Key takeaways:
- Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a free, user-friendly tool that turns raw data into clear, interactive reports, making it easier to track and visualize SEO performance.
- The right data sources make all the difference. Connecting to multiple platforms like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Google Ads ensures a comprehensive SEO analysis, helping you uncover valuable insights beyond a single data source.
- Looker Studio + Reporting Ninja = smarter SEO reporting. Combining Looker Studio’s powerful visualization with Reporting Ninja’s automation helps streamline reporting, saving time and effort.
We get it—keeping up with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) metrics can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right tool, messy data becomes clear, actionable insights.
Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a free, user-friendly platform that simplifies data visualization and decision-making. This makes it a valuable asset for SEO reports, especially when integrated with other data sources.
So, are you tracking rankings, traffic, or site performance? Then we’ve got you covered.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through building an SEO report step-by-step with Looker Studio. Plus, we’ve got free templates to make it easier!
Why Looker Studio for SEO analysis?
Looker Studio boasts a range of features that make it the go-to choice for SEO reporting:
- Free access and limitless potential. Looker Studio is completely free to use. This makes powerful data visualization and analysis tools budget-friendly.
- Easy to use and effortless navigation. The intuitive interface ensures that even those new to data analysis tools can navigate the platform with ease.
- Customization and tailored insights. The platform provides extensive customization options. These allow you to create reports with Looker Studio that perfectly align with your needs and preferences.
- Seamless integration and streamlined data flow. Looker Studio seamlessly integrates with key data sources like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. That way, you’ve got all your data in one single place—no more switching back and forth between tools.
- Effortless sharing and enhanced collaboration. Looker Studio lets you easily share reports with team members or clients via email, link, or direct dashboard embedding—keeping everyone aligned and informed.
Key metrics to include in your SEO analysis report
To make data-driven decisions, your SEO report should focus on the most relevant performance metrics.
In Looker Studio, data is divided into metrics and dimensions to structure reports effectively.
- Metrics are quantifiable values that measure performance. This includes, for example, organic sessions, clicks, impressions, and conversion rates.
- Dimensions are descriptive categories that organize your data. They help break down metrics into groups, such as keywords and landing pages.
For example, when analyzing keyword rankings, the keyword is the dimension, while clicks and impressions are the metrics. Choosing the right combination ensures clear, actionable SEO insights.
Below, we break down the key metrics and dimensions to track for a comprehensive SEO analysis.
SEO metrics: measuring performance
Impressions: measuring search visibility
Impressions indicate how often your website appears in search results. A high number suggests strong visibility, but pairing it with CTR and clicks shows the bigger picture.
Clicks: tracking user engagement
Clicks show how many users clicked on your site from the search results—it’s a good sign your title tag and meta description are doing their job! But if you’re getting tons of impressions and barely any clicks, it means they may need a little tweak.
CTR: understanding relevance
CTR (Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100) connects clicks and impressions, showing the percentage of people who actually clicked on your link after seeing it in search results. Just like clicks, a low CTR may indicate that your titles, descriptions, or rich snippets need improvement.
Average position: monitoring ranking trends
This metric shows where your pages typically rank in search results. The closer to the top, the better—higher visibility means more chances of getting those important clicks!
Bounce rate: measuring engagement quality
Bounce rate tells you how many visitors leave after checking out just one page. If it’s high, it could mean that your content isn’t hitting the mark or keeping people interested enough to stick around.
In that case, tailor your content to address your audience's needs and challenges, providing a clear solution.
Conversion/goals: assessing SEO impact
Conversions track the results that matter the most—purchases, sign-ups, or form submissions. Keeping an eye on goal completion helps you see how SEO efforts are actually driving results.
SEO dimensions: organizing and segmenting data
Keyword ranking: evaluating search performance
Keeping an eye on keyword rankings shows how well your site is doing for specific topics or searches. Watching the trends over time helps you work on your strategy and stay ahead of search intents.
Traffic source: understanding where visitors come from
This reveals how people find your site—whether through Google search, paid ads, social media, direct visits, or referrals. Knowing which channels bring the most valuable visitors helps you focus your SEO efforts where they matter most.
Landing page: evaluating page performance
The Landing Page dimension shows which pages are bringing in the most traffic. By tracking engagement, bounce rates, and conversions for each page, you can spot what’s working, what’s not, and where there’s room for improvement.
