How to Build LinkedIn Ads Dashboards
Analytics
Jul 8, 2025
Jul 8, 2025
Learn how to effectively set up and customize LinkedIn Ads dashboards to optimize campaign performance and drive data-driven decisions.
Key benefits include:
Real-time updates:Automated dashboards provide instant insights on campaign performance and audience details.
Customizable metrics: Tailor dashboards to track goals like brand awareness, engagement, or conversions.
Efficient reporting: Tools like Metrics Watch automate data collection and reporting.
Quick Overview:
Setup: Start with LinkedIn Campaign Manager, link accounts, and define goals.
Metrics to track: Impressions, CTR, engagement, conversions, CPL, and more.
Automation: Use tools to sync data and create custom reports for U.S. audiences.
Visualization: Focus on clear charts and summaries for actionable insights.
LinkedIn Ads dashboards are essential for marketers aiming to optimize campaigns and make data-driven decisions.
LinkedIn Ads Reporting Dashboards Using Looker Studio - 2024
Setting Up LinkedIn Ads for Dashboard Integration
Get your LinkedIn Ads account ready for smooth data flow and accurate reporting. Here's how to set everything up step by step.
Creating or Accessing a LinkedIn Ads Account
To start, head over to Campaign Manager through your LinkedIn account. If you're new to advertising, you can easily get started by clicking "Work" on your LinkedIn homepage and selecting "Advertise". Already advertising? Just log in to Campaign Manager and create a new account.
You'll need to provide essential business details, including selecting a permanent currency for your campaigns. For marketers in the U.S., choosing USD ensures your financial data is displayed in the correct format.
Make sure you obtain Lead Gen Form Manager permissions for full dashboard integration. Also, link your ad account to a Company Page. Keep in mind that one Campaign Manager can manage multiple ad accounts, which is great for handling different campaigns or clients.
Setting Campaign Goals and Target Audiences
Choose a campaign objective that aligns with your marketing goals to maximize your return on investment (ROI).
LinkedIn offers powerful targeting options, letting you filter by company details, job experience, education, demographics, interests, and behaviors. For U.S.-based campaigns, you can narrow your audience by location (like specific states or cities) and set the profile language to English to reach the right professionals.
When defining your audience, combining job functions with job seniorities is a smart way to connect with decision-makers. LinkedIn also uses AND-OR logic, giving you flexibility to fine-tune your audience size. Just watch out for the "Audience Too Narrow" warning, which appears if your targeting is overly restrictive.
Organizing Campaign Groups and Budgets
Creating campaign groups is a key part of LinkedIn's ad setup. These groups help you organize your campaigns efficiently, making it easier to track performance and analyze data through your dashboard. Once your account and campaign groups are in place, you're ready to integrate key performance metrics for deeper insights.
Choosing and Integrating Key LinkedIn Ads Metrics
When it comes to LinkedIn Ads, selecting the right metrics is essential. Your dashboard should highlight the numbers that directly tie to your business goals, helping you make smart decisions about where to allocate your ad spend.
Key Metrics for Campaign Performance
Start with metrics that provide a clear view of your campaign's performance - Impressions, Reach, Clicks, and Click-Through Rate (CTR) are great starting points. Among these, CTR is especially important. As of January 2024, the average CTR for LinkedIn Single Image Ads in the U.S. is up to 0.87%, while globally, it ranges from 0.44% to 0.65%. If your campaigns are hitting - or surpassing - these benchmarks, you're on the right path.
For campaigns focused on engagement, metrics like Total Engagement and Engagement Rate reveal how well your content connects with your audience. For video ads, tracking Video Views can help you understand how your audience consumes your content.
If lead generation is your goal, Cost Per Lead (CPL) is a key metric. In the U.S., CPL averages between $107 and $433 depending on the ad format. Additionally, the Lead Form Completion Rate often hovers around 10%. LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms are especially effective, delivering conversion rates that are five times higher than traditional landing pages.
