The short version
- →Open with a one-paragraph summary: result, cause, next step.
- →Show every metric against last period and target.
- →Include the parts only search has: search terms and impression share.
- →End with actions, not just numbers.
1. A Google Ads report template, section by section
Copy this structure. Each section earns its place by answering something the reader needs.
| Section | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| 1. Summary | Two or three sentences: headline result, the main reason, and what you're doing about it |
| 2. Headline KPIs | Spend, conversions, CPA or ROAS, conversion value — vs last period and vs target |
| 3. What changed and why | The two or three movements that matter, traced to the campaigns, keywords or devices responsible |
| 4. Campaign breakdown | Spend, conversions and CPA or ROAS by campaign, sorted by spend |
| 5. Search terms | Top converting terms, wasted terms, and the negatives you've added |
| 6. Impression share | Where you're losing share, and whether it's to budget or rank |
| 7. Ads and assets | Best and worst responsive search ad assets; Performance Max asset groups |
| 8. Budget and pacing | Spend to date vs plan, and the month-end forecast |
| 9. Next steps | Specific actions for the coming period, with an owner |
2. Metrics that belong in a Google Ads report
| Metric | What it tells you | Include for |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | What you spent | Everyone |
| Conversions and conversion value | What the spend produced | Everyone |
| CPA or ROAS | Efficiency — pick the one that matches your goal | Everyone |
| Conversion rate | Whether clicks turn into results | Managers and analysts |
| CTR and CPC | Ad relevance and auction cost | Managers and analysts |
| Search impression share | How much available demand you're capturing | Managers and analysts |
| Lost IS (budget) and lost IS (rank) | Why you're missing the rest | Analysts |
| Search terms | What people actually searched | Analysts |
Leave out metrics that don't change a decision. Impressions and clicks on their own rarely do.
3. One report, three versions
For executives or clients
One page: the summary, headline KPIs against target, and next steps. No keyword tables.
For marketing managers
Add the campaign breakdown, what changed and why, and budget pacing.
For the PPC team
The full template, including search terms, impression share and asset performance.
Weekly reports should be short and focus on what moved. Monthly reports carry the full template and the trend.
4. Where to get the data
- Google Ads' own reports: the Report Editor and predefined reports cover most of the numbers, and can be scheduled by email.
- Looker Studio: free, flexible dashboards connected to Google Ads, at the cost of building and maintaining them.
- Reporting tools: templates and client branding, mostly for agencies. See our comparison of Google Ads reporting tools.
- AI with a connector: ask Claude or ChatGPT for the report and it pulls the data from your account — including the "what changed and why" section most tools can't write.
5. Adapting the template for a Meta Ads report
The same structure works for Meta with three swaps:
- Replace search terms with creative performance: best and worst ads by spend, CTR and conversion rate.
- Replace impression share with frequency and creative fatigue signals.
- Add audiences: performance by audience, and any overlap between ad sets.
If you run both, report them side by side and add a blended line using store revenue, since each platform counts its own conversions.
6. How to automate a Google Ads report
Scheduled emails from Google Ads cover the numbers. What they can't do is write the summary and the "what changed and why" — which is the part readers actually want, and the part that takes the time.
AI closes that gap: connect your account, and an assistant or agent can pull the data, find what moved and draft the commentary for you to check. Step-by-step: how to automate Google Ads reporting.
Build this report in Claude with GoMarble
With GoMarble's MCP connected to Claude, each section of this template is a prompt away. These free workflows build it from your live account:
Google Ads Strategist →
A 10-step Google Ads audit ending in a prioritised action plan, with charts.
Complete Google Ads Audit →
Health, wasted spend, brand leakage, impression share and placements.
Search Term Mining & Negative Keywords →
The search-terms section: wasted terms, negatives and new keyword opportunities.
Ads Pacing & Overspend Forecasting →
The pacing section: spend vs plan and a month-end forecast.
Complete Meta Ads Dashboard →
The Meta Ads version of the report, as an HTML dashboard.
MCP for Google Ads →
How GoMarble MCP connects Google Ads to Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor.
Browse every GoMarble workflow for Claude → Each one is a free prompt you paste into Claude once GoMarble's MCP is connected.
7. How GoMarble helps
GoMarble's reporting agents write the report, not just the charts.
| What you need | How GoMarble does it |
|---|---|
| The numbers, refreshed | Reporting agents refresh the data on your schedule |
| What changed and why | Each report explains the movements and traces them to the campaigns, keywords or creatives responsible |
| Next steps | Reports carry recommended actions, which agents can carry out once you approve them |
| Your format | Client-specific structures and agency branding; export to web, PDF, PPTX, Markdown or DOC |
| Google and Meta together | One report across platforms, with store revenue for a blended view |
FAQ
What should be in a Google Ads report?
How often should I send a Google Ads report?
What's the most important metric in a Google Ads report?
How do I automate Google Ads reports?
Is there a free Google Ads report template?
How is a Meta Ads report different?
Read next
Get the report written, not just built.
Connect Google Ads to GoMarble and get reports that explain what changed and what to do next — in your format, on your schedule.