Ever felt lost in the sea of digital marketing data, struggling to make sense of all those numbers and charts? Well, you’re not alone! Today, we’re slicing through the confusion to chat about two important client communication tools in the marketing world: monitoring and reporting. We’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of why monitoring is like having an eagle eye on your advertising campaigns, and why reporting gives you that big-picture view you need to strategize your marketing campaigns like a pro. Plus, we’ll discuss why keeping them separate is key and how to amp up your game with contextual reporting or data storytelling. Let’s roll!
Monitoring: A Keen Sense of Detail
Think of monitoring like your magnifying glass, letting you zoom in on the finer details of your digital marketing campaigns. Monitoring is about keeping a close watch on what’s happening in real time. Like, how many folks are clicking on your ad at this very second, or which social media post is getting all the love today?
For instance, let’s talk about click-through rates (CTRs) on your latest email campaign. Monitoring these can tell you instantly if your subject line was a hit or a miss. And did you know? The average email marketing CTR is around 2.6%. If you’re hitting above this, you’re doing something right!
But here’s the kicker: 87% of marketers feel that data is the most under-utilized asset. Yikes! With monitoring, you can join the savvy 13% and catch those tiny yet critical changes that can make or break your marketing strategy.
Turn Data into Action With Swydo’s Monitoring Tool
Using Swydo for monitoring gives a detailed view of various client campaigns and their performance, making it easier to make well-informed decisions with better strategies. Citrus Nobilis, a top digital marketing firm in Greece, struggled with effective client reporting and working together as a team. Discover how Swydo helped them improve their reporting workflow and increase their team’s productivity by 30%. Here are some ways how you can leverage it:
Your One-Stop Shop for All Your Client KPIs
Forget about switching between tabs or bouncing from one platform to another. When all your metrics, from Google Ads to Facebook campaigns, are gathered in a single location, you not only save time and maintain your peace of mind but also easily identify any campaigns that aren’t doing well. This allows you to quickly take action whenever you notice an issue without having to dive deep into your individual monthly reports.
You have a centralized hub for all your client campaigns — where you can instantly spot trends, identify opportunities for optimization, and make informed decisions swiftly. Got 10 different clients and multiple campaigns running? No problem — you can still make your own dashboard with one unified view that works for you.
Transforming Data into Strategies
While monitoring is valuable, taking action is even more so. With custom reports linked directly to monitoring dashboards, you’re not just seeing your campaign KPI state; you can take a deep dive into what makes your campaigns work, instantly — helping you understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind your KPIs.
Gain Quick Insights
Swydo’s easy-to-use filtering system helps you sort data efficiently with a few clicks. Whether you’re filtering by client, account manager, or the status of your KPIs, Swydo enables you to pinpoint what is working and what needs improvement.
Stay On the Pulse
These monitoring dashboards are automatically populated with real-time data once you connect your marketing sources. You can create your own internal dashboards to monitor results and performance across 30+ marketing integrations, gain a comprehensive view, and share them with stakeholders. You can also set alerts and receive notifications when goals are met or unmet.
Reporting: Understanding the Full Context
Now, if monitoring is the magnifying glass, reporting is your birds-eye view. It’s stepping back and looking at all the data from last month, quarter, or your historical data and asking, “What’s the story here?” It’s about trends, patterns, and outcomes. Consider it this way: If marketing analytics currently influence slightly more than 53% of marketing decisions, establishing regular procedures for tracking metrics and enhancing conversion rates could significantly alter this scenario.
For example, you have just cracked the case on why your email open rates have taken a nosedive. The culprit? A subject line in your recent campaign that accidentally triggered spam filters, meaning most of your audience never even saw your latest emails in their inbox, but only the older, less engaging ones. Whether you’re making an email marketing report for your team, your boss, or even the company’s CEO, they probably want the story, not a novel.
What they really want is the essence of what went down. You should zero in on the key points that affect the business. Each client report is unique. However, there are several standard tips for crafting impactful reports. From what we’ve learned, it’s beneficial to always have:
- A summary of 6-9 crucial metrics (be sure to include goals and outcomes, like conversions or clicks)
- A detailed account of the actions you have completed and plan to undertake
- Detailed graphs (make data visualization a priority where applicable)
- A glossary (remember, it’s not obvious that clients will know marketing terminology)
Related: Client Reporting for Online Marketing Agencies: 5 Best Practices.
Remember, good reporting isn’t just about rattling off numbers. It’s about painting a picture of what’s going on, showing them actionable insights through the numbers.
How to Keep Your Monitoring and Reporting Distinct
While monitoring and reporting may seem like two sides of the same coin, they actually serve different purposes. By keeping them separate, you make sure you’re not just freaking out over every little blip (monitoring) but also taking the time to analyze and strategize (reporting).
It’s important to realize that keeping an eye on things and sharing what you’ve found with stakeholders and clients are two different jobs for digital marketing agencies. And sometimes, it’s smart to keep both distinct. Sure, you could try to make one dashboard do double duty, but that’s not the best idea since what you’re tracking and who you’re telling can be pretty different.
For example, if you’re crafting an SEO report for a C-suite executive, condense the complexities of SEO into high-level insights. Showcase how SEO influences business goals, provide a snapshot of traffic and conversions, and offer a high-level view of ROI. Add a touch of competitor benchmarking to give executives a clear market standing and future marketing decisions.
Having custom dashboards means you can tailor each one to its job: they get to be more focused, more on point, and easier for the right eyes to understand. That makes them way more useful for what they’re meant to do. So go ahead and keep monitoring and reporting as separate entities – your digital marketing strategy will thank you!
Related: Reporting KPIs: A Mini-Guide to Creating Effective KPI Dashboards and KPI Report
So, what’s your next move? Ready to take your monitoring and reporting to the next level? Let’s make it happen!
Looking for an Effective Way to Create Your Monitoring Dashboards and Reports?
Ready to cut down on those hours spent on tracking data from multiple channels? Swydo’s got your back. Our platform streamlines the chore of converting complex marketing metrics into A1 reports & monitoring dashboards. All so you can better understand— and share—your insights. How is Swydo different from Power BI & Tableau? Those guys target generic data analytics. Swydo focuses on digital marketers’ specific needs and wants. Swydo’s promise: a streamlined, user-friendly experience. Over 2000+ marketers from over 80 countries trust Swydo with their client reporting needs. Check it out for yourself by starting a free 14-day trial, or dive in deeper with our experts through a personalized demo.