Analytics · 5 min read
What a marketing report should actually say
If a report does not end in a decision, it is a document, not a report.
Published
Agree the metric before the work starts
Most disputes about marketing performance are really disputes about definitions. What counts as a lead? Is a direct message an enquiry? Where is a sale recorded? Settle it first and every later number becomes usable.
Reach is context, not a result
Impressions describe delivery, not outcome. They belong in a report as background to explain movement, never as the headline that stands in for it.
Instrument the path, not just the destination
Page views, content interactions, contact clicks and message taps make the route from first view to enquiry visible — and can be collected without holding personal data.
Three sentences per number
What moved. Why we think it moved. What changes next. A report written that way can be read by a founder in five minutes and acted on in the same meeting.
The dashboard is evidence, not the deliverable
Nobody grows a business by opening a dashboard. The value is the recurring decision meeting the data makes possible.
Frequently asked questions
- How often should marketing be reviewed?
- On a recurring cycle long enough to see real movement — monthly for most brands, with campaign-level checks in between when spend is active.
- Can leads from WhatsApp be measured?
- Up to the point the conversation leaves the platform. We track the action that starts it and agree with the sales team how the outcome is recorded afterwards.
Next step
Start a project
Small senior teams, direct communication, and clear reporting on what moved and why.