PPC Reporting Australia: Building a Dashboard Your Clients Will Love
You’ve just finished managing Google Ads for a client. Campaign’s performing well. But now you need to tell them what that means.
You could send a spreadsheet of raw numbers: 10,500 impressions, 287 clicks, 14 conversions, $4,200 spend. But will they understand? Will they feel confident?
Probably not.
Good PPC reporting isn’t about data dumping. It’s about narrative. It’s about taking 100 metrics and distilling them down to 3–5 that actually matter. It’s about showing what changed, why it changed, and what happens next.
In this guide, we’ll cover what metrics actually move the needle in PPC reporting, how to build dashboards in Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) that don’t require technical skills, and how to present results in a way that builds trust and justifies your fees.
The PPC Metrics That Actually Matter
Not all metrics are created equal. Here’s what clients care about (and what should be on every PPC report):
The Big Three (Always Include)
- Conversions
- The ultimate metric. Everything else is noise if conversions don’t go up.
- For lead gen: form submissions, phone calls, emails.
- For ecommerce: purchases.
- For local services: bookings, calls, contact forms.
- Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
- Cost per conversion. Most clients understand this viscerally.
- Formula: Total Spend ÷ Total Conversions
- Example: $3,000 spend ÷ 15 conversions = $200 CPA
- Trend: Decreasing CPA = improving efficiency. This is good.
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
- For ecommerce, this is king.
- Formula: Revenue ÷ Cost
- Example: $12,000 revenue ÷ $3,000 spend = 4x ROAS
- For lead gen: Either track LTV of leads, or use ROAS as a proxy metric (e.g., estimate value per lead = $500, then 15 conversions = $7,500 value, so 7,500 ÷ 3,000 = 2.5x ROAS estimate).
These three metrics tell the full story: Are we getting conversions? Are we getting them cheaply? Are we making money?
The Supporting Cast (Include if Relevant)
- Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Impressions ÷ Clicks
- Normal range: 2–8% depending on industry
- Trend: Increasing CTR = better ad relevance = improving quality score = lower future costs
- Cost Per Click (CPC)
- Total spend ÷ total clicks
- Used to diagnose whether pricing is in range
- Example: CPC up 20% month-on-month might mean increased competition (expected) or lower quality score (needs fixing)
- Conversion Rate (CR)
- Conversions ÷ Clicks
- Typical range: 0.5–5% depending on industry
- Trend: Increasing CR = better landing pages or audiences = more conversions for same clicks
- Impression Share
- How often your ads appear vs. how often they’re eligible
- Less than 80% impression share = you’re losing auctions (budget, bids, or quality)
- Easy to interpret: Low impression share = opportunity
The Vanity Metrics (Don’t Lead With These)
- Total Spend: Clients already know how much they’re paying. Don’t make this the headline.
- Total Clicks: Clicks mean nothing without conversion context.
- Total Impressions: Reach is not the goal. Conversions are.
These go in the dashboard but in the background. Lead with outcomes, not activity.
Building Your First Looker Studio Dashboard
Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is Google’s free reporting tool. It connects directly to Google Ads, Google Analytics, and other data sources.
Step 1: Set Up Looker Studio
- Go to Google Looker Studio (looker.studio)
- Sign in with your Google account
- Click Create > Report
- Name it: “PPC Report — [Client Name]”
Step 2: Connect Google Ads Data
- Click Add data source
- Select Google Ads
- Choose your account/campaign
- Click Create
Looker Studio now pulls live data from your Google Ads account. Every time you open the report, it auto-refreshes.
Step 3: Build Your Dashboard Layout
Recommended structure (one page, easy to scan):
Header Section (at top):
- Report period (e.g., “March 2026”)
- Key metrics cards (Big Three):
- Conversions (large number, bold)
- CPA (large number, trend indicator ↓ is good)
- ROAS (large number, trend indicator ↑ is good)
Middle Section:
- Performance chart (spend, conversions, CPA over time — shows trends)
- Campaign performance table (which campaigns drove conversions, costs, etc.)