"By focusing on key metrics like Impressions, CTR, Engagement, and Cost Per Lead, you can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven optimizations." - Angela Noble, Databox
Don’t forget to track the Number of Leads and overall Conversion Rates. LinkedIn boasts an average conversion rate of 2.74%, which outpaces Facebook (0.77%) and Twitter (0.69%).
Once you’ve identified these key metrics, the next step is to align them with your campaign goals.
Matching Metrics with Campaign Goals
Now that you’ve pinpointed the right metrics, it’s time to tailor your dashboard to reflect your campaign’s specific objectives. LinkedIn’s objective-based advertising framework divides campaigns into three main categories: awareness, consideration, and conversions.
Brand awareness campaigns: Focus on metrics like Impressions, Reach, and LinkedIn Page follows. These will help you gauge how well your efforts are boosting visibility. You can also monitor branded search volume to see if your awareness efforts are driving organic interest.
Consideration campaigns: Metrics such as Website Visits, Engagement Rate, Post Engagement, and Page Engagement are vital here. These numbers help you measure how effectively you’re nurturing prospects through the middle stages of your marketing funnel.
Conversion campaigns: For these, prioritize metrics like Website Conversions, Cost Per Lead, Lead Generation, and InMail Response Rate. If you’re running recruitment campaigns, track metrics such as Job Applicants and Talent Leads, especially if you’re using LinkedIn Recruiter.
According to the Content Marketing Institute’s 2024 report, 84% of B2B marketers rank LinkedIn as their most valuable social media platform, underscoring the importance of aligning metrics with your goals.
"The most effective marketing reports are those that are tailored to the specific needs and preferences of your audience." - Leela Srinivasan, CMO at Momentive
Make it a habit to review metrics monthly or quarterly to spot trends and improve your approach. A/B testing can also help you fine-tune campaigns by focusing on the metrics that align most closely with your objectives. By taking this systematic approach, your LinkedIn Ads dashboard can become an indispensable tool for driving measurable business results.
Connecting LinkedIn Ads Data with Reporting Platforms
Once you've identified the key metrics you want to track, the next step is integrating your LinkedIn Ads data with a reporting platform. This ensures you have up-to-date insights whenever you need them. By connecting your LinkedIn Ads account to an automated reporting tool, you can simplify data management and keep stakeholders informed with the latest performance updates.
Connecting LinkedIn Ads to Metrics Watch
Metrics Watch makes it easy to bring all your LinkedIn Ads data into one place for automated reporting. By connecting directly to your LinkedIn Ads account through an API, the platform pulls in essential metrics like impressions, clicks, conversions, and costs.
Getting started is straightforward. Simply log in to LinkedIn Campaign Manager, grant Metrics Watch the necessary permissions, and you're ready to go. The setup process takes just a few minutes, after which the platform begins importing your campaign data automatically.
Metrics Watch also supports multiple LinkedIn Ads accounts, making it a great fit for agencies or businesses managing campaigns across different clients or departments. The platform can even schedule automated report deliveries, saving time and reducing manual effort.
For example, in February 2025, John Smith, Marketing Director at Acme Corp, implemented Metrics Watch to automate their LinkedIn Ads reporting. Within the first month, Acme Corp saw a 20% increase in qualified leads. Additionally, automated error notifications helped the team quickly address data inconsistencies, cutting manual reporting time by five hours per week (Source: Metrics Watch Case Studies, 2025).
One major benefit of Metrics Watch is its ability to consolidate data automatically. Instead of logging into LinkedIn Campaign Manager every week to pull reports manually, the platform does the work for you. This ensures your team always has access to the latest performance updates and trends without missing a beat.
With your data now consolidated, the next step is customizing your reports to meet the specific needs of U.S. audiences.
Customizing Reports for U.S. Audiences
Once your data is integrated, Metrics Watch allows you to tailor reports to align with U.S. business standards. The platform's white-label customization features let you add your company’s logo, colors, and branding, giving your reports a polished, professional look.
