In the event you’re simply getting began with Google Looker Studio, you’ve in all probability skilled blank-page syndrome.
You get your knowledge supply linked, open up a brand new file, and you don’t have any concept what to do subsequent.
There are not any directions. No information rails. Simply you and an empty web page to fill.
And whereas you can begin with a template (Google Looker Studio Report Gallery has a number of), it’s nonetheless robust to know the right way to customise it to completely suit your wants.
Listed below are some tried-and-true parts to incorporate in PPC dashboards and stories that may banish blank-page syndrome and provides your stakeholders the insights they crave.
1. Titles, subheads and context
Whenever you add a chart in Google Looker Studio, you choose the info supply, dimensions, metrics and date vary from the Information Panel to populate your visualization.
However your reader doesn’t see the Information Panel and gained’t know what your chart is about until you are taking an additional step to incorporate it in your dashboard.
The 2 graphs beneath present similar knowledge visualizations. Determine A contains solely the chart, whereas Determine B contains written titles and context.
Determine A leaves questions in your reader’s thoughts that Determine B solutions.
You can also make your graphs and tables simpler to grasp at a look with the following tips:
- Give your knowledge visualizations a title.
- Use subheadings and microcopy for extra context.
- Use legends.
- State the date vary if it’s not included within the chart. (Word: “auto” date vary defaults to final 28 days.)
- If a number of knowledge sources are used all through your dashboard, make clear which is utilized in particular charts.
Tips on how to do it:
- Add a textual content field and write out your titles and descriptions.
- It will open up a “Textual content Properties” panel to edit fonts, textual content measurement, and styling parts.
It’s definitely worth the small handbook effort it takes so as to add a textual content field and embrace context!
2. KPI scorecards
You don’t want an article to inform you that your dashboard ought to embrace your key efficiency indicators (KPIs).
However when you’re planning out your dashboard, pay particular consideration to the place to incorporate them.
Your KPIs matter most in your report and deserve prime billing.
Which means showcasing your KPIs with scorecards like so:
Not as afterthoughts on the finish of a desk:
Not solely do tables make it onerous to determine KPIs, for languages which might be learn left to proper, tucking KPIs on the far proper of the desk tells your reader these metrics are low precedence.
Hold your reader centered in your key development metrics like lead quantity, income, or return on advert spend (ROAS), fairly than vainness and visitors metrics like impressions and clicks.
Tips on how to do it:
- Use Chart > Scorecard.
- Within the “metric” part of the Information Panel, add your KPI. Repeat as wanted.
- Management format and measurement within the Type Panel.
Having KPIs seem in tables and different charts isn’t an issue, however give them added consideration through the use of scorecards.
3. Purpose pacing
Some advertisers use fastened month-to-month or annual advertising budgets with no room for changes.
Others have gross sales or effectivity targets they should hit with versatile budgets.
It doesn’t matter what the strategy, your dashboard ought to reply the query:
Are we assembly our targets, and the way do we all know?
Account targets aren’t standardized, and neither is the strategy for together with objective pacing in your dashboard.
Fortuitously, Looker Studio provides you a lot choices for including targets and pacing, from actually charting towards a objective to including a written description of the goal.
Listed below are some examples of the way you may anchor efficiency to a objective:
Tips on how to do it:
- Possibility: Add a header that states the target
- Possibility: Use a pacing chart corresponding to bullet or gauge
- Possibility: Add a calculated area with progress to objective (metric/goal)
Together with objective pacing provides your reader confidence in the right way to interpret efficiency knowledge.
4. Tendencies and historic comparisons
Tendencies and historic comparisons let your reader know if issues are enhancing – or want enchancment – over time.
Possibly you fell wanting the objective, however you all the time miss it as a result of it’s unrealistic.
Possibly you hit your objective, however you’re down in comparison with final 12 months, and you want to take corrective motion.
Don’t make your reader wonder if present efficiency is common, down or “greatest month ever.”
Snapshot (single-metric) comparisons
Tables and scorecards offer you a straightforward solution to present your reader how efficiency for this era compares to a different, utilizing color-coded arrows to point the course of the change (delta).
Tips on how to do it:
- Underneath “Date vary,” choose your comparability date vary:
- Fastened
- Earlier interval
- Earlier 12 months
- Superior
- Within the Type Panel:
- Management the colour of constructive or unfavourable change arrows
- For Scorecards solely, you’ll be able to choose whether or not to point out absolute or share change and whether or not to incorporate an outline of the earlier time interval (comparability label).
