How to Automate LinkedIn Ads Reports with Email

Marketing

Feb 15, 2025

Learn how to streamline your LinkedIn Ads reporting process through automation, saving time and improving accuracy for better decision-making.

Automating LinkedIn Ads reports saves time, reduces errors, and ensures consistent formatting. Here’s why and how to do it:

Why Automate?
- Manual reporting takes ~4.5 hours per week.
- Automation improves accuracy, provides real-time insights, and ensures standardized reports.
- Teams save 5–10 hours weekly.
Key Metrics to Track:
- Basic: CTR (0.39–0.6%), CPC ($5.26–$6.59).
- Advanced: Analyze by campaign goals, ad formats, and platform/device performance.
Tools to Use:
- LinkedIn Native: Free but limited customization.
- Third-party Tools (e.g., Metrics Watch): $50–$500/month. Advanced features like email scheduling and multi-channel tracking.
- Custom API Solutions: High setup cost but fully customizable.
Steps to Automate:
1. Connect your LinkedIn Ads account via API.
2. Create templates with key metrics and trends.
3. Schedule email delivery with branding.
4. Regularly verify data accuracy and update templates.

Quick Comparison:

| Tool Type | Cost Range | Key Features | Limitations |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LinkedIn Native | Free | Basic scheduling | Limited customization, manual sharing |
| Third-party Platforms | $50–$500/month | Cross-platform integration | Additional cost, learning curve |
| Custom API Solutions | $1000+ setup | Full customization | Requires technical expertise, ongoing maintenance

Automating your LinkedIn Ads reports streamlines processes, improves decision-making, and frees up time for strategic work.

How to build the ultimate LinkedIn Ads spend tracker & performance dashboard

Key LinkedIn Ads Metrics to Track

When creating automated LinkedIn reports, focus on these essential metrics:

Basic Performance Metrics

| Metric | Benchmark | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | 0.39-0.6% | Measures how engaging and relevant your ad is |
| Cost Per Click (CPC) | $5.26 - $6.59 | Evaluates the cost-effectiveness of your campaign

These metrics provide a solid starting point for analyzing campaign performance.

Advanced Metrics and Data Filtering

For B2B campaigns, it's important to evaluate performance based on factors like job function, company size, industry, and geography.

"CRM integration enables end-to-end conversion attribution for campaign optimization"

When refining your automated reports, consider these key areas:

Campaign Goals: Differentiate between objectives like brand awareness and lead generation.
Ad Formats: Assess how well each ad type performs.
Device and Platform: Compare performance across desktop, mobile, and LinkedIn Audience Network.

Here’s how advanced metrics can help:

1. Campaign Objectives

Brand awareness: Focus on impressions, reach, and engagement rates.
Lead generation: Measure form submissions and the quality of leads.
Website traffic: Look at post-click actions and the percentage of return visitors.

2. Ad Format Performance

Analyze Sponsored Content engagement.
Evaluate response rates for InMail campaigns.
Track interaction with Dynamic Ads.

3. Device and Platform Impact

Compare results between desktop and mobile users.
Review metrics from LinkedIn Audience Network.
Distinguish between activity on LinkedIn and external platforms.

Using automated tools, you can monitor these metrics and apply filters effortlessly, setting the stage for optimizing your platform setup in the next steps.

LinkedIn Ads Report Automation Tools

Picking the right automation tool is essential for keeping track of your LinkedIn Ads metrics. These tools let you monitor key data points without constant manual effort.

Available Tool Comparison

LinkedIn's built-in reporting tools provide basic automation but have some notable limitations. Here’s a quick comparison of different automation options:

| Tool Type | Cost Range | Key Features | Limitations |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LinkedIn Native | Free | Basic scheduling | Limited customization, manual email sharing |
| Third-party Platforms | $50-500/month | Cross-platform integration, white-label options | Additional cost, learning curve |
| Custom API Solutions | $1000+ setup | Full customization, unique features | Technical expertise required, ongoing maintenance

Your choice will depend on how much reporting you need to do and how complex your requirements are. Automated tools can save marketing teams 5-10 hours a week on reporting tasks .

"78% of marketers report that automated reporting has improved their decision-making process"

Metrics Watch: Features and Setup

Metrics Watch is a standout among third-party tools, offering direct email delivery and smooth LinkedIn Ads integration. Here’s what makes it a solid choice for automating LinkedIn Ads reports:

Key Features:

Direct API connection with LinkedIn Ads
Customizable templates for reports
Automated email scheduling
White-label functionality
Multi-channel performance tracking

The Pro plan ($100/month) covers up to 25 reports with unlimited data sources, ideal for growing teams. The Agency plan ($300/month) expands to 100 reports and includes advanced customization options.

