Have you ever found yourself in a tough spot where clients want quick results as soon as a campaign starts? Or maybe you’ve struggled with promising big results while trying to stay realistic.
While working on the upcoming “State of PPC Global Report 2024,” along with our partners, we’ve seen some interesting patterns. One big takeaway is that managing expectations is still a big deal, even in 2024. We’ve all been there. We agree with clients about the importance of sticking with a plan but then see them hesitate when things don’t go perfectly right away. Let’s discuss how we can balance immediate demands with the long-term strategies essential for forging lasting partnerships.
Understanding the Core Challenges in PPC
A total of 1133 respondents have answered the survey, providing insights into the challenges faced in client-agency relationships by PPC-ers. This concern is shared by agencies worldwide, and it really highlights the need for clear communication and setting realistic goals.
But the challenges don’t stop there. Beyond expectations, digital marketing agencies grapple with:
- Building trust
- Educating clients on the digital landscape
- Efficient time management
- Conveying the depth and complexity of digital marketing efforts
- Addressing the infamous “5-minute tasks”
The survey makes it clear: building trust, teaching clients, knowledge sharing, and handling time are all primary challenges marketers face. When it comes to talking about reports with clients, the survey shows there’s a whole mix of issues that can come up. This tells us that reporting can get pretty complicated, and we need to tackle these significant challenges if we want to get better at working on our client deliverables.
The survey responses highlight certain challenges in reporting, such as:
- Accurate reporting and gathering of assets.
- Consistent and templated reporting and delivery to clients in a manner they understand.
- Cross-channel reporting that provides actionable next steps without overwhelming with data.
- Meeting reporting requirements and setting expectations around them.
- Challenges with reporting due to client in-house turnover, internal structures, and attribution models.
- Making reporting understandable for non-tech-savvy clients and illustrating the value of technical work.
- Managing the time it takes for reporting, preparing for reporting calls, and dealing with automation complexities in reporting.
- Balancing time between reporting and optimizing campaigns.
- Issues with reporting platforms being cumbersome and expensive.
- Discrepancies in reporting data, especially with new analytics platforms like GA4.
Strategic Solutions that Empower
Every challenge we have seen in the upcoming State of PPC Global Report 2024 offers a chance to grow and enhance collaboration with clients. What are some actions you can begin to take to develop robust relationships with clients?
Setting Clear Expectations: Begin every engagement with a comprehensive discussion about goals, strategies, timelines, and metrics for success. Clear documentation and regular check-ins can help align both parties and adjust the course as needed.
Start by asking the following clarifying questions:
- What specific goals do you want to achieve with this campaign?
- What is the desired timeline for achieving these goals?
- How will we measure success? What metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) will be used?
- Are there any specific benchmarks or milestones we should aim for?
- Do you have any budget constraints or limitations that we need to consider?
- Who are the key stakeholders and decision-makers involved in this project?
- How frequently would you like to have check-ins or progress updates?
Related: Reporting KPIs: A mini-guide to creating effective KPI dashboards and reports
Building Trust Through Transparency: Transparency is key in any agency-client relationship. But sometimes, there can be a lack of transparency on both sides, leading to trust issues. Both parties should be open about their processes, strategies, and results to overcome this challenge. Sharing data and insights can help build trust and foster a collaborative environment. A simple way to achieve this goal is to schedule client reports using automated reporting tools. Break down complex strategies into digestible, relatable concepts for your clients. Use analogies, visuals, and case studies to make the abstract tangible.
Client Education as a Service: Teaching your clients makes them a powerful partner. Simplify complex PPC ideas and provide context about the data and decisions to improve their grasp of their reports. Including written explanations and screenshots in your reports might be all you need to clarify your decisions.
Report Management: Streamline your processes with client management and monitoring tools and set clear internal guidelines to ensure that even those “5-minute tasks” are efficiently handled without detracting from the bigger picture. AccuraCast, one of the top digital marketing agencies in the UK, offers valuable advice for managing these requests: aim to resolve them within 24 hours by prioritizing them. This efficient handling is possible because their other processes are automated and streamlined.
Accurate and Understandable Reporting: The survey findings also strongly focused on reporting difficulties. There’s an apparent demand for precise, easy-to-understand, and useful reports. Agencies can use client reporting tools like Swydo to produce tailored, insightful reports that connect with clients. These reports effectively demonstrate the value and results of their work without burying them in too much information.
Every client interaction is an opportunity to reinforce trust, demonstrate value, and pave the way for future successes. By following these steps, you can create a structured and collaborative approach to building strong client relationships.
Creating Meaningful Client Interactions
In conclusion, the survey shows that agencies have a lot on their plate when it comes to managing expectations and reporting. They have to deal with accuracy, clarity, cross-channel data, and client demands. But if you want to make your client reporting process easier, save time on repetitive tasks, and have better interactions with your clients, we’re here for you.
Swydo helps agencies make reports that are accurate, easy to understand, and visually appealing. Interested in finding out how Swydo can simplify and automate your reporting workflow? Get a demo or register for a free trial, and make your free marketing report in just one minute!
Swydo and our six marketing partners have teamed up to produce the 2024 edition of the global PPC Survey. On March 27, 2024, at 5 pm EST, we’re organizing a town hall meeting where our experts will share insights and reveal fascinating findings from the survey. Join here!!