Marketing reporting dashboard: how to build one that gets used

The short answer

A marketing reporting dashboard is a single page that shows the handful of numbers a business uses to decide where to spend time and money, refreshed on a fixed schedule. Build it by choosing the decisions first, then the numbers that inform them, then the sources that supply them. Keep it short enough that the owner reads it.

What a marketing reporting dashboard is for

A marketing reporting dashboard is one page that shows the same few numbers in the same order every time, so that anyone who reads it can tell within a minute whether marketing is on track. It exists to support decisions, not to prove that data was collected. If nobody changes what they do after reading it, the dashboard is decoration.

A report is a different thing. It explains what happened and why, usually in writing, once a month or quarter. A dashboard is the quick glance between reports. Choosing which numbers matter is a separate task from laying them out, and this guide deals with layout, sources and ownership.

Start with decisions, not charts

List the decisions the dashboard should support, then work backwards to the numbers. Typical ones in a small business are whether to spend more on a channel, whether the website turns visits into enquiries, whether past customers are coming back, and whether sales are on target. Each decision needs one or two numbers. If a number does not map to a decision, it does not go on the page.

Write each line of the dashboard as a sentence: we look at this number to decide that thing. If you cannot finish the sentence, remove the line. The exercise is short, and it removes most of the clutter that people complain about later.

A marketing reporting dashboard layout to copy

This marketing dashboard template suits most small businesses and fits on one screen or one printed page. Build it in a spreadsheet first, even if you plan to move it to a reporting tool later.

Put outcomes at the top because they are what the business needs. Channel numbers explain the outcomes, and website numbers explain the channels, so reading down the page moves from what happened to why.

Two further rules help. Show a comparison with the previous period, or with a target, beside every number, because a figure on its own says little. And give every block a title that states the question it answers.

How many numbers is too many

Use one test. Can the owner read the page in a minute and say what to do next? If not, it has too many numbers. In practice that means one screen without scrolling and only a few figures in each band. A figure earns its place when you can name the action you would take if it moved sharply up or down.

Keep a second tab or page for diagnostic numbers that you open only when something on the main page looks wrong. That split lets the front page stay short without losing detail. The best dashboard is not the one that shows everything available but the one that keeps getting read.

Where the data comes from

A small business dashboard usually draws on a handful of sources: web analytics, search performance data, advertising platforms, an email platform, the order or booking system and a customer record. Each has its own definitions, so decide which source is the truth for each number. Orders and revenue come from the order system. Leads come from the enquiry inbox or CRM. Traffic and behaviour come from analytics.

The tracking behind the numbers must be in place first. If key events and campaign tags are missing, the dashboard shows gaps instead of answers. If your enquiry form ends on a confirmation page, views of that page can feed the lead count, which is one reason to plan what to put on a thank-you page with measurement in mind.

Start by hand for a few weeks. It teaches you which numbers you really use, and you can automate only those. Some reporting tools now write automatic summaries of the figures. Treat them as a first draft to check against the numbers, and read how AI has changed traditional development and marketing for the wider picture.

Who should see it

Giving everyone the same page rarely works. Build one master and trim it for each reader. Share it where people already look, such as a pinned link or a standing meeting, and ask them how they used it. If a reader never acts on it, either remove them or change what they see.

Rows worth including: clicks, leads and returning customers

Three rows deserve space on most dashboards. The first is clicks on your main buttons, so you can see whether the wording works. The guide to writing a call to action that gets clicks covers how to improve them.

The second is leads, counted by source and by stage, such as new, contacted, won and lost. A lead that never replies is not worth the same as one that buys, and the stages show where they are lost. Lead generation for small business explains where leads come from.

The third is returning customers beside new ones, so you see both halves of growth. Customer retention versus acquisition sets out how the two differ and why each needs its own number.

Build it, check it, keep it current

1. Draw the page on paper using the layout above.
2. Build it in a spreadsheet with last quarter's figures, to prove that each number can be found.
3. Write a definition for each number: what it counts, where it comes from and which dates it covers.
4. Ask the owner to read it cold and say what they would do next. Fix whatever confuses them.
5. Set a day for the weekly update and name the person who does it.
6. Review it each quarter. Remove lines nobody used, and add one if a decision lacks a number.

Check the dashboard against the source system once a month. When a definition or the tracking changes, note the date on the dashboard so that a jump in a line is not mistaken for a result.

Mistakes that make dashboards ignored

• Too many numbers, so none stands out.
• Totals with no comparison or target beside them.
• Date ranges that differ from one block to the next.
• Definitions changed without saying so.
• Showing only good news. A dashboard that hides problems stops being trusted.
• No named person responsible for updating it.
• Charts chosen for looks instead of answers.

If you want help with the tracking behind a dashboard and with its layout, the digital marketing page describes the work Liftup Technologies does in this area.

Related guides

• Digital marketing
• Has ai changed traditional development and marketing in 2024
• How to write a call to action that gets clicks
• Lead generation for small business where to start
• Thank You Page: What to Put On It and How to Track It
• Marketing funnel explained

Questions and answers

What goes on a marketing dashboard?

Outcomes first, such as leads or orders against a target, then the channels that produced them, then website health and returning customers, with a notes box for decisions. Each figure should have a comparison and should map to a decision. Anything that nobody would act on belongs on a diagnostic page, not the front.

How many numbers is too many on a marketing dashboard?

There is no fixed count. The test is whether the owner can read the page in a minute and say what to do next. One screen without scrolling and a few figures per band is a good limit. If a number would not change any decision, remove it.

Who should see a marketing dashboard?

Owners need outcomes and spend against target. Marketers need channel and website detail. Sales teams need lead volume and source. Investors or clients need a short summary with commentary. Build one master dashboard and trim it for each reader instead of sending everyone the same page.

Should I use a spreadsheet or a reporting tool?

Start with a spreadsheet for a few weeks, because filling it by hand teaches you which numbers you actually use. Move those numbers to a connected reporting tool if the manual work becomes a burden. Check connectors regularly, since a broken one can leave stale figures unnoticed.

How often should a marketing dashboard be updated?

Weekly suits outcomes and channel numbers for most small businesses, and monthly suits website health and customer numbers. Update more often only during a short campaign when decisions are being made quickly. A fixed day and a named owner matter more than the exact rhythm.

Is there a marketing dashboard template I can copy?

The layout in this guide works as a template: outcomes, channels, website health, customers and notes. Build it in a spreadsheet with your own definitions. A downloaded template filled with someone else's choices will not match your decisions, and you will end up changing most of it.