Metrics Watch offers pre-built templates designed to meet U.S. formatting preferences. These templates include currency displayed in dollars (with $ symbols and comma separators for thousands), dates formatted as MM/DD/YYYY, and metrics presented in a way that resonates with American business practices.
When creating customized LinkedIn Ads reports, make sure to focus on metrics that reflect your campaign goals. Clearly display financial data in U.S. dollars and ensure all numbers and dates follow local formatting conventions. The platform also includes a report preview feature, so you can see exactly how your reports will look before sending them out. This helps maintain consistency in branding and data presentation.
For teams that need real-time updates, Metrics Watch offers live dashboard links. Stakeholders can access these dashboards anytime to review performance data on demand, adding flexibility to how results are shared and consumed.
Building and Visualizing LinkedIn Ads Dashboards
Once your LinkedIn Ads data is integrated, the next step is turning those numbers into meaningful insights. Dashboards are your go-to tool for transforming raw metrics into actionable information, making it easier to analyze and improve performance.
Automating Dashboard Updates and Reporting
Automation is a game-changer when it comes to keeping your dashboards up to date. Instead of manually exporting data, tools like Metrics Watch can continuously pull fresh data from your LinkedIn Ads campaigns, ensuring your dashboards are always current.
You can customize how often your dashboards refresh based on your needs. For campaigns that demand close tracking, daily updates are ideal. On the other hand, weekly refreshes might be more appropriate for long-term initiatives like brand awareness efforts. Additionally, automated email scheduling ensures stakeholders receive performance updates without requiring any manual effort.
Real-time dashboards provide even more flexibility. Your team can access live links to the latest performance data whenever needed - perfect for campaign launches or when quick budget adjustments are required.
Once your data is flowing seamlessly, you can focus on refining the visual elements of your dashboards to make the insights clearer and more impactful.
Improving Data Visualization
Choosing the right visual elements is key to making your data easy to understand. For instance:
Bar charts: Great for comparing campaign performance.
Line charts: Perfect for showing trends, like daily click-through rates.
Pie charts: Useful for illustrating budget allocation but should be used sparingly to avoid clutter.
"Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice." – Stephen Few, data visualization expert
Place your most important metrics at the top of the dashboard, with detailed data in supporting sections below. Conditional formatting can also make a big difference - use green to highlight metrics that meet targets and red for those that fall short.
Clarity is essential. Avoid abbreviations like "CTR" or "CPA"; instead, use full terms like "Click-Through Rate" and "Cost Per Acquisition." Adding brief descriptions for complex metrics can help stakeholders unfamiliar with LinkedIn Ads terminology.
Visual hierarchy is another critical factor. Use bold text for primary metrics, standard text for secondary information, and lighter colors for supporting details. This approach naturally guides the viewer’s attention to the most important insights while keeping additional data accessible.
Tailor your dashboard design to your audience. For executives, focus on high-level summaries like ROI and overall performance. For campaign managers, include detailed breakdowns of ad performance and audience engagement.
Reading LinkedIn Ads Performance Data
Once your dashboard is set up, interpreting the data accurately is essential for optimizing your campaigns. Start by reviewing click-through rates (CTR). LinkedIn benchmarks suggest a range of 0.39–0.6%. Campaigns exceeding this range show strong engagement, while those falling short may need adjustments to targeting or creative.
Analyzing cost per click (CPC) helps you measure budget efficiency. LinkedIn's typical CPC ranges from $5.26 to $6.59. Pair this with conversion rates to identify your most cost-effective campaigns and decide where to allocate more resources.
Your conversion funnel can also reveal opportunities for improvement. For example, if you see high click-through rates but low conversions, the issue might lie in your landing page. Conversely, low CTRs but high conversions suggest your targeting is on point, but your ad creative might need refinement. Audience insights can further help you fine-tune your targeting by identifying which demographics or job roles respond best to your ads.
Time-based analysis is another valuable tool. Look for daily or weekly patterns in engagement to determine when your audience is most active. This can inform both your ad scheduling and organic posting strategy.
