6 Best Practices for Digital Marketing Agency Reporting

Digital measurement for marketing and PR agencies drives relevant, engaging campaigns and successful work.

Reporting digital marketing success as part of a formalized process can be a huge win for both agencies and clients to build productive long-term relationships together. I’ve seen this in both my current role on the Google Analytics team and the agency side while leading global digital teams.

Why is it a huge win? Digital measurement for marketing and PR agencies is an evolving and important subject because it drives relevant, engaging campaigns and successful work. Analytics are a “meta-layer” for everyone in marketing. That is to say, both those on the agency and client side should be savvy about metrics in order to speak the same language and agree on what successful results look like.

At Google we have the opportunity to work with some of the best agency partners in the world, and today I’m rounding up some things that I’ve seen help reporting rock star agencies stand out from the pack.

1. They use reporting to create marketing accountability and elevate their value. In a digital world, you can measure anything and everything. In fact, we have so many metrics that it’s oftentimes not what you measure, but what you don’t measure that defines your success. For example, adding a long list of KPIs that don’t mean much, such as page views, can bloat a dashboard and lead people to focus on the wrong things. As a result, formalized reporting around a tight set of metrics is critical. It creates marketing accountability for the specific results outlined in agreements and helps agencies show the true value that they’re contributing.

2. They integrate reporting as part of a process to help clients see progress. All agencies want to keep their clients happy and demonstrate that they’re achieving success. Having a formalized reporting process that involves a standard bi-weekly or monthly report (most agencies should likely stay away from quarterly reports – too far; and weekly – too frequent) makes seeing success crystal clear. And if you ever receive questions on progress from a new contact asking how things are going, you can easily send off a copy of your latest report.

3. They use results dashboards to focus programs. Making teams accountable to a dashboard with a specific set of metrics helps agency leads pay careful attention to the tactics used to run programs. They’ll artfully focus on the results-oriented tactics, always looking for ways to optimize and improve. There’s only so much time in the day and there is an unstated elegance of focusing a data-driven online marketing program.

4. They add metrics objectives into agreements and forecast results based on spend. Successful agency reporting rock stars clearly identify the metrics goals a client has and works to ensure they are reflected in agreements. Many brands are often unsure of what they need to be measuring, so this is an opportunity for agencies to be consultative and make the proper recommendations. Also, always take care to under-promise and over-deliver on forecasts. You can always adjust later if you underbid, and it’s unlikely anyone will be upset when you’re beating goals.

5. They add insights to results dashboards. Rock star agencies go beyond exporting a report from their analytics tool and sending it to clients. The data is just the start. Agencies have the unique opportunity to not just share metrics, but also add analysis and context to the data. This is where account managers can own their results, get clients excited, and look strategic. Also, consider going beyond sending the report in an email to clients. Spend 30 minutes or an hour reviewing the data and results in real time, and how you’re planning to iterate your program based on that.

6. They encourage clients to stick to metrics goals. Goals for brands change. Perhaps new management takes over, or your start-up client pivots in a new direction. These things happen. Having a formal reporting process in place can help you prove your value and retain “at risk” clients. But also be prepared to adapt, like refreshing and renewing your agreement, as your tactical mix may change. If the client decides they want to add new metrics to your reporting mix, use this as an opportunity to have a discussion with the client to ensure you’re all aligned on the strategy.

Reporting Can Be a Best Friend to Both Agencies and Clients

Many who are new to digital marketing think that reporting metrics is a lot of work. But it’s actually not so difficult, and in fact it is more work to not report metrics and have to scramble together reports last minute. Formalized reporting solves this and so much more, so if you’re new to this, educate yourself and start fleshing out a process today.

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Whitepapers

US Mobile Streaming Behavior
Whitepaper | Mobile

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

5y

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

Streaming has become a staple of US media-viewing habits. Streaming video, however, still comes with a variety of pesky frustrations that viewers are ...

View resource
Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups
Whitepaper | Analyzing Customer Data

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups

5y

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics f...

Data is the lifeblood of so many companies today. You need more of it, all of which at higher quality, and all the meanwhile being compliant with data...

View resource
Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its people
Whitepaper | Digital Marketing

Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its peopl...

2y

Learning to win the talent war: how digital market...

This report documents the findings of a Fireside chat held by ClickZ in the first quarter of 2022. It provides expert insight on how companies can ret...

View resource
Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy
Report | Digital Transformation

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy

1m

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Exp...

Customers decide fast, influenced by only 2.5 touchpoints – globally! Make sure your brand shines in those critical moments. Read More...

View resource