How to Connect Facebook Ads to Looker Studio Like a Pro Agency

If you manage many Meta Ads accounts, raw data is not enough. You need real-time insights that tell a story — fast. And that starts with having your Facebook Ads data piped cleanly into Looker Studio. While Looker Studio is great for building client-ready dashboards, it doesn’t speak Meta Ads natively. You’ll need a translator — aka a third-party connector.

This guide walks you through getting Facebook Ads data into Looker Studio. You’ll learn:

• Which tools actually work
• How to automate data updates and stop wasting hours every week
• All about free and paid connectors — the good, the bad, and the tricky
• Which metrics matter most and where people often get stuck

By the end, you’ll have a pipeline that runs itself. Imagine sending out fresh reports Monday morning without lifting a finger.

What You’ll Need to Connect Facebook Ads

Here’s your pre-flight checklist before syncing Meta Ads data into Looker Studio:

• Create or log in to your Looker Studio account — it’s free with any Google login. (Check out our full Looker Studio beginners guide)
• Have at least an ad account analyst role for the Facebook Ads accounts you want to report on.
• Get a third-party data connector or integration tool — Looker Studio doesn’t offer a native Facebook Ads connector.

How to Connect to Looker Studio

To access Google’s Looker Studio:

1. Sign in to your Google account
2. Visit Looker Studio and click Use It for Free
3. Authenticate with Google single sign-on (SSO)

Check Your Facebook Ads Role

Make sure you have the right permissions to pull performance data:

1. Log in to Facebook and open Meta Ads Manager
2. Choose the correct ad account from the dropdown at the top
3. If it’s not listed, click See more ad accounts
4. Click the Settings gear icon to open account settings
5. Re-enter your Facebook password if prompted
6. Scroll to the ad account roles section
7. Find your name in the list to view your assigned role

Viewing and managing Meta ad account roles

There are three main roles:

• Admin: Full control of the Facebook ad account. Manage campaigns, access billing and payment methods, add or remove users, and change account settings
• Advertiser: Create and manage ads, adjust budgets, and view campaign performance. Cannot access billing info, change account settings, or change permissions
• Analyst: View ad performance data and generate reports. Cannot create or edit ads, access billing, or user permissions

How to Connect a Facebook Ads Data Connector

Now it’s time to choose a third-party data connector that supports Facebook Ads reporting and sync it with your agency’s Looker Studio account

1. Go to Looker Studio and click Create, then Report
2. In the draft report, select Add data
3. In the Add data to report window, choose your data connector option
4. Check out the best Looker Studio connectors

Option 1: Google Sheets

This is the free way to get Facebook Ads data into Looker Studio. But plan to spend a few hours each week manually updating your Google Sheets with fresh data.

1. Export your ad reports as CSV from Meta Ads Manager
2. Open Google Sheets, import the CSV, and format the data
3. In Looker Studio, go to the data connector window, search for and select Google Sheets
4. Pick your spreadsheet and worksheet
5. Choose fields like ad name, date, impressions, clicks, and conversions
6. Click Create report to add the data to your client report

You’ll need to repeat these steps regularly to keep the report up to date.

Option 2: Third-Party Data Connector

Most third-party connectors that link Facebook Ads to Looker Studio require a paid subscription. But many offer free trials or limited free tiers. This option saves serious time by eliminating manual refreshes.

After picking the connector that fits your agency’s budget and needs:

1. In Looker Studio, click Add data, then search for your connector, such as Windsor.ai or Power My Analytics
2. Authorize with your Facebook and Google accounts
3. Select your ad account, pick metrics and dimensions, and set how often the data refreshes
4. Click Create report to link your Facebook Ads data

This method automates data syncing so you can focus on analysis, not busywork.

Available Facebook Ads Connectors

Because Looker Studio doesn’t speak Facebook out of the box, marketing agencies must use third-party connectors and integrations. Here’s a quick overview of popular options — free, paid, and manual workarounds. Start with a free solution or trial, then upgrade as your needs grow.

The smartest way to pick a Facebook Ads connector for your agency? Test drive a few options before committing. 

