Search advertising
Paid search reporting services
Paid search reporting services turn Google Ads and other search data into reports that support decisions. Some are part of account management; others are independent, checking someone else's work. A good service starts by confirming what each conversion means, reconciles platform figures with your own enquiries or sales, includes what the search terms report revealed, notes how consent affects the data and ends each report with recommendations. Avoid services whose reports are mainly impressions, clicks and click-through rates, because those say little about whether ads bring customers.
This guide covers questions to ask, independence, data access, warning signs, deliverables and fees. LetGetGrow sets up and manages Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads, including B2B campaigns, with the scope, management fee and reporting set out in a custom quotation.
Illustrative diagram
- Questions
- Definitions
- Sources
- Template
- Routine
Questions to ask
| Question | Good answer shows |
|---|---|
| Will you check our conversion definitions? | Yes, with tests |
| Will reports use our own records? | Side by side with platform figures |
| Do reports cover search terms? | Waste found and changes made |
| How do you treat consent gaps? | Noted and explained |
| Do we keep the reports? | Yes, in a format we can open |
Independent reporting
If an agency manages your search ads, an independent reporting service can check results against your records without a stake in the answer. Agree how findings are shared with the manager and who acts on them. The value comes from reconciliation and plain conclusions, not from repeating the agency's dashboard.
Warning signs
Clicks and impressions as headlines
Not tied to customers.
No conversion check
Figures may be inflated.
Brand and category mixed
Weak campaigns hidden.
Reports only in their tool
You may lose them later.
Data access
Reporting usually needs read access to the ad account plus exports from your CRM, shop or analytics. Give only the access needed, avoid sharing logins and remove access when the service ends. If a dashboard tool connects to your accounts, ask what data it stores.
Setting up reporting
Questions
Decisions reports must support.
Output: Brief
Definitions
Conversions tested and agreed.
Output: Definitions sheet
Sources
Platform, CRM, analytics.
Output: Data plan
Template
Layout agreed with you.
Output: Approved template
Routine
Monthly with decisions.
Output: Report series
Example: finding inflated conversions
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A solicitor's firm receives monthly search reports showing strong lead numbers.
- An independent reporting service checks conversion definitions and finds the thank-you page counted every time it was refreshed.
- Reconciled with the firm's case management system, real enquiries are far fewer.
- The first report recommends fixing the conversion before any budget decisions.
What this shows: The firm based decisions on real enquiries. This example is illustrative.
What you should receive
Set-up
- Conversion definitions
- Agreed template
Each report
- Reconciled results
- Search terms findings
Ownership
- Past reports
- Template and definitions
Fees
Reporting may be within management, a monthly fee or per report, with a one-off set-up for definitions and templates. Dashboard tools may add subscriptions.
Judging the service
After a few reports, ask whether any decisions changed because of them. If not, revisit what they cover.
Brand separated from category
Ask whether reports separate searches for your business name from category searches. Brand searches usually look efficient because people were already looking for you. Combined figures can hide category campaigns that are not paying their way.
Calls and offline outcomes
If customers phone or sign contracts offline, ask how the service will include those outcomes. Without them, reports show only part of what search ads bring in, and decisions may be made on incomplete figures.
Consent notes
On UK sites, ICO guidance says non-essential tracking needs consent, and Google's consent mode passes consent status to Google. Ask how the service explains the effect of declined consent on the figures, so falling numbers are not misread.
What to share
Share the decisions you need reports to support, where enquiries and sales are recorded, how sources are captured, what a customer is worth and any recent website or tracking changes.
Frequency
Ask what frequency the service recommends for your volume and why. Monthly reports with short alerts in between suit many accounts better than frequent full reports.
Search terms insight
Ask whether each report will summarise what the search terms report showed: searches that wasted money, negatives added, new keywords found. Google describes the report as a list of search terms that triggered your ads. Including it turns a report from a scoreboard into a record of what was improved.
Trends over time
Ask for the last few months shown side by side, with notes explaining unusual movements. Single-month figures can mislead, especially for small accounts.
Sample reports
Ask to see a sample, with client details removed, before agreeing. Check it leads with real results.
Questions about paid search reporting services
What does a paid search reporting service do?
Turns search data into reports that support decisions.
Should conversions be checked?
Yes, before reporting starts.
Can reporting be independent?
Yes, as a check on an agency's work.
Does reporting need access to our ad account?
Read access plus exports from your records.
Who keeps the reports?
Agree that you do.
How do we judge the service?
By whether reports change decisions.
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