Setup Process:

Connect your LinkedIn Ads account via API.
Choose or customize a report template.
Set up email delivery preferences.
Schedule email reports and apply branding.

Its drag-and-drop templates make it easy to create polished reports, no design skills required. Metrics Watch also consolidates LinkedIn Ads data with other platforms to give you a complete performance view.

For accuracy, the platform includes these safeguards:

Real-time API data checks
Automated error notifications
Regular data syncs

Metrics Watch has earned a 4.7/5 rating on G2 from 89 reviews , with users highlighting its simplicity and strong customer support.

With your tool selected, the next section will guide you through the implementation process.

Setting Up Automated LinkedIn Ads Reports

Once you’ve chosen your reporting tool, the next step is configuring automated LinkedIn Ads reports. These reports help deliver clear, actionable insights directly to your stakeholders.

Connecting Data Sources

Start by generating API credentials in LinkedIn Campaign Manager under Account Assets. Use these credentials to authenticate your reporting tool and enable data transfer between LinkedIn and the tool you’re using .

When setting up the data connection:

API Authentication: Focus on metrics that align with your campaign goals and ensure the correct fields are selected from LinkedIn's data options.
Data Selection: Pick specific campaigns and metrics that reflect your business priorities.

Once the data stream is connected, you can move on to organizing this information into templates.

Building Report Templates

Create templates that highlight the most important metrics in a way that’s easy to understand .

Your templates should include:

A summary of overall performance
Metrics for individual campaigns
Trend analysis to track progress over time
Cost metrics to evaluate efficiency
Conversion tracking to measure success

After designing your templates, focus on setting up how these reports will be delivered.

Setting Up Email Distribution

Automate your email delivery to ensure stakeholders receive reports on time.

When configuring email distribution, consider these factors:

Timing: Schedule reports to be sent during business hours, keeping time zones in mind.
Format: Decide whether to send reports as HTML emails or downloadable PDFs based on what recipients prefer.
Recipients: Organize your distribution lists by teams or client groups for better targeting.
Branding: Use white-label settings to maintain a polished, professional look.

For added value, set up alerts to notify you of any major performance changes .

Maintaining Your Automated Reports

Once your automated reporting system is up and running, keeping it accurate and relevant requires regular upkeep. Here’s what to focus on:

Fixing Common Problems

The most frequent issues with automated LinkedIn Ads reports involve API connection failures and data mismatches. Here’s how to handle them:

Monitor API Health

Keep track of API token expiration dates and set reminders for renewals.
Set up automated alerts for connection issues.
Regularly update and securely store LinkedIn API credentials.

Resolve Data Inconsistencies

If your automated reports show discrepancies compared to LinkedIn's dashboard, investigate these common issues:

| Problem | Likely Cause | How to Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spend Mismatches | Time zone differences | Align reporting periods. |
| Missing Conversions | API sync errors | Double-check data connections. |
| Delayed Data | API processing lag | Adjust report schedules

Report Quality Checks

Regular checks help ensure your automated reports stay accurate and useful. Use these steps to verify report quality:

Weekly Verification Steps

Compare key metrics with LinkedIn's dashboard.
Double-check spend data and conversion tracking.
Review segmentation logic for accuracy.

"Regular staff training on interpreting automated reports can help catch errors early and improve overall report utilization" .

Keep Templates Updated

To maintain the strategic value of your reports, update templates monthly. This includes:

Adding metrics tied to new LinkedIn Ads features.
Removing outdated data points.
Improving how data is visualized for easier interpretation.

Using tools for data visualization can help you quickly spot anomalies. Automated anomaly detection tools are also worth considering to flag unusual trends or outliers .

Finally, document any changes made to your reporting system. Keep a detailed changelog that includes:

Template updates.
API adjustments.
Data source modifications.
Troubleshooting actions.

This log will be a valuable resource when refining your reporting process over time.

Conclusion: Making Reporting More Efficient

Automating LinkedIn Ads reporting cuts down on manual tasks and helps improve decision-making. These saved hours often translate into better campaign outcomes, including a reported 23% average ROI boost for those adopting automation.

By following the outlined steps, teams can gain a competitive edge. Businesses using automated reporting show clear benefits from more streamlined processes.

Here are some key strategies to keep in mind:

| Aspect | Impact | Best Practice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Decision Making | 61% better data-driven decisions | Set up real-time performance alerts |
| Customization | Improved stakeholder engagement | Customize reports to meet user-specific needs

To get the most out of your automated system, focus on:

Data Accuracy: Regularly compare automated reports with LinkedIn’s native dashboard to ensure precision.
Personalization: Adjust reports for different audiences while aligning with your brand's look and feel.
Integration: Merge LinkedIn Ads data with other marketing channels for a full-picture performance review.

Automation simplifies data collection, but it’s the thoughtful human analysis that turns those insights into actionable campaign improvements.