Guide to Custom Metrics for LinkedIn Ads Reporting

Want better LinkedIn Ads insights? Start with custom metrics. They help connect ad performance directly to your business goals, going beyond default metrics like CTR or CPC. Here's what you'll learn:

• Why custom metrics matter: Align metrics with your goals, improve reporting, and analyze deeper.

• How to create them: Use formulas like Cost Per Qualified Lead or Segment ROI to turn raw data into actionable insights.

• Setup tips: Automate data pulls, define clear formulas, and schedule reports to save time.

• Troubleshooting: Solve issues like missing data or inconsistent metrics by streamlining and validating your setup.

Custom metrics bridge the gap between campaign data and business results, making LinkedIn Ads reporting more effective and tailored to your needs.

Create LinkedIn Ads Reports that Showcase Campaign Success

LinkedIn Ads Metrics Basics

LinkedIn Ads provides built-in metrics to help marketers monitor performance and make informed decisions about their campaigns.

Default LinkedIn Ads Metrics

LinkedIn offers a range of standard metrics to track campaign performance. Here's a quick overview:

Metrics like CTR (Click-Through Rate) and CPC (Cost Per Click) also serve as the foundation for creating more advanced custom metrics.

Why Custom Metrics Matter

Once you’ve got the basics down, custom metrics can provide insights tailored to your business needs. While default metrics are helpful, custom metrics take analysis to the next level by:

• Aligning with business goals: For example, combining conversion data with audience segments can help pinpoint your top-performing lead sources.

• Improving client reporting: Merge default metrics into clear, client-specific KPIs to better define and measure success.

• Enabling deeper analysis: Track funnel performance, compare campaigns, or evaluate how different audience segments respond to your ads.

Now, let’s dive into how to create and use these custom metrics in your LinkedIn Ads reports.

Setting Up Custom LinkedIn Ads Metrics

Custom metrics go beyond default analytics by linking ad performance directly to your business goals.

Creating Metrics That Align With Business Goals

Start by identifying the specific outcomes you want to measure. Then, create formulas that turn raw data into actionable insights.

Examples:

• Cost Per Qualified Lead: Total Ad Spend ÷ Qualified Leads

• Segment ROI: ((Revenue – Ad Spend) ÷ Ad Spend) × 100

These metrics should combine relevant data points to give a clear picture of your campaign's performance. For instance, in a B2B campaign, you might analyze how engagement metrics impact your sales pipeline.

Once your formulas are ready, integrate them into your reporting tools.

Adding Custom Metrics to Reports

Here’s how to set up custom metrics in your reports:

• Connect your data: Link your LinkedIn Ads account to pull real-time performance data.

• Define your formulas: Use LinkedIn's reporting tools to create custom calculations.

• Automate reporting: Schedule daily, weekly, or monthly reports for seamless updates.

For a streamlined process, use a single reporting platform to gather data from multiple sources, apply your formulas, and automate report delivery.

Tips for Managing Custom Metrics

To keep your custom metrics accurate and useful, follow these practices:

• Use consistent naming conventions

  Create a clear naming system to help your team quickly understand the purpose of each metric.

• Validate your data regularly

  Conduct monthly audits to:

  • Ensure source data is accurate

  • Verify that formulas are correct

  • Confirm metrics align with your current business goals

Troubleshooting Custom Metrics

Even with the right formulas in place, custom metrics can sometimes present challenges like missing data or mismatched numbers. Here's how to identify and fix these problems effectively.

Common Issues with Custom Metrics

When working with custom metrics in LinkedIn Ads reporting, teams often face:

• Pulling mixed data from LinkedIn Ads and other platforms

• Missing key metrics or dimensions needed for segmentation

• Inconsistent aggregation of data across different sources

Steps to Resolve Custom Metrics Problems

Follow these steps to address custom metrics issues:

1. Check your data connections

   Make sure your LinkedIn Ads account is properly linked, API permissions are set up, and all necessary metrics and dimensions are included in your data pull.

2. Streamline and automate reporting

   Use an

   automated reporting tool, like Metrics Watch, to combine LinkedIn Ads data with other sources. This ensures consistent KPI definitions and schedules reports to reduce manual errors.

Taking these steps helps ensure your data is accurate, so your team can focus on making informed decisions instead of troubleshooting.

Wrapping It Up

This guide covered everything you need to know about creating, managing, and troubleshooting custom metrics that align with your business goals. From choosing default metrics to crafting business-focused formulas and addressing data mismatches, every step helps improve the accuracy of your reporting. Custom metrics have changed how marketing teams approach LinkedIn Ads reporting, allowing them to zero in on the KPIs that matter most to their business.

Metrics Watch's automated reporting tools simplify workflows, letting you focus more on strategy and fine-tuning campaigns. By combining custom metrics with automation, you can uncover insights that boost performance and demonstrate value to clients.

Strong LinkedIn Ads reporting turns raw data into actionable insights. Custom metrics act as the bridge between campaign data and business results, making them a must-have for any advanced LinkedIn Ads strategy.

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