How to Create Executive Marketing Dashboards

# How to Create Executive Marketing Dashboards

In the fast-paced world of Australian small business, data is everywhere, but insights are often buried. An executive marketing dashboard transforms raw numbers from Google Ads, Facebook, and your website into a single, visual source of truth that helps you make better investment decisions without getting bogged down in the weeds.

By focusing on high-level metrics (KPIs), you can quickly see if your marketing spend is delivering a return on investment (ROI) or if you need to pivot your strategy. This guide will show you how to build a professional dashboard using Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio), which is free and integrates seamlessly with most Australian business tools.

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Prerequisites: What You’ll Need

Before we dive into the build, ensure you have the following ready:

• Google Account: To access Looker Studio.
• Data Sources: Admin access to your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property, Google Ads account, and Meta (Facebook) Business Suite.
• Defined Goals: A clear understanding of what a 'lead' or 'sale' is worth to your business.

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Step 1: Define Your Executive KPIs

Executives don't need to see every single click or 'like'. They need to see the bottom line. Before opening any software, write down the 4-6 metrics that actually move the needle for your business.

• Total Marketing ROI (Return on Investment)
• CPA (Cost Per Acquisition/Lead)
• Total Conversions (Sales or Enquiries)
• Total Marketing Spend across all channels
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

Step 2: Access Looker Studio

Navigate to Looker Studio. Sign in with your Google account. You will see a dashboard of templates, but for an executive report, it is often best to start with a Blank Report to avoid unnecessary clutter.

Step 3: Connect Your Primary Data Source (GA4)

Upon creating a new report, you'll be prompted to 'Add data to report'.

• Select the Google Analytics connector.
• Choose your Account and then your GA4 Property.
• Click Add.

This connects your website performance data—the 'hub' of your digital marketing—to your dashboard.

Step 4: Set the Layout and Canvas Size

Executive dashboards should ideally fit on a single screen (or a single PDF page).

• On the right-hand panel, click Layout.
• Set the 'Display Mode' to Fit to Width.
• Ensure your canvas size is set to a standard 16:9 ratio or A4 Landscape if you plan on emailing it as a report.

Step 5: Add a Date Range Control

This is the most important interactive element. Executives need to compare this month to last month, or this financial year to last.

• Go to the top menu and select Add a control.
• Choose Date range control.
• Place it in the top right corner. This allows the viewer to filter the entire dashboard by any timeframe.

Step 6: Create 'Scorecards' for High-Level Totals

Scorecards are simple boxes that show one single number.

• Click Add a chart and select Scorecard.
• For the 'Metric', select Conversions or Key Events.
• In the 'Setup' tab on the right, check the box for Comparison date range and set it to 'Previous period'. This shows a green or red percentage change compared to the previous month.

Step 7: Visualise Spend vs. Results (Time Series Chart)

Executives love to see trends. Are costs going up while leads go down?

• Click Add a chart and select Time Series Chart.
• Set the 'Dimension' to Date.
• Set the 'Metrics' to Total Spend (from Google Ads) and Conversions.
• Under the 'Style' tab, set one of the metrics to 'Right Axis' so the scales don't clash.

Step 8: Breakdown by Channel (Donut Chart)

Where is your traffic coming from?

• Add a Donut Chart.
• Set the 'Dimension' to Session default channel group.
• Set the 'Metric' to Conversions.
• This visually shows if Paid Search, Organic Search, or Social Media is driving your actual business results.

Step 9: Add Column for 'Cost Per Lead' (CPL)

If you have integrated Google Ads, you can calculate efficiency.

• Add a new Scorecard.
• Select Cost per conversion as the metric.
• Rename the label to Cost Per Lead (CPL) to make it more 'executive-friendly'.

Step 10: Apply Consistent Branding

A professional dashboard should look like it belongs to your business.

• Go to Theme and Layout.
• Choose a 'Dark' theme for a modern executive look, or 'Constellation' for a clean corporate feel.
• Insert your company logo by clicking the Image icon in the toolbar.

Step 11: Add 'Contextual Notes'

Data without context can be misinterpreted.

• Use the Text tool to add a small box at the bottom or side.
• Write a brief summary: "Performance increased in October due to the Spring Sale campaign."
• This prevents the executive from having to guess why the numbers look the way they do.

Step 12: Set Up Automated Delivery

The best dashboard is the one that gets read.

• Click the arrow next to the Share button.
• Select Schedule delivery.
• Add the executive’s email and set it to send on the 1st of every month as a PDF.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Too Much Detail: Don't include 'Bounce Rate' or 'Time on Page'. These are operational metrics, not executive metrics. Keep it focused on revenue and cost.
• Ignoring the ABN/Currency: Ensure your currency is set to AUD in the data source settings. Showing USD to an Australian CEO is a common and frustrating error.
• Broken Filters: Always test your date range filter to ensure every chart on the page updates correctly when the date changes.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• "System Error" or Missing Data: This usually happens if your GA4 property hasn't had any traffic in the selected date range. Try expanding the date range to 'Last 90 Days'.
• Facebook Data Not Showing: Looker Studio doesn't have a free native Facebook connector. You may need a third-party tool like Supermetrics or Windsor.ai, or manually export your Facebook data to a Google Sheet first.
• Permissions Errors: Ensure the email you are using for Looker Studio has 'Editor' or 'Viewer' access to the Google Analytics account you are trying to pull from.

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Next Steps

Now that you have your high-level dashboard, you can start digging deeper into specific channel performance. If you find that your dashboard is showing a high Cost Per Lead, your next step should be to audit your landing pages or ad copy.

Need help setting up complex tracking or integrating multiple Australian data sources? Our team at Local Marketing Group can build custom, automated dashboards for your business. Contact us today to streamline your reporting.

• How to Set Up GA4 for Australian Small Businesses
• Understanding Google Ads ROI