If you've ever said, "I'm spending on marketing, but I don't know what's working," you're not alone. In our recent EDGE Marketing Minute podcast, I sat down with Peter DeWit, and we walked through how we tackle reporting so you can see what's working, what's not, and what to do next, without drowning in dashboards.
Here are some tips I’ve developed over the years of working with marketing reports for our clients.
Start with Strategy, Not Platforms
Before opening Google Ads or Meta, define what success means to you. Who's your ideal customer you want to attract? What action matters most for you – calls, form submissions, bookings, or signups? What does a win look like in the next 30–90 days?
If reporting isn't tied to your strategy, it defaults to vanity metrics. Align your marketing to your desired outcomes upfront so your report answers the real question: Are we generating valuable leads at a cost we can live with?
Use the 80/20 Rule to Pick Channels
Trying to be everywhere for everyone is overwhelming. Focus on the places your best customers already are. For B2B companies, that's often LinkedIn plus search engines, like Google. Local consumer businesses typically start with Facebook or Instagram and search results. Track just a few channels first. When you get consistent wins, then expand.
Track the Numbers that Prove ROI
Clicks and impressions can matter for campaigns that build awareness for your brand, but for most small to mid-sized businesses, they're just noise. Instead, prioritize cost per conversion (CPA)—what you pay for each lead or desired action. Track the volume of qualified leads that fit your ideal customer profile. Monitor the conversion rate from a click to a lead. Watch channel-level returns on investment (ROI) to see which sources actually add to your pipeline and generate revenue.
A quick mental model we share with clients: if a customer is worth $1,000 and you can invest up to $200 to acquire one, your allowable CPA is $200. If $1 in marketing reliably returns $2, the budget becomes a lever you can scale within your constraints.
Expect Discrepancies
Google Ads and Meta rarely match perfectly. We tell clients to take platform numbers "with a grain of salt" and focus on directional trends showing consistent up or down movement. Look for cohesive stories across data points, with traffic leading to conversions leading to your sales pipeline. Rely on your normalized, unified reporting view rather than getting lost in platform-specific numbers.
Build a One-Page, Decision-Ready Report
While you may have clarified things by starting with strategy, platform-hopping quickly leads to confusion. EDGE builds a one-page summary so a busy owner can get answers in minutes. All your analytics from all your platforms can be displayed in one report, with consistent language and numbers.. You can see trends over time by analyzing month-over-month and quarter-over-quarter timeframes. Break down leads by source with clear winners and platforms that you might need to spend less time on. We maintain a consistent structure every month, so you don't have to relearn reporting when platforms inevitably change their layouts or metrics.
Make Reporting Actionable
Data is only useful when it leads to action. We recommend monthly or bi-monthly reviews to confirm what's working and scale it, identify what's lagging and fix or pause it. Align your next steps and budgets to your allowable CPA and ROI targets.
Your Quick Start Checklist
- Document your primary conversions and allowable CPA
- Implement conversion tracking for calls, forms, bookings, and signups
- Choose 1–2 priority channels using the 80/20 rule
- Build a one-page dashboard tailored to your business
- Get a monthly summary and next steps
- Compare trends over time; avoid one-off hot takes
- Normalize GA4/Ads/Meta discrepancies in your dashboard
- Put a recurring review on the calendar and stick to it
Confidence and Clarity in Your Marketing
Once you implement these reporting fundamentals, your marketing decisions will become clearer and more confident. You'll stop wondering whether your budget is working and start scaling what drives real results.
Effective marketing reporting is about aligning to strategy, measuring what matters, and consistently reviewing data that drives profitable action.
If you're looking for help in building and implementing a marketing reporting system that proves ROI, reach out to EDGE Marketing & Design. We have the tools and expertise to help you stop guessing about performance and start making data-driven decisions that grow your business.
September 15, 2025
Posted By Robert van Ginkel
Project Manager
Robert specializes in developing targeted marketing strategies that deliver measurable results while staying on schedule and within budget. A graduate of the Donald School of Business, he stays current with the latest digital marketing trends and brings a passion for creative problem-solving and clean design to every project.
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