Device type: understanding user behavior
Breaking down traffic by mobile, desktop, and tablet helps you spot performance differences. If mobile has a high bounce rate, for example, it could mean your site needs a better mobile experience.
Location/country: identifying geographic opportunities
Knowing where your visitors come from helps you optimize your content and SEO strategy for different regions. Whether you’re focusing on local SEO or reaching global audiences, these insights can make a big difference.
To better perform in specific regions, you can adapt the content for each using local keywords and adjusting to cultural differences.
Google Data Studio SEO report data sources: key connectors
Looker Studio (Google Data Studio) connects to main data sources, enabling seamless access to critical performance metrics. Moreover, it centralizes this information into one single place.
This gives users a comprehensive view of the overall SEO performance while also making it easy to explore the details.
Let’s dive into the key SEO data sources and the valuable insights they provide.
How to create an SEO dashboard in Google Data Studio: step-by-step
Next, we’ll share a detailed step-by-step to help you set up your SEO dashboards on Looker Studio (Google Data Studio).
Get started in just a few clicks
- Start by signing in at Looker Studio with your Google account.
- Create a blank report by clicking on the blank box with the + sign.
Connect to data sources
The first step is to connect Looker Studio to your relevant data sources. This typically involves linking to the data sources mentioned in the previous section:
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Google Ads
- Google Business Profile
- Third-party SEO tools
To connect a data source, click "Add Data", choose the relevant connector, and authorize access.
Also, Looker Studio allows you to blend data from multiple sources. For example, combine Google Ads information with organic traffic data to compare paid vs. organic performance.
Select metrics and dimensions
Before designing your SEO report, it’s important to choose the right metrics and dimensions. This ensures your data tells a clear story and aligns with your reporting needs.
Match metrics with dimensions based on your goals. What’s your focus? Are you tracking landing page performance, keyword rankings, or mobile app conversions?
Your goal determines how you combine them for unique insights and personalized reports.
Create a report
Once connected to your data sources, you’re all set to start. Looker Studio provides a blank canvas where you can add various elements, transforming raw data into visual narratives.
- Use scorecards to highlight key metrics. Display key metrics like organic traffic, bounce rate, or average session duration.
- Create tables to deep dive into details. Organize data on keyword rankings, top landing pages, and traffic sources for in-depth and comparison analysis.
- Design charts to visualize trends and patterns. Bring your data to life using line charts to track trends over time, bar charts to compare performance across categories, or pie charts to illustrate proportions.
- Add geo maps to uncover geographical insights. Understand where your traffic comes from and identify growth opportunities with interactive geo maps.
Apply filters and segments to refine your focus
Filters and segments help you refine your SEO report by focusing on specific data points. This provides deeper insights and more precise analysis.
- Use filters for focused insights. Narrow down your data by date range, traffic source, device type, or country. This helps you assess specific campaigns or audience segments.
- Leverage segments for deeper comparisons. Compare user behavior across different groups, such as new vs. returning users, mobile vs. desktop users, or users who completed a goal vs. those who didn't.
Add custom metrics with calculated fields
Looker Studio allows you to create calculated fields to generate custom metrics beyond standard ones. This allows you to manipulate existing data and create new performance indicators. Some examples include:
- Goal conversion rate = Goal completions / Sessions
- Average order value = Total revenue / Total transactions
- Pages per session = Total pageviews / Total sessions
- Bounce rate by landing page = Bounces / Sessions per page
Overall, calculated metrics provide deeper insights into your SEO performance and adapt to your own reporting needs.
Customize the look and feel
Your report should be visually appealing and easy to read.
- Use theme customization. Use fonts, colors, and layouts that match your brand.
- Add a logo, headers, and background to reinforce branding and give it a professional touch.
- Use interactive elements. Include date range controls, dropdown filters, and clickable elements to enhance user engagement within the report.
Add annotations and insights for context
Raw data alone isn’t enough. Make it easier for your audience to understand by adding a little context.
- Use text boxes to explain key takeaways. For example, “traffic dropped due to an algorithm update”.
- Highlight important changes. Use conditional formatting to emphasize performance spikes or declines. This feature allows you to automatically change appearance based on specific conditions, adding some magic to your report.
- Compare periods. Show year-over-year or month-over-month changes to highlight trends.
