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It’s that time of the month again: client reporting. An effective report doesn’t just string data together, but weaves a narrative linking your marketing efforts to your client’s bottom line.
But with a myriad of channels to sift through and multiple clients on your roster, this could morph into a nerve-wracking marathon, especially if you’re manually tracking your client’s marketing data on spreadsheets.
With Adriel’s agency dashboard, however, you can eliminate all the manual work and save 60 hrs/week with automated reporting. Download stunning white-labeled reports in minutes or share live dashboard links with key stakeholders.
So, how exactly do you structure your monthly marketing report so your client understands key marketing performance at a glance?
We asked 6 marketers from US-based digital marketing agencies this question, and bundled their insights in this article. You’ll also see examples from ready-made monthly marketing report templates so you can get started right away.
Read on →
A well-structured monthly marketing report is integral for showcasing campaign performances and future strategies to clients, as well as budget and time allocation.
Based on 6 marketing agencies we’ve talked to, these are the components they recommend:
Kickstart your report with a white labeled cover page featuring both your agency's and client's logo and visuals.
A personalized cover page not only reflects professionalism but also reinforces brand identity and the collaborative partnership, setting a positive tone for the insights that follow.
Example:
On the first page of your report, start with a recap of major campaigns or actions executed.
Haley Johnson, Digital Content Specialist at Informatics Inc. says, "A lot happens in a month! That’s why we include a recap section of any significant actions or campaigns that were executed throughout the month.
This includes detailing the strategies implemented, the rationale behind them, and the results achieved. This section serves to keep the client informed and on the same page about our ongoing efforts."
Example:
You can also use this section to write data stories: a concise recap of marketing results for the month. For example:
At Adriel, we’ve found that marketing agencies love our goal pacing feature for client reporting. This widget shows clients how close they are to hitting their marketing goals at a quick glance.
We also recently made it better with a new forecast function, which shows you the forecasted total outcome / percentages for the next month so you can strategize better on your clients’ behalf.
Example:
Next, include a thorough analysis of previously-agreed upon key performance indicators such as website visits, conversions, e-commerce sales, or new leads.
Identify if KPIs are on track, and clarify reasons for any performance fluctuations like site URL changes or significant events.
Tim Vertz, Owner of Vertz Marketing, shares, "Having a ‘highlights’ page that breaks down the gains from your specific KPIs is a must in a marketing report and it would also be great to have this incorporated in a marketing software."
Example:
For clients that want to dive deeper into specific channel performance, this section is beneficial.
Outline a snapshot of performance and strategies on different marketing platforms that you worked on. This depends on what kind of services you provide but typically includes social media, PPC, and email marketing platforms.
Highlight key metrics like impressions, clicks, and cost-per-conversion specific to each platform.
Example:
But analyzing metrics in isolation falls short of providing strategic insights.
Include a section where your clients can see where their money is going and how it's performing over time, making it easier for them to plan their marketing strategy for the next months.
"Comparing the current month's data with previous periods means clients can gain insights into their marketing campaign's growth trajectory. It’s also important to provide explanations for any significant fluctuations in performance so clients can make informed decisions and adapt their strategies accordingly," says Jeff Mains, CEO of Champion Leadership Group, revenue growth agency for B2B SaaS companies.
Create a bar chart with Year-over-Year trends for specific metrics on specific channels to provide a comprehensive view of performance shifts and resource allocation.
![A barchart of link clicks grouped by channels like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google Search - Adriel]](https://assets-global.website-files.com/64aabfa2adf7363205ea0135/6541c71864988597e92a1a3d_JE6v6XK5WqXGk4bL3YLWu0IxqRN2ybD3w46OkiCl0VqXXGWiXcHC1eGCJxOiBBGJzyuD8kcAr1kqdjmCu_e2XblSofRdZaeqeaWtNxmXHIV1-IjWqXAWvAyaCdPzAd4X24L_U2uaqWZzieWSP6MFap0.png)
Use pie charts to show how ad spend or other metrics are split across different channels so your clients can see the return on investment of each channel crystal-clear.
Detailed channel breakdowns are especially useful if you have multichannel marketing campaigns.
In your analytics report, drill down to specific results of different marketing activities in a pivot table to show which channels drove the best results, and what actions need to be taken for further improvement.
Overall detailed table:
Daily detailed table:
Have ad creatives on different channels? Dig deeper into each in this section.
The ability to see ad creatives directly within your performance reports make exploring data so much more intuitive so your clients know exactly what works best on their PPC campaigns.
Example:
Apart from marketing analytics, clients also want to see how time and resources have been allocated to different tasks and campaigns.
Ensure transparency by breaking down time spent and work completed in line with client expectations. Project tracking tools like Toggl and Timing are great for this.
Example:
Within your report, include links to live reporting dashboards so clients can see how their digital marketing metrics fluctuate in real-time.
Invite clients to collaborate together on a live reporting dashboard or provide view-only access.
On Adriel, you can also set up different views per client. Create a template and share it across all clients or create individual templates for each client. It’s also super easy to duplicate a template!
End your report with a section dedicated to recommendations, action items for the next month, and other important notes.
This is your chance to provide valuable insights and suggest next steps based on the data presented. It keeps the client informed about potential strategies and fosters a proactive approach for the upcoming month, ensuring a collaborative path forward.
"It's not enough to present numbers; clients need actionable insights to improve their marketing strategies. By analyzing the data and identifying trends, we can offer tailored recommendations for optimizations or adjustments to their campaigns," advices Jeff Mains, CEO of Champion Leadership Group, revenue growth agency for B2B SaaS companies.
And that wraps up your monthly marketing report! But which metrics should you track for each campaign that you launched for your client?
The metrics will vary based on the type of service your agency offers.
For instance, for Twelve31 Media, a full-service agency in the US, they highlight social media, email marketing, digital advertising, and website performance/analytics and these are the important metrics they recommend for each channel:
Adriel’s real-time marketing reporting templates are a game-changer in trimming down reporting time. These templates are meticulously crafted to capture all essential metrics and insights, presenting them in a polished, client-ready format.
💡 Did you know? You can not only whitelabel your reports but also your live dashboards on Adriel.
Here are 9 plug-and-go digital marketing report templates to get you started:
Great for: monitoring the performance of all your paid ad campaigns in real-time.
Great for: agencies that specifically work with paid social campaigns, or brands that only advertise on social media
Great for: marketing agencies reporting back to clients weekly / monthly / or any frequency really
Great for: agencies with 5+ clients that have ad campaigns across multiple channels and brands who advertise on more than one channel
Great for: getting an overview of all your digital marketing KPIs in one place (not just paid ads)
Great for: performance marketing teams who need to report back to managers / clients on the impact of their marketing strategy
Great for: eCommerce brands that are running ad campaigns and want to track how they contribute to sales and revenue
Great for: marketing managers who want to see key metrics and KPIs in one place, edit campaigns directly, and make quickly make decisions on marketing budgets
Great for: agencies and brands that need to report to executives (CEO, CFO, CMOs) on how their marketing efforts led to better business performance
In this article, we outlined 11 critical components for an effective marketing report, highlighted crucial metrics for different marketing goals, and showcased 9 ready-made report templates.
We hope that it’s now easier and more straightforward to create your monthly or weekly marketing reports.
If you have any questions or need any help with your reporting, we’re happy to help. Book a demo and we’ll show you how you can elevate your reports and save time on reporting.
A massive thank you to these marketers in their help with putting together this article:
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