Bottom Section:
- Ad group insights (which ad groups performed best)
- Audience/device breakdown (if relevant to insights)
Visual rule: Information density ↔ clarity. If the dashboard is cluttered, clients won’t read it. Aim for 5–8 visualisations max.
Step 4: Add Visualisations
Add Big Three Metrics as Scorecards:
- Click Insert > Scorecard
- Choose metric: “Conversions”
- Repeat for CPA and ROAS
Make these large (1/3 of the width each). Use contrasting colors so they’re eye-catching.
Add a Timeline Chart (Trend Visualization):
- Click Insert > Time Series Chart
- Dimensions: Date (x-axis)
- Metrics: Conversions, Spend, CPA (y-axis)
- This shows month-on-month trends at a glance
Add a Table (Campaign Breakdown):
- Click Insert > Table
- Dimensions: Campaign
- Metrics: Conversions, Cost, CPA, ROAS
- Clients can drill down to see which campaigns work
Add a Pie Chart (Attribution):
- Click Insert > Pie Chart
- Dimension: Campaign (or Ad Group)
- Metric: Conversions
- Shows which campaigns drove most conversions
Key Report Sections (What to Show)
1. Executive Summary (First Thing They See)
“March 2026 Results”
- Conversions: 48 (+15% vs February)
- CPA: $187 (–8% vs February)
- ROAS: 3.2x (+0.4x vs February)
- Spend: $8,976
One sentence summary: “Strong month. Conversions up 15%, efficiency up. Search campaign leading performance.”
2. Campaign Performance Breakdown
Show each campaign and how it performed:
| Campaign | Conversions | Cost | CPA | ROAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Search | 22 | $2,100 | $95 | 8.5x |
| Non-Brand Search | 18 | $4,500 | $250 | 2.1x |
| Remarketing | 8 | $2,376 | $297 | 1.8x |
Interpretation: “Brand Search dominates in efficiency. Non-Brand is profitable but lower ROAS. Remarketing is warm-up phase—expect improvements as audience grows.”
3. Month-over-Month Trends
A chart showing:
- Conversions (how many this month vs. last month)
- CPA (is it trending up or down)
- Spend (are we increasing investment)
Interpretation: “Conversions trending up. CPA declining. Spend steady. Campaign optimising toward better efficiency.”
4. Quality Score & Click-Through Rate
Show:
- Average Quality Score (by campaign)
- CTR (by campaign)
Interpretation: “Quality Score stable at 6.5. CTR improving (new ad copy variant). Cost per click declining as QS improves.”
5. Audience Insights (If Using Detailed Targeting)
- Conversions by device (mobile vs. desktop vs. tablet)
- Conversions by location (if geotargeting)
- Conversions by audience type (if using RLSA, in-market audiences, etc.)
Interpretation: “Mobile traffic converts at 2x rate of desktop. Recommending increased mobile bid adjustments next month.”
Presentation Best Practices
1. Weekly vs. Monthly Reporting
Weekly reports (for agencies managing high-volume campaigns):
- Short format: Big Three + any major changes
- Focus: Course correction
- Format: Email or 1-pager
Monthly reports (standard):
- Comprehensive: Full dashboard + narrative
- Focus: Performance review + strategy adjustments
- Format: PDF export + walk-through call
Quarterly reports (for strategic review):
- Strategic: Longer trends, ROI analysis, recommendations for next quarter
- Focus: Outcome and strategy evolution
- Format: Presentation (deck or live call)
2. The Narrative (What You Write, Not Just Show)
Don’t let the dashboard speak for itself. Write 2–3 sentences of interpretation:
Good: “Conversions increased 15% month-over-month, while CPA decreased 8%. This improvement came from tightening keyword targeting (removed 12 low-performing keywords) and increasing bids on high-intent search terms. We expect this trend to continue as the algorithm learns from improved conversion data.”
Bad: “48 conversions. CPA $187. ROAS 3.2x.”