Share and automate your report
A great thing about Looker Studio is that it makes data accessible for everyone. You can do this in two main ways:
- Share your report manually. Generate a sharable link or embed the report on a website or dashboard. Adjust permissions to allow editing or viewing access.
- Schedule email delivery. Set up automated reports to be sent out on a regular schedule. This keeps your team updated on the latest SEO insights without manual sharing.
Tips for an effective SEO analysis report using Looker Studio
Creating an SEO report isn’t just about gathering data—it’s about making it clear, insightful, and easy to act on.
Looker Studio provides powerful tools to track performance, but a well-structured report makes all the difference.
Here are some key tips to ensure your SEO analysis report is effective, engaging, and truly valuable.
Pull data from multiple sources: get the full picture
SEO reporting goes beyond one data source. Combining insights from multiple platforms gives you a complete view of your performance.
Looker Studio makes it easy to pull in data from Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Ads, and more, making the most of each source.
Clear and concise: keep it focused
A great report doesn’t just display numbers and charts—it tells a story.
- Avoid overwhelming users with excessive data.
- Stick to the metrics, dimensions, and insights that align with your goals.
- Use sections, headers, and summaries to make it easy to digest.
Visual appeal: make data easy to understand
Numbers alone can be overwhelming, so use elements to bring data to life.
- Use charts, graphs, and scorecards to make data more visual and easier to understand.
- Choose colors and layouts that align with your brand while maintaining readability.
- Structure for clarity, making sure key insights are easy to spot at a glance.
Actionable insights: go beyond the numbers
Data is only useful if it leads to action. Don't just present data—offer solutions.
- Highlight trends, patterns, and opportunities.
- Add annotations to understand what the data means.
- Suggest next steps and provide clear, data-backed recommendations based on your analysis.
Make it interactive: engage users
Instead of dull, static reports, make things interactive! Add filters, date range selectors, and dropdowns so users can explore the dashboard their way.
Regular Updates: stay ahead of the curve
SEO is always changing, and so should your reports! Schedule regular updates—weekly, biweekly, or monthly—to keep your data fresh and monitor ongoing trends.
Collaborate with teams: keep everyone involved
SEO involves multiple teams—from content creators to developers and marketers. Therefore, sharing your report is key.
Use Looker Studio’s sharing settings to grant access, allow edits, or tag other members in comments. In this way, everyone can see and contribute.
Best SEO reporting tools to make reporting easier
Looker Studio can integrate with other reporting tools to enhance data analysis, automate reporting, and simplify data management.
By connecting it with tools like Reporting Ninja, you can pull data from major marketing platforms while maximizing Looker Studio’s powerful analytical and visualization capabilities.
Let’s explore some of the best SEO reporting tools to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and presentation of your reports.
Reporting Ninja
Reporting Ninja is a specialized marketing reporting tool that makes it easy to create, automate, and share professional SEO reports.
Unlike other tools, it prioritizes automation and simplicity, allowing marketers to save time and streamline their reporting process.
Key features
Unified data connections
Reporting Ninja brings all your data together for a clear, complete view of your performance. No more jumping between platforms, as it allows you to manage all your data from one place.
Customizable and automated reports
It allows you to create reports your way with customizable templates and automated scheduling. This way, you spend less time on manual work and let reports run themselves. Set it up once, and you’re good to go!
Looker Studio connectors and Google Sheet add-ons
Reporting Ninja provides a 3-in-1 solution that combines its custom report platform, Looker Studio, and Google Sheets. It’s an easy, cost-effective way to deliver tailored reports without extra hassle.
Pricing
Reporting Ninja provides a flexible, all-in-one pricing plan that includes all features and combines three powerful solutions in a single package.
Where Reporting Ninja shines
- Automation and efficiency: Eliminates manual reporting with scheduled, auto-updating reports. Overall, this is a great tool for simplifying SEO report creation.
- Multi-source data integration: Easily blends data from various SEO tools for a complete picture.
- Highly customizable reports: Offers customizable reports alongside ready-to-use templates, making reporting quick and easy.
- Pricing: It offers highly competitive plans that include all product features, destinations, and integrations.
Where Reporting Ninja falls short
- Initial setup time: It’s a powerful tool, but getting fully customized reports up and running takes a little initial work.
- No free plan: It’s budget-friendly, but after the free trial, you’ll need a paid plan to keep using it.
Customer reviews
“I had already worked with other tools, but the balance between automation, customization, and the visuals offered by Reporting Ninja meets all my needs. The ability to integrate data from various marketing channels and turn them into such well-crafted reports saves us a lot of time while enhancing our clients' experience” - Stephanie Barbieri | Studio 33
Who Reporting Ninja is best for
- Marketing agencies that want an easy way to bring together data from multiple sources.
- In-house teams looking for a simple, automated reporting tool.
- Companies managing website analytics that want a simple way to monitor site performance and user engagement.
- Businesses focused on organic growth that need a dedicated SEO reporting solution.
Whatagraph
Whatagraph is a visual, automated reporting tool designed for marketing agencies and in-house teams. It simplifies data collection, transforms it into engaging reports, and automates delivery.
Key features
- Pre-built templates for SEO, PPC, and social media reports.
- Drag-and-drop report builder for easy customization.
- Automated data fetching & scheduled reporting to save time.
- Integrations with Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, HubSpot, and more.
Where Whatagraph shines
- Easy-to-use interface: No technical skills are needed—just plug and play.
- Great for agencies: Designed for fast, client-friendly reporting.
- Multi-source reporting: Pulls data from different platforms into a single report.
Where Whatagraph falls short
- Limited customization: Reports are visually appealing but lack deep customization options.
- Higher pricing for teams: The cost increases with additional users.
- Fewer integrations: It supports fewer data sources than competitors. Users also report performance issues with integrations.
Customer reviews
“The ease of use is excellent, and there are some valuable tools in the platform. We have found it provides our clients quick reports that they can analyze and digest easily. (...) There isn't much customization in the layouts of reports. You're stuck with the pre-designed grids. Also, the filters on the sources, such as Analytics, make it a little challenging to use. The Facebook integration could also use a little work” - Kyle R., verified G2 review
Who Whatagraph is best for
- Marketing agencies that need easy, automated client reports.
- In-house teams looking for a visual, user-friendly reporting tool.
- Small businesses that want pre-built templates for quick insights.
Supermetrics
Suprmetrics is a data integration tool that automates the transfer of marketing data into Looker Studio, Google Sheets, Excel, and other BI platforms.
Key features
- Automated data transfers from platforms like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and HubSpot.
- Direct integrations with spreadsheets and BI tools for seamless reporting.
- Pre-built templates for common marketing and SEO reporting needs.
- Custom query builder for filtering and refining data before import.
Where Supermetrics shines
- Seamless integrations: Pulls data from over 100 marketing platforms with minimal effort.
- Time-saving automation: Eliminates manual data exports and updates reports automatically.
- Flexible data destinations: Works with Google Sheets, Excel, Looker Studio, and data warehouses.
Where Supermetrics falls short
- No built-in visualization: It focuses on data extraction rather than full reporting and dashboards.
- Pricing can add up: Costs increase with the number of connectors and users.
- Setup complexity: Custom queries and API connections require some technical knowledge.
Customer reviews
"Powerful, useful tool with a frustratingly inflexible pricing model" - Gregory J., verified G2 review
Who Supermetrics is best for
- Marketing teams that need an automated way to pull data into spreadsheets or dashboards.
- Agencies that manage multiple client accounts and want consolidated reporting.
- Data-driven businesses looking for a seamless way to integrate marketing data into BI tools.
Free Google Data Studio SEO report templates
Why start from scratch when you can grab a ready-made SEO report template for free?
We’ve designed Looker Studio (Google Data Studio) report templates that make tracking your rankings, traffic, and conversions effortless.
Here are some useful report templates:
- Google Search Console report template
- Google Ad report template
- Google My Business report template
- Google Analytics report template
- YouTube performance report
- Cross-platform report template
Whether you're an agency, a freelancer, or an in-house marketer, these templates will save you time and make reporting a breeze.
Just download, connect your data, and you’re good to go! Get your free templates now and start reporting smarter.
Optimize your data analysis with Looker Studio and Reporting Ninja
SEO reporting doesn’t have to be complicated. Why waste hours on manual reporting when you can automate it in minutes?
Start your free trial with Reporting Ninja today and connect it with Looker Studio to create efficient, professional, and data-driven reports seamlessly and stress-free.
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