows users to create charts, graphs, tables, text boxes, and other elements to present data effectively. Advanced users can blend multiple data sources together, making it a powerful tool for reporting across multiple accounts.
2. Google Ads/Google Sheets add-on
This free add-on developed by Google allows you to generate ad reports and import them into a Google Sheet. You can customize which columns to show and filter data based on specific criteria. The tool also allows you to set schedules for refreshing data at regular intervals. This setup is useful when sharing data in a spreadsheet format or for easily exporting data tables for other reporting purposes.
3. Google Ads reports and dashboards
The Report Editor within Google Ads enables users to build customized reports with the desired metrics and dimensions. Users can create pivot tables populated with the metrics and dimensions they want to include. Additionally, ready-made templates are available for quickly viewing performance by ad group, keyword, audience, content, and other dimensions. Custom columns can also be included to see totals and cost per action (CPA) for individual conversion actions. Dashboards containing data from multiple reports, scorecards for top-level metrics, and notes for commentary can also be created.
4. Microsoft Advertising reports
Microsoft Advertising has its own robust reporting section where users can view premade reports or build their own. Unique features include publisher reporting to see performance breakdown by website URL, negative keyword conflicts to identify and remove negatives that may be blocking desired keywords, ad extension reporting at keyword or ad level, and user location reporting to view the actual geography of individuals. Label reporting is also available for reviewing tests with labeled ad variants.
5. Meta ads reporting
On the social advertising front, Meta (formerly Facebook) has a built-in reporting section that offers features such as pivot tables, line charts, and bar charts. Pre-built reports can be saved with specific dimensions, metrics, and filters, and data can be broken down in various ways, such as by campaign name, device, and placement.
6. Google Ads Editor
Although not typically associated with reporting, Google Ads Editor allows users to see performance data within the platform. Users can view graphs and select top-level metrics, choose timeframes, and populate tables with individual metrics. Users can also access search term reports and view the performance of various assets, including images and text. This feature is useful for downloading data in spreadsheet format.
7. Microsoft Advertising Editor
Similar to Google Ads Editor, Microsoft Advertising Editor allows users to include metrics when downloading data. Users can view data directly in the interface or export it to manipulate in Excel or another program.
8. Google Analytics
A properly configured Google Analytics implementation is essential for PPC managers’ analysis. Reports built in Google Analytics can show the performance of ad traffic combined with website behavior metrics. By linking Google Ads and enabling auto-tagging, users can view Google Ads data alongside key events under the Advertising section. Explorations in Google Analytics offer a starting point for building customized reports segmented to include specific traffic from paid channels. The Attribution section allows users to see users’ paths across multiple channels and compare last clicks to data-driven models.
In conclusion, even if you don’t have the budget for expensive reporting tools, there are numerous free options available to enhance your PPC reporting. By utilizing tools such as Looker Studio, Google Ads/Google Sheets add-on, Google Ads reports and dashboards, Microsoft Advertising reports, Meta ads reporting, Google Ads Editor, Microsoft Advertising Editor, and Google Analytics, you can effectively communicate results, make data-driven optimization decisions, and streamline your reporting process. Take the time to explore these tools, play with their features, and find the reporting configurations that work best for your needs.
