Which Numbers Should I Look For in an Advertising Report – A Practical Guide

Which numbers should I look at in the advertising report?

When you invest money in an advertising account, you receive a report every month. But among the dozens of numbers in that report, it's hard to know which ones are truly important. Some business owners look at click counts, while others only want to see how much they've spent. Which is the right approach? The answer is simple: you need to focus on specific numbers to see what you're getting back for every penny you spend .

We, a digital marketing team based in Alanya, provide our clients with transparent monthly reports. In this guide, we'll explain which figures in those reports are truly important and why you should look at them.

The most important metric: Conversion.

The heart of advertising is conversion. Conversion means a customer takes the action you want after clicking on your ad. A hotel reservation, a restaurant table reservation, a phone call for real estate, a purchase for e-commerce—they are all conversions.

Why is this important? Because even if the click-through rate is high, if those clicks don't convert into conversions, they're costing you money. The first thing you need to do is ensure that conversion tracking is properly set up in your account. If you haven't done this before, you can read the Google Ads Conversion Tracking setup guide .

Cost Per Click (CPC)

This figure shows how much you pay for each click. For example, if your CPC is 5 lira, it means you spent 500 lira for 100 clicks.

Why should we track this? If the CPC is high, the budget can be depleted quickly. However, it's wrong to say "it's too expensive" just by looking at this number alone. Because that one customer who came from a single click could make you a 50 lira sale. What's important is the balance between the cost of a click and the cost of conversion.

You can find practical ways to lower CPC in our guide.

Cost of Conversion (CPA)

This is one of the most critical figures. CPA (Cost Per Action) is the amount of money you spend to achieve a conversion. For example, if you spend 1000 Turkish Lira and get 10 bookings, your CPA will be 100 Turkish Lira.

How will you use it? First, calculate how much profit a booking or sale brings you on average. If the average profit is 300 lira, your CPA should remain at 100 lira. Otherwise, the advertising is causing losses instead of profit.

Return Rate (ROAS)

ROAS shows the total return you earn for the money you spend. For example, if you spend 1000 lira and earn 5000 lira, your ROAS is 5:1 (or 500%).

This figure is especially important for e-commerce and sales-focused businesses. If your ROAS (Roll-Ahead Ratio) is below 3:1, it's time to review the campaign.

Clicks

How many people clicked on your ad? A high number indicates that the ad creative (image) and headline are appealing. However, clicks alone are not enough —because many clicks but few conversions mean a waste of budget.

Impressions

Impressions refer to how many times your ad has been shown. Someone may have seen it but not clicked. This number measures how many people your ad reached.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

CTR shows the percentage of clicks you get out of impressions. For example, if you get 50 clicks out of 1000 impressions, your CTR is 5%.

Why is this important? A high CTR indicates that the ad headline and image are appealing. If the CTR is low, you may need to update the ad's creative elements.

Cost (Spend)

Your budget shows how much you've spent in total. The important thing is knowing where that money went and what it yielded. A transparent report should detail spending by campaign, platform (Google Ads or Meta?), and date.

Platform Difference: Google Ads vs. Meta Ads

Google Ads and Meta (Facebook, Instagram) may offer different metrics. Google Ads focuses on reaching people who are searching, while Meta allows you to create target audiences based on interests. Both platforms include the figures mentioned above in their reports, but the interpretation may differ.

If conversion tracking isn't set up on both platforms, conversion data may be incomplete. Depending on the dynamics of the tourism season in the Alanya region, it's also important to prioritize one platform over another during certain periods. You can review the budget allocation guide for the tourism season .

How should I read reports?

• What is the conversion rate? This is a key indicator of the success of the advertisement.
• Is CPA acceptable? Evaluate it based on your profit margin.
• Is your ROAS above target? If you can meet the 3:1 target for e-commerce, you're doing well.
• What's the trend? Has the conversion rate increased or decreased compared to last month?
• Which campaign is performing best? That campaign could receive more budget.

What is transparent reporting?

Some agencies simply provide general information like "click-throughs increased, budget exhausted." We believe in explaining the reason behind each figure . Why did CPA increase this month? Which ads were discontinued after testing? The answers to these questions should be in transparent reports.

Conclusion: Turning Numbers into Action

An advertising report isn't just about numbers. Each number should lead to a conclusion. If conversion rates are low, the page's user experience should be reviewed. If the CPA is high, the target audience definition should be revised. If the CTR is low, the ad creative elements should be updated.

Businesses operating in the Alanya and Antalya regions need to consider seasonal fluctuations. Focusing on local customers during the winter months, when tourism is high in the summer, increases budget efficiency.

Your advertising account should be created in your client's name, conversion tracking should be set up from scratch, and you should receive transparent reports monthly. If you are not currently doing this, or if you are unsure what needs to be done, you can contact us. You can also check out our projects on our Instagram page .