Intermediate level · Module 5: Web Analytics and Campaign Measurement · Lesson 3 of 3
Dashboards and Cost Metrics
Combine results from all channels into one view and calculate what each result cost.
In this lesson you will
- Calculate cost per lead and return on ad spend
- Build a simple campaign dashboard
Key concepts
cost per leadROASdashboarddata accuracy
The lesson
A dashboard shows the most important numbers on one page, updated regularly: spend, results, cost per result and trends.
Cost metrics connect money to outcomes. Cost per lead = spend ÷ leads; cost per message = spend ÷ conversations started. These numbers let a small business decide whether advertising is worth it.
Build dashboards in Looker Studio or Google Sheets and keep them simple: a few KPI cards, one trend chart and a short interpretation.
Step by step
- Choose the KPIs for the dashboard.
- Calculate cost per result for each channel.
- Add KPI cards and a trend chart.
- Write a three-line interpretation.
Four-week campaign dashboard
A one-page view of spend, conversations and cost per conversation for a click-to-WhatsApp campaign.
Spend
120 USD
On plan
Illustrative training data
Conversations
96
32 in week 4 vs 16 in week 1
Cost per conversation
1.25 USD
Down from 1.88
Lower is better
Orders
29
30% of conversations
Show the data behind the chart
| Week | Conversations | Orders |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 16 | 4 |
| Week 2 | 22 | 6 |
| Week 3 | 26 | 8 |
| Week 4 | 32 | 11 |
Interpretation
Spend was even at 30 USD per week, so the improvement came from better ads, not more money: cost per conversation fell from 1.88 USD in week 1 (30 ÷ 16) to 0.94 USD in week 4 (30 ÷ 32).
Across the month, 120 USD produced 96 conversations (1.25 USD each) and 29 orders — about 30% of conversations became orders.
Recommendations
- Keep the week-4 creative running and pause the two weakest ads.
- Use the break-even cost per conversation to decide whether to increase the budget, and do so in small steps.
- Improve reply speed in the evening, when most conversations start, to raise the share that become orders.
Practice activity
Build a one-page dashboard for your campaign in Looker Studio or Google Sheets showing spend, leads, cost per lead and key trends.
Expected result: A working one-page campaign dashboard.
Check your understanding
-
If ads cost 200 USD and produced 40 enquiries, what is the cost per lead?
Show answer
5 USD per lead.
Taught live by an instructor — online or in person. Free course lessons are for self-study and do not lead to a certificate — see registration options.