What Clients Actually Want in a Performance Report
Let’s be honest—most performance reports are written for marketers, not clients. They’re packed with metrics, acronyms, and charts that might look impressive, but don’t answer the most important question: Is it working?
That’s why effective client reporting must do more than just present data. It should deliver clarity, highlight impact, and provide a clear path forward. Whether you’re reporting to a startup founder or a corporate marketing manager, your job is to make performance easy to understand and valuable to act on.
In this blog, we’ll explore what clients truly want to see in a performance report, how to organize your PPC dashboards for clarity, and the best way to ensure ad metrics are explained in a way that builds trust and drives better decision-making.
Why Traditional Reports Often Fall Short
While data is essential, too much of it—especially without context—can overwhelm your clients. Many performance reports end up being more about quantity than clarity. They list every possible metric and trend, but fail to guide the reader.
As a result, clients feel disconnected. They may even question whether their campaigns are working, simply because the report doesn’t tell a clear story.
Instead, your reports should act as a bridge between campaign execution and client understanding. Fortunately, this is easy to fix by adjusting both the format and focus of your client reporting.
What Clients Actually Care About
Before you decide what goes into your report, consider what your client really wants to know. Generally, their goals can be boiled down to three things:
1. Are We Getting Results?
This is the main question behind every client’s review. You should lead your report with a quick summary of key outcomes. Show whether you hit KPIs, increased leads, or improved cost efficiency. Avoid fluff—be direct.
2. Why Did Performance Change?
It’s not enough to share results. Clients want to understand what caused performance to shift. Therefore, offer brief, data-backed explanations that help them connect the dots between strategy and outcome.
3. What Are We Doing About It?
Ultimately, clients want confidence that you have a plan. Include clear next steps. Let them know what you’re testing, where you’re shifting budget, and how you’re improving performance moving forward.
Elements of a Strong PPC Dashboard
To create a report clients actually read, you need more than just a spreadsheet. A good PPC dashboard provides a visual summary that’s easy to navigate. Below are the key components you should include:
Focused KPIs
Start by narrowing the report down to the most relevant metrics. Instead of overwhelming clients with dozens of numbers, highlight 3–5 that align with their goals. For example, a lead generation client may care most about cost per lead, total leads, and click-through rate.
Clear Visuals
Bar charts, line graphs, and color-coded comparisons go a long way in helping clients interpret trends. Even better, use annotations to call out spikes, dips, or highlights.
Highlights and Lowlights
Rather than burying insights deep in the data, start each report with a “wins and risks” summary. Mention what improved and what needs attention. This helps clients quickly understand where things stand—without digging.
Ad Metrics Explained in Plain Language
If you include acronyms like CTR or ROAS, make sure they’re defined. For example:
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): How often users clicked after seeing your ad
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): How much revenue you earned for each dollar spent
- CPL (Cost per Lead): The average cost of acquiring a lead
This small change makes a big impact. When ad metrics are explained clearly, clients feel more informed and confident in your strategy.
How to Make Client Reporting Actionable
Of course, even the best data won’t matter if clients don’t know what to do with it. Your job is to translate insights into action.
Include Strategic Recommendations
After presenting the numbers, explain what they mean and what your team plans to do. For instance:
- “We’ll pause Ad Set A due to rising costs and shift 20% of the budget to Ad Set B, which is converting at a lower CPL.”
- “Creative testing begins next week to address signs of ad fatigue in our top campaign.”
- “We’re expanding targeting to include a new lookalike audience that showed early traction.”
These details show that you’re not just reporting—you’re actively managing their success.
Make the Report Easy to Scan
Use headers, bullet points, and short paragraphs. Even busy clients should be able to understand performance with a quick glance. Don’t make them search for key takeaways.
Turn It Into a Conversation
Instead of just sending over a PDF, schedule a short call to walk through the report. This gives you a chance to answer questions and align on next steps. Over time, these check-ins strengthen your relationship and show your commitment to ongoing success.
Final Thoughts: Build Trust Through Clarity
Strong client reporting builds stronger client relationships. It’s not about dazzling with complexity—it’s about creating clarity. By simplifying your PPC dashboards and making sure ad metrics are explained in everyday language, you empower your clients to feel involved and informed.
More importantly, you position yourself not just as a vendor, but as a strategic partner.
Looking to level up your performance reports? carrotcake makes reporting effortless by translating ad data into clear insights, summaries, and recommended next steps—so you can spend less time formatting and more time optimizing.
