How to Create a Marketing Dashboard for Your Business

As a Brisbane business owner, you’re likely juggling multiple platforms—from Google Ads and Facebook to your website’s organic traffic. Without a central marketing dashboard, you’re flying blind, making it nearly impossible to see which marketing dollars are actually driving growth and which are being wasted.

A well-constructed dashboard turns complex data into a clear story, allowing you to make fast, informed decisions about your budget and strategy without spending hours in spreadsheets every month.

Prerequisites: What You’ll Need

• A Google Account: Preferably the one that has admin access to your Google Analytics.
• Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Access: Your website must already be tracking data.
• Google Search Console: To track your organic Australian search rankings.
• Platform Access: Login details for Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, or Google Ads if you use them.
• Defined KPIs: A clear idea of what success looks like (e.g., phone calls, form submissions, or sales).

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Step 1: Choose Your Dashboard Tool

• What you should see: Navigate to lookerstudio.google.com. You’ll see a clean interface with a "Blank Report" plus button and several pre-made templates.

Step 2: Create a New Report and Connect Your First Data Source

Search for the Google Analytics connector. Select your Account and then the specific GA4 Property for your business. Click "Add" and then confirm by clicking "Add to Report."

Step 3: Set Your Report Dimensions

Step 4: Add a Date Range Control

• Click "Add a control" in the top toolbar.
• Select "Date range control".
• Draw it in the top-right corner.
• Set the default date range to "Last 30 days (exclude today)."
• What you should see: A small calendar dropdown box that allows viewers to toggle between different months or custom dates.

Step 5: Visualise Your "North Star" Metric (Scorecards)

• Click "Add a chart" and select Scorecard.
• Under the "Metric" section on the right, search for "Conversions" or "Key Events."
• Check the box for "Comparison date range" and set it to "Previous period." This shows you if you are up or down compared to the previous month.

Step 6: Create a Traffic Source Breakdown

• Add a Pie Chart or a Donut Chart.
• Set the Dimension to "Session default channel group".
• Set the Metric to "Sessions".
• What you should see: A colourful chart showing the percentage of traffic from different sources. This helps you see if your SEO efforts in Brisbane are outperforming your paid ads.

Step 7: Map Your User Journey with Time Series Charts

• Add a Time Series Chart.
• Set the Dimension to "Date".
• Set the Metric to "Active Users" or "Sessions".
• Style Tip: Under the "Style" tab, tick the "Smooth" box to make the line look cleaner and more professional.

Step 8: Connect External Data (Social & Ads)

• Click "Add data" again.
• Search for "Facebook Ads."
• Follow the prompts to authorise your account.
• Repeat Step 5 and 6 to show your Facebook Spend and Link Clicks alongside your website data.

Step 9: Filter for Local Relevance

• Click on a chart.
• Scroll down to "Filter" in the setup panel.
• Click "Add a filter".
• Configure it to: Include > Region > Equal to > Queensland.

Step 10: Formatting and Branding

• Add your logo: Use the "Image" icon in the toolbar to upload your business logo.
• Set Colours: Use your brand’s primary colours for the chart bars.
• Add Headers: Use the "Text" tool to create sections like "Website Performance," "Lead Generation," and "Social Media Reach."

Step 11: Set Up Automated Delivery

• Click the arrow next to the "Share" button.
• Select "Schedule delivery".
• Enter your email (and your team's).
• Set it to send on the 1st of every month.
• What you should see: A popup where you can customise the subject line and time of the email report.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Data Puking: Trying to put every single metric on one page. Stick to the "Rule of 5"—no more than five key metrics per page.

• Wrong Date Comparisons: Comparing December (peak retail) to February (often slower) can be misleading. Use "Year over Year" comparisons for seasonal businesses.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Data Doesn't Match Google Analytics: Ensure your Looker Studio report is using the same "Data Filter" as your GA4 view (e.g., excluding internal developer traffic).
• Slow Loading Times: If you have too many complex charts or third-party connectors, the report will lag. Try to split your dashboard into multiple pages (e.g., Page 1: Executive Summary, Page 2: SEO Detail).

Next Steps

Look for the "Why" behind the numbers. If your traffic from Brisbane Northside is high but conversions are low, perhaps your landing page isn't relevant to that specific audience.

If you find the technical setup of connectors and API bridges a bit overwhelming, we can help. Our team at Local Marketing Group specialises in building custom, high-performance dashboards for Australian businesses that turn data into actionable insights.