Staying on Track: PPC Reporting That Keeps Clients Happy

PPC reporting doesn’t have to be dull, drab, and deathly. PPC reporting can be exciting, future-forward, and time-efficient. PPC reporting is incredibly valuable for both management and brand. It’s invaluable for the account managers running the account because they are forced to review everything they have done; the data is there and it does not lie.

It’s valuable for the client who owns the account because they are presented with the value of what’s been done, and can questions what’s to be done next.

Because PPC generates a ton of data, consistent PPC reporting must be done to keep findings organized. Regular evaluation of performance will make sure that an account is moving on the right track.

Scheduled PPC Reporting

PPC reporting has to be scheduled. Vantage works on a reporting cycle tailored to the amount of data your account is bringing in. The majority of our accounts work best on a monthly reporting cycle, while some larger, high-velocity accounts might want to see results on a shorter cycle such as one week.

It is important to have a scheduled reporting date so that clients can prepare themselves for the jaw-dropping results that have (never) been known to cause heart attacks.

PPC advertising clients should note that our reports are made within the first week of the month, but not on the first of the month. This delay allows us to collect conversion data from the last days of the prior month that may not be recorded by the first of the month.

Our reports are out by the 7th of the month at the latest and are always dedicated to painting the complete picture of an account’s monthly activity.

The takeaway is that a consistent reporting schedule will keep clients and employees on track for success and those juicy positive ROIs that all parties are after.

Understandable

Every industry has its vernacular, but it is best if reporting brings the conversation back into the realm of everyday speech. Technical, obscure pages on pages of in-depth analysis may be useful for demonstrating your intelligence on internet forums, but most clients are paying you for results that are aided by your expertise, not the other way around.

So, keep it short and simple. The data an account accumulates has a story to tell, it is our job to tell that story for the client so that they can make educated business decisions.

Reports should not be auto-generated maps of data that are just as cryptic as they are useless for the reader. While still maintaining transparency, the report shapes the account’s data into an understandable and readable document that does not waste a client’s valuable time.

This is why we dedicate a significant portion of our early month’s work to creating custom, enlightening reports.

Reports should address everything important:

Monthly statistics on KPIs (key performance indicators)
Longer term performance trends
Explanation of performance
Sale/lead optimization performance
Test results (e.g., landing page or ad copy testing)
Progress on achieving account goals

Be thorough but concise in your reporting and your report readers will not want to strangle you five minutes into your report.

Transparent

We are firm believers in a transparent relationship between agency and client; our clients are always aware of what their PPC managers are doing within their accounts.

Aiming for transparency with your clients will promote an honest relationship that encourages conversation.

Conversation is an integral part of a successful PPC account. A client’s feedback is critical. Without access to our client’s industry expertise, we would not be able to fully capture the benefits of their products or services.

Transparency leads to easy conversation, and conversing with clients leads to stronger advertising, which improves results for everyone.

Responsive

Sending out reports is always a relief, but thinking that you won’t have to think about them again until next reporting period is a mistake; you can’t foresee every question, so be sure to keep your reports top of mind for the days after their send off.

We practice a 24 hour or less response time for client queries. On business days, our clients can usually expect to hear from us the same day they start a conversation.

We love PPC, and we’re more than glad to talk about it, whether it be about recent reports or anything else, if a client wishes to chat on the phone, they can request a meeting at any time.