"The best analysts focus on insights, not data. They use data to tell a story that drives action." – Avinash Kaushik, Digital Marketing Evangelist at Google
Finally, leverage dashboard features that allow for campaign comparisons. By analyzing different creative formats, messaging approaches, and audience segments, you can identify what resonates most with your audience. Regularly reviewing metrics like ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) can also help you spot seasonal trends and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
A well-structured LinkedIn Ads dashboard can make all the difference in optimizing your campaign performance. With LinkedIn's massive user base of 900 million and ads generating 4 times higher open and engagement rates compared to traditional email marketing, creating an effective dashboard is crucial to getting the most out of your advertising budget.
To start, focus on aligning your key metrics with your goals. For example, track impressions and clicks to measure awareness, and monitor conversions to evaluate sales impact. Keeping your dashboard targeted ensures you're working with actionable data rather than getting lost in unnecessary details.
Automated tools can simplify this process by syncing campaign data in real time. This eliminates the need for manual exports and allows you to make quick decisions about budgets and strategies based on the latest insights. Once your data is up to date, clear visualization becomes essential to understanding your campaign results.
Good data visualization isn’t just about making things look nice - it’s about making them easy to understand. Use clear labels, intuitive formatting, and logical hierarchies to help stakeholders quickly identify which campaigns are thriving and which need adjustments. Keep in mind that different audiences require different levels of detail: executives may need high-level ROI summaries, while campaign managers will benefit from granular performance data.
Another key component is monthly ad spend analysis. By comparing spending to conversions each month, you can uncover efficiency trends that inform smarter budget allocation. Combining these regular reviews with real-time dashboard access creates a feedback loop that continually improves campaign outcomes.
For those looking to streamline reporting, tools like Metrics Watch offer ready-made templates and customizable options, providing automated reports formatted for U.S. audiences. These tools make it easier to keep decision-makers informed without adding extra work to your plate.
Ultimately, LinkedIn Ads dashboards are more than just a way to track performance - they’re a strategic tool for turning campaign data into actionable insights. When set up correctly and reviewed regularly, they empower you to make informed, data-driven decisions that fuel measurable growth for your business.
FAQs
How can I connect LinkedIn Ads data to Metrics Watch for reporting?
Connecting LinkedIn Ads to Metrics Watch
Getting your LinkedIn Ads data into Metrics Watch is straightforward. Start by navigating to the platform's integration settings and linking your LinkedIn Ads account. Once connected, Metrics Watch will automatically pull your campaign metrics and organize them into clear, easy-to-read reports.
You can personalize these reports to suit your needs and have them sent directly to your inbox or shared through live dashboards, making it simple to stay on top of your ad performance.
For more detailed analysis, the LinkedIn Ads API allows you to access additional performance data. By setting up automated data feeds into Metrics Watch, you can ensure your reports are always accurate and up to date.
How can I create a LinkedIn Ads dashboard that delivers actionable insights for my campaign goals?
To create a LinkedIn Ads dashboard that delivers meaningful insights, start by pinpointing your campaign objectives - whether that's generating leads, driving conversions, or boosting brand awareness. Once your goals are set, match them with the right metrics to ensure you're collecting data that actually matters.
Focus on clear, easy-to-read visualizations to spotlight trends, uncover performance gaps, and identify areas for improvement. Make it a habit to review and refresh your dashboard regularly, so it stays aligned with your current priorities and strategy.
For a more efficient reporting process, tools like Metrics Watch can be a game-changer. They automate the delivery of consolidated marketing data straight to your inbox, saving you time and helping you focus on making smarter decisions.
What are the best ways to visualize LinkedIn Ads performance data?
To get a clear picture of your LinkedIn Ads performance, rely on bar charts and line graphs to monitor essential metrics like click-through rates and conversions over time. These visuals are perfect for identifying trends and patterns without having to sift through endless numbers.
If you're looking for more detailed insights, try using heat maps to spotlight areas with high engagement or funnel charts to see exactly where users are falling off in the conversion process. These tools help break down complex data, making it easier to understand and act on with confidence.