Before choosing your Facebook Ads connector:

• Run real tests using large data sets
• Track if any metrics are dropped or incomplete
• Compare cost per account — high volume = higher costs
• Validate how fast data refreshes
• Look for easy setup — no technical heavy lifting
• Contact support to see how responsive they are

Most connectors offer free trials, so test out 2-3 options with large-scale demo data or client accounts. See which one handles your data volume, delivers clean reports, and doesn’t require hours for the initial setup.

Facebook Ads Metrics and Dimensions for Agencies

When you build performance reports for clients, you’re not just crunching numbers. You’re delivering insights that help them make smarter business decisions. Focus on metrics and dimensions that tie directly to what clients care about — leads, sales, or brand awareness.

Core Metrics That Actually Matter

Cover the whole funnel — from getting eyes on ads to turning clicks into customers. These are the numbers that make Facebook Ads dashboards worth checking.

Awareness and engagement metrics focus on how many people saw the ads and interacted with them.

Cost and conversion metrics show costs and how ad spend translates into results.

Once you’ve pulled in Facebook Ads data, the next step is turning it into something clients can easily understand. Here’s a quick guide to key KPIs and the best Looker Studio widgets to show them clearly and effectively.

Keep in mind that most third-party connectors, especially free ones, don’t include calculated fields like CTR, CPA, or ROAS out of the box. If your marketing agency isn’t using calculated fields yet, this is an easy way to add advanced Facebook Ads metrics to your client reports.

You can create these directly in Looker Studio using simple formulas:

Common Facebook Ads Calculated Fields

• CTR (%): (Link clicks / Impressions) * 100
• CPA: Amount spent / Conversions
• ROAS: Conversion value / Amount spent

Key Facebook Ads Dimensions

Dimensions help you slice and dice your ad performance to figure out what’s actually working, whether it’s your creative, how audiences respond, or how key metrics change over time..

How to Automate Facebook Ads Data in Looker Studio

Manual Facebook Ads reporting eats up hours with repetitive data pulls and formatting. The good news? You can automate all of it — and you’ve got a few solid options.

Step 1: Schedule Facebook Ads Data Pulls With a Connector

To send Facebook Ads data to Looker Studio, you’ll need a third-party connector. These tools support scheduled refreshes, so your reports update automatically — hourly, daily, or on a custom schedule.

Depending on the third-party connector you choose:

1. Log in to your connector and connect your Facebook Ads account
2. Choose a destination, such as Google Sheets or BigQuery, to sync data with Looker Studio
3. Find the Schedule or Automation option in your connector
4. Set your preferred refresh frequency — hourly, every 6 hours, or daily
5. For daily or weekly refreshes, choose a specific update time (e.g., 3 a.m.)
6. Save your settings — your data will now update automatically

Pro tip: Schedule your Looker Studio data refresh to match when clients view their reports. If clients check dashboards on Monday mornings, set the refresh for early Monday — say, 2 a.m. That way, when you send reports to 15 clients later that day, everything’s up to date before your team wakes up.

Step 2: Enable Looker Studio’s Auto-Refresh

Once your data source is updating on schedule, follow these steps to keep your Looker Studio report in sync:

1. Open your Looker Studio report
2. Go to Resource → Manage added data sources
3. Click EDIT next to your data source
4. Select Data freshness in the top menu
5. Choose the refresh interval that matches your update needs

Step 3: Automate Facebook Data Into BigQuery

For larger accounts — or to improve dashboard speed — use Google’s BigQuery to store your Facebook Ads data. Use BigQuery Data Transfer Service to schedule daily automatic imports.

Data Transfer Service supports three main reports from Facebook Ads:

Ads — Raw ad-level configuration data

AdInsights — Aggregated performance metrics

AdInsightsActions — Action-level breakdown (clicks, installs, views)

Here’s how to set up automated data transfer to BigQuery:

1. Open Google Cloud Console → BigQuery → Transfers → Create Transfer
2. Select Facebook Ads as source and authorize using App ID, App Secret and long‑lived access token
3. Choose the report to import (e.g., AdInsights) and select only needed fields
4. Set schedule to daily and pick import time
5. Choose or create a BigQuery dataset to store the data
6. Run the first transfer manually to confirm successful loading

Complete the final steps in Looker Studio:

1. In Looker Studio create new data source linked to your BigQuery table
2. Enable auto-refresh so reports always show latest data
3. Set a recurring reminder every 60 days — or automate secure token refresh — to avoid data disruptions

Best Practices and Common Challenges

With your automated Facebook Ads integration running smoothly, you’ll want to prepare for ongoing maintenance and potential issues that could pop up down the road.