One tells a story. The other is noise.
3. Highlighting Changes & Decisions
Always call out what changed and why:
- “Paused [Campaign] due to CPA exceeding $500 threshold (unsustainable). Reallocated budget to [Campaign] which is performing at $150 CPA.”
- “Tested new ad copy emphasising [value prop]. CTR increased from 2.1% to 3.4%. New copy is now primary variant.”
- “Increased bid on [Keyword] by 20%. Conversion rate remained stable at 2.5%, but we’re now winning more auctions. Good sign to increase investment.”
This shows clients you’re actively managing, not just letting campaigns run.
4. Forward-Looking Recommendations
Every report should end with “What’s next”:
- “Conversion data is now strong enough (100+ per month) to enable automated bidding. Recommending switch from manual to Target CPA for Search campaigns next month.”
- “Impression share declining below 70% on high-intent keywords. Recommend 15% budget increase to recapture market share.”
- “Remarketing audience has grown to 5,000+ users. Ready to implement RLSA bid adjustments. Expect 10–20% CPA improvement from warm audience targeting.”
Forward momentum builds confidence.
Export & Delivery
PDF Reports
- In Looker Studio, click File > Download as PDF
- Attach to email with a cover note
Email template:
“Hi [Client Name],
Attached is your March 2026 PPC report. Key highlights:
– 48 conversions (+15% vs February) – CPA $187 (–8%) – ROAS 3.2x
We’re pleased with the improvement. [One key decision made this month]. Next month, we’re planning to [one forward action].
Let me know if you have questions. I’m here to discuss the results on a call if you’d like.
Best, [Your name]”
Shared Dashboard (Preferred for Ongoing Clients)
Instead of emailing PDFs, share the Looker Studio dashboard directly:
- In Looker Studio, click Share (top right)
- Enter client email
- Set permissions to “View”
- Send link
Pros:
- Client sees live data anytime (no stale reports)
- You don’t have to manually create/send each month
- Professional, modern approach
Cons:
- Requires client to log in to view
- Not as good for archiving historical reports
Avoiding Reporting Mistakes
1. Too Many Metrics
If your report has 20+ metrics, it’s noise. Pick the 5–7 that matter most and stick with them.
2. No Context
“Conversions: 48” means nothing without context. Is that good? Bad? Compared to what?
Always include month-over-month comparison, year-over-year if available, and benchmark against industry.
3. Focusing on Spend
Clients don’t care how much they spent. They care about ROI. Bury spend in the table, lead with conversions.
4. No Narrative
Numbers alone don’t inspire confidence. Explain what the numbers mean, why they changed, and what you’re doing about it.
5. Surprises in Reports
If performance is bad, the client should hear about it in a call before the report. Use reports to confirm decisions already discussed, not break bad news.
Frequency of Reporting by Campaign Maturity
| Stage | Reporting Frequency | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (Weeks 1–4) | Weekly email | Getting campaign stable, setting baselines |
| Early optimisation (Month 2–3) | Bi-weekly email + monthly dashboard | Finding what works, cutting waste |
| Stable / Scaling (Month 4+) | Monthly dashboard + quarterly strategic call | Tracking efficiency, growing profitably |
Summary
Good PPC reporting is about story-telling with data:
- Pick the right metrics (Big Three: Conversions, CPA, ROAS)
- Build a simple dashboard (5–8 visualisations, focused on narrative)
- Provide context (month-over-month trends, benchmarks, interpretation)
- Explain decisions (what changed, why, what’s next)
- Deliver consistently (weekly or monthly, on schedule)
Clients don’t want dashboards full of numbers. They want to know:
- Are we getting more customers?
- Are we getting them cheaper?
- Are we making money?
Answer those three questions clearly and transparently, and you’ll have a client for life.
Anitech provides transparent, plain-English PPC reporting to all clients. We believe clients should understand what’s happening in their campaigns and why. See how we report and get a sample dashboard for your business. No jargon. Just results.
Internal links: