What to Expect in a Good Agency Report
Don't settle for vague reports. Learn what a high-quality marketing agency report should include, from business metrics to a summary of work completed.
Your monthly agency report is more than just a summary; it's a key indicator of your agency's performance, transparency, and strategic thinking. But many businesses don't know what to look for. This guide breaks down the essential components of a report that provides real value and builds trust.
Root Causes
It Focuses on Vanity Metrics
The report is filled with impressive-looking numbers like 'impressions', 'reach', and 'clicks', but fails to connect them to what really matters: leads, sales, and profit.
It Lacks a 'What We Did' Section
The report shows you the results, but doesn't detail the work that was done to achieve them. You're left wondering what you're actually paying for.
There Is No 'What's Next' Section
A good report is a forward-looking document. If it only tells you what happened last month without a clear plan for next month, your agency is being reactive, not proactive.
What to Fix First
Demand a 'Summary of Work Completed'
Insist on a simple, bulleted list of the tasks and optimizations the agency performed. This is a fundamental check for accountability.
Agree on 1-3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Work with your agency to define the most important business metrics (e.g., Cost Per Lead). Make sure these KPIs are front and center in every report.
Require a 'Plan for Next Month' Section
The report should end with a clear, concise plan of action for the upcoming month, outlining what new tests, campaigns, or optimizations are planned.
Why Traditional Agencies & Tools Fail
Creating detailed, transparent reports takes time that many traditional agencies don't bill for. As a result, they often rely on automated, templated reports from the ad platforms themselves, which are data-rich but insight-poor.
Common Patterns We See
- Agencies that provide a detailed 'work completed' log have higher client satisfaction and retention.
- The simple act of agreeing on a primary KPI at the beginning of an engagement can dramatically improve the client-agency relationship.
How Marko Helps
As a transparent agency, Marko practices what we preach. We provide every client with a 24/7 portal showing every action taken on their account and the rationale behind it. We use our own platform to deliver the clarity we believe every client deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shorter is often better. A good report should be a 1-2 page executive summary that gets straight to the point, with more detailed data available upon request. A 30-page data dump is a sign of a lazy agency.
Yes. While a review call is valuable for strategic discussion, the report itself should be clear and self-explanatory. If you need a translator to understand it, it's not a good report.
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