Token Expiry and Reauthentication

Facebook access tokens expire every 60 days. When they do, your connector stops pulling the most recent data. Make sure to:

• Set a recurring reminder to refresh Facebook access token every two months
• Watch for connector warnings — look for “No data” errors or email alerts
• Update the token in your Facebook Ads data source promptly

Permissions and Account Access Errors

Permission issues cause most automated Facebook Ads reporting failures. When data stops flowing:

• Confirm the user connecting the data source has correct permissions in Meta Business Manager
• Verify Instagram accounts are linked to Facebook Pages if Instagram metrics are included
• Make sure ad accounts are active and not flagged or restricted by Meta

Data Freshness vs. Caching

Even if your data source updates daily, Looker Studio may still show cached results.

Verify your data is current and refresh it in Looker Studio:

• Look for the last refresh date/ time at bottom left side of screen
• Hover over charts to view last updated timestamp (Pro version)
• Adjust refresh rate in connector settings when data appears stale
• Click Refresh data to update visuals instantly when needed

Data Types and Field Formatting

If metrics like ROAS or CPA aren’t showing the actual numbers, the issue might be incorrect field types.

In Looker Studio:

1. Navigate to Resource → Manage added data sources → Edit your Facebook Ads source
2. Ensure fields like Spend or Impressions are formatted as Number, not Text
3. Set CTR and similar metrics to Decimal or Percent format
4. Save and refresh your report to apply changes

Other Ways to Report Facebook Ads Performance

Facebook Ads reporting gets messy fast. Looker Studio is powerful, but it takes manual setup, custom metrics, and regular upkeep. If that’s slowing you down, here are a few alternatives that might suit your workflow better.

Use Platforms Made for Agencies

Reporting platforms like Swydo offer a powerful way to connect directly to Facebook Ads — along with Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, TikTok Ads, and 30+ other integrations — without the hassle of external connectors. Swydo’s intuitive interface helps you streamline reporting so you can focus on insights and strategy, not manual data work.

With Swydo, you can:

• Build client-ready templates quickly
• Set up automated delivery schedules to keep reports flowing on time
• Add personalized insights and comments to give reports context
• Save time with a drag-and-drop report builder that’s easy to use
• Track key metrics like return on ad spend (ROAS), click-through rate (CTR), and cost per acquisition (CPA)
• Cut down on manual work and reduce errors with pre-made templates and automation

This combo of ease and powerful features makes Swydo a smart choice for agencies looking to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality.

Read our Looker Studio vs Swydo comparison for more information.

Go Old School With Spreadsheets

Manual reporting using Google Sheets or Excel still makes sense for small agencies with just a few clients or a need for highly customized reports that automated tools can’t handle. 

To get the most from spreadsheets:

• Export your Facebook Ads data directly from Ads Manager, then organize it into clean tables. 
• Break down performance by campaign type, audience, or time period. 
• Create charts and graphs tailored to highlight the metrics that matter most for each client — whether that’s cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, or reach.

It takes more time and doesn’t run itself, but you control every detail. Want to compare this month’s performance to the same period last year? Easy. Need to combine Facebook data with offline sales numbers? No problem. You format everything exactly the way your clients want to see it.

Make Facebook Ads Reporting Work for You — Not the Other Way Around

Facebook Ads reporting doesn’t have to eat up your whole week. You’ve got options — whether it’s the flexibility of Looker Studio, a specialized platform like Swydo, or good old spreadsheets. The secret is choosing what actually works for your team and clients.

Here’s the truth: manual reporting kills productivity and leaves plenty of room for mistakes. Automated tools save you hours every week. They let you focus on strategy instead of endless data entry. Plus, they help you scale your work without hiring more people.

Whether you lean on Looker Studio’s powerful customization, a plug-and-play platform, or your own trusted spreadsheet system, your choice depends on your agency’s size, tech skills, and client needs.

Pick your approach, set it up once, then get back to what you do best — growing your clients’ businesses.

If you haven’t tried Swydo yet, you can test it free for 14 days — no risk. It might just change your mind about how simple client reporting can be.