ReportingWhatMatters
Stop presenting blended lies. Every chart should tell you a decision to make or a risk to manage. If a chart does not change a decision, delete it.
Standard Agency Reporting Lies
A typical agency report shows:
Standard Agency Report
"Everything looks great!" (But bank is empty)
This report tells you nothing about whether the business is actually healthy. It measures Google's definition of success, not yours.
What to Report (Decisions)
Metrics that drive action:
Contribution Margin
Real profit after ads, COGS, returns. The actual money that funds overheads.
Payback by Cohort
How fast does cash return? Broken down by customer type and acquisition source.
Stock Cover vs Spend
Are we selling what we can ship? Alignment between inventory and advertising.
Incrementality
Geo-lift and holdout test results. What advertising actually created versus claimed.
What to Ignore (Vanity)
Metrics that look good but mislead:
Blended ROAS Only
Hides the losers behind the winners. Masks margin destruction.
CTR & CPC in Isolation
Tactical details, not board-level metrics. Efficiency without effectiveness.
Platform Revenue
Often double-counted and pre-return. Not what lands in the bank.
Share of Voice
Unless linked to demand capture targets. Market presence is not profit.
The Reporting Principle
"Every chart tells you a decision to make or a risk to manage. If a chart does not change a decision, delete it."
Reports should make action obvious. "Contribution is down 12% from target" is actionable. "CTR is 2.3%" is not.
Dashboard Structure by Role
Structure reporting views that show performance by job type separately. Never blend roles in reporting because it creates the same confusion as blending in campaigns.
- • Profit Drivers Tab: Contribution (CM3), POAS, Stock Risk
- • Acquisition Tab: CAC, LTV Ratio, Payback Period
- • Stock & Cash Tab: Inventory velocity, Cash conversion, Working capital impact
The Executive Summary
Focus on business health, not platform metrics:
Commercial Report Example
Spend throttled on 'Summer Dress' to prevent refunds.