How to Use Excel Spreadsheets to Decipher AdWords Reports
When AdWords reports are huge, it is best to use an Excel spreadsheet to easily read the report and ensure that you focus on the most critical numbers.
Here is a step-by-step guide that can be used with all of the AdWords Reports provided in the Reports Tab of your AdWords Account:
- Click on the report name. The most common ones are Keyword Performance, Ad Performance, or Campaign Performance.
- In Section 2, called Settings, Select View>Weekly from the Drop Down Box, Week Definition is Mon-Sun.
- Date Range: Last Month
- Campaigns and Ad Groups: Either All, or manually select all Active Campagins from Box.
- Add or Remove Columns: Go in and check off everything, unless certain that data is not needed.
- Name Report and Save as Template
- VERY IMPORTANT: Email the report to yourself as a .csv for Excel file. It will take a fraction of the time to download if you do it this way.
- Click: Create Report
- Check your email for the report, unzip it, and open it. Microsoft Excel should open and your report will be ready to view.
Likely, the spreadsheet will be huge, with rows and rows of data, most of it unintelligible. Don’t despair, there is a simple way to read the data and access the hidden nuggets of information buried inside.