- It’s also possible to format Scorecards to present each YoY and MoM comparisons.
Line charts
You may get an entire image of efficiency developments utilizing time collection charts.
Somewhat than simply evaluating this era to the final interval, you’ve acquired a whole historical past revealing developments in seasonality, market affect and extra.
You should use a steady Time collection chart (proven above) or designate a comparability time interval.
Right here’s how that very same knowledge seems to be as a 12 months over 12 months (YoY) Time collection chart. Word that the comparability 12 months will present as a lighter shade of this era’s line:
One other solution to present historic efficiency is with a line chart that makes use of a time interval as a breakdown dimension.
This Line chart is from a report evaluating CPCs earlier than and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic:
Tips on how to do it:
- To match two time intervals: Use a Time collection chart and choose a comparability date vary.
- To match three or extra time intervals (proven right here for years):
- Choose a Line chart
- Set the “Dimension” to Month
- Set the “Breakdown Dimension” to 12 months
- Set the “Type” to Month
- Set the “Secondary type” to 12 months
Just a few vital notes for developments and historic comparisons –
- Solely use these to your KPIs or metrics that immediately contribute to your KPIs. Don’t add a CTR pattern chart only for the sake of together with a pattern chart.
- There’s virtually by no means a cause to point out day by day granularity in these charts. Zoomed in that carefully, you’ll miss the sign for the day-to-day noise. Search for developments at a month-to-month degree.
5. Categorical tables
Okay, so tables aren’t that glamorous.
But when your Looker Studio dashboard doesn’t have a desk, one thing’s in all probability lacking.
Why? As a result of there are occasions when your viewers wants to check a number of classes throughout a number of metrics. And nothing does that extra effectively than a desk.
Tables are nice for evaluating default classes like:
- Campaigns
- Advert teams
- Key phrases
- Search phrases
- Closing URLs
And relying on the complexity of your PPC dashboard, you’ll be able to create tables for:
- Engines and platforms
- Channels and networks
- Funnels / intent / levels of consciousness
- Model vs. nonbrand
- Pivots of time segments, conversion varieties, and different classes
Tips on how to do it:
- Chart > Desk (or Pivot desk)
- Dimension(s): the class or classes you need to evaluate
- Metrics: your KPIs and supporting metrics
- From the Type Panel, you’ll be able to format your desk to incorporate heatmaps, bars and targets
It’s straightforward to construct tables and add metrics, and it’s straightforward to get carried away. Train some restraint and restrict the variety of metrics in your desk, so it stays helpful to your reader.
Bonus: Shiny charts
Our listing constrained us to 5 classes, however right here’s one bonus for making it to the tip:
Shiny charts.
What are shiny charts?
Shiny charts are visualizations that your viewers loves and will get enthusiastic about, even when they’re not tremendous actionable.
Your readers could not study something new, however they’ll really feel like they discovered one thing new.
Maps are an incredible instance.
Many dataviz specialists say to not use map charts; there are higher methods to speak location knowledge.
However attempt to discover a consumer or stakeholder who doesn’t like to see efficiency knowledge on a map. Go forward. I’ll wait.
Positive it’s a bit counterintuitive while you’re attempting to construct out an actionable dashboard. Possibly even a bit controversial. And also you don’t must do it. However a chart that makes your viewers really feel good only for seeing it has its personal benefit.
Placing all of it collectively
Whereas your Looker Studio dashboard can technically embrace no matter you need, it ought to at a minimal embrace:
- Title and context
- KPI scorecards
- Purpose pacing
- Historic comparisons
- Categorical tables
These don’t must (and might’t) all be discrete sections. One scorecard can embrace a title, KPI, pacing, and time comparability.
There are a lot of different charts and visualizations that may take your PPC dashboard from good to nice. Getting began with this listing will set you up for fulfillment and offer you a dashboard definitely worth the time it took to construct.
Opinions expressed on this article are these of the visitor writer and never essentially Search Engine Land. Employees authors are listed right here.
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About The Writer
Amy Hebdon is a Google Adverts conversion professional and the founder and managing director of the Google Associate company Paid Search Magic. Since 2004, she’s managed Google Adverts for purchasers starting from Fortune 10 to SMBs at companies, in-house, and freelancing. Her articles have been revealed in Search Engine Journal, Unbounce, PPC Hero, Supermetrics, Copy Hackers and CXL. Collectively along with her husband James, she additionally runs the Fb group Google Adverts for Savvy Digital Entrepreneurs.
