What good paid search reporting actually looks like
Reporting is the most visible part of a paid search relationship. A clear, honest, actionable report builds confidence. A dense table of data with no narrative tells clients nothing useful and creates anxiety.
I have seen paid search reports that were 30 pages of data tables with no interpretation. I have seen one-paragraph summaries that glossed over significant problems. Neither serves the client well. Good reporting sits in the middle - honest data, clear narrative, and a forward-looking plan.
What every good paid search report includes
Period-on-period performance comparison for the core metrics: spend, impressions, clicks, CTR, CPC, conversions, CPA, and revenue or ROAS where applicable. Not just the numbers - context for why they changed. If CPA increased, was it due to a bid strategy change, seasonal competition, lower conversion rate on the landing page, or something else? The data is the what. The narrative is the why.
A clear statement of whether you are on track against the objective. If the client's goal is 50 leads at £60 CPA per month, say explicitly whether you are hitting that, and if not, what the gap is and what you are doing about it.
Separating brand from non-brand
Always report brand and non-brand performance separately. Brand campaigns typically look excellent and can mask poor non-brand performance if reported together. Clients who do not understand this distinction will draw wrong conclusions from blended numbers. Be clear about what each campaign type is doing and why the metrics differ.
Honest assessment of problems
Underperforming months should be addressed directly, not buried in positive commentary or excused with market context alone. Clients notice when results are poor. They lose trust when their agency does not acknowledge it. A clear explanation of what went wrong, what you learned, and what you are changing is more confidence-building than a report that pretends everything is fine.
Forward-looking section
Every report should end with what you are doing next. Three to five specific actions, tests, or changes planned for the next period. This shows strategic intent and gives the client something to look forward to checking in the next report. It also creates accountability - if you said you were going to do something, the next report shows whether you did.
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