Client-ready reports

Client-ready reports are summaries of ad performance made to be sent to people who do not work in the ad account. A tool with this feature builds a report from your campaign data, often from a template, and delivers it as a PDF, a link or an email on a schedule such as every Monday. Adalysis, Adzooma and Optmyzr include reporting of this kind, and some let you add a logo and your own colours.

Reporting takes more time than most people expect. Collecting figures, making charts and writing a summary each month can cost an agency hours per client. Automated reports save that effort and give clients and bosses a regular, consistent view. You need them when you answer to clients or a management team, and the content should show results they care about, such as leads and cost per lead, not only clicks. If you are the only person who reads the data, the standard dashboard may be enough.

A report is only useful if it can be understood. Look for a clear summary and plain labels instead of a wall of metrics.

• Can you change the layout, choose the metrics and add your own logo and text?
• Can reports go out automatically on a schedule, in a format the recipient can open?
• Can one report combine several networks or accounts, such as Google and Microsoft?
• Is there a way to add comments or a summary so the numbers are explained?