Between the 5 Resources below – there are 21 free sample reports!
Google Data Studio is a great tool for creating customizable web analytics reports. This post will help you get off on the right foot with Data Studio by providing you with 21 sample reports that you can copy and use.
What is Google Data Studio?
Data Studio is a free reporting tool offered by Google that allows you to create customizable dashboards and visualizations from a variety of data sources.
What are the benefits of Data Studio?
- Reports are dynamic and can be configured to update automatically
- Connects easily to widely-used Google services, like Google Analytics and Adwords
- Sharing reports with collaborators or clients is like sharing any other Google Drive file
Here are several resources for more info on Data Studio:
- Overview of Google Data Studio
- Google Data Studio Help Center
- Data Studio Videos on the Google Analytics YouTube Channel
Get Started with Sample Data Studio Reports
The default Data Studio template is a blank page. With the number of possibilities that Data Studio offers, starting from scratch, may be a bit overwhelming.
I recommend that you get to know the tool by beginning with a pre-populated report template. It will quickly introduce you to Data Studio’s functionality. You can, of course, customize these sample reports to your aesthetic and reporting preferences.
How to Use a Sample Data Studio Report
With any of the following sample reports, you’ll need to make a copy to be able to edit and connect your data sources.
Here’s how to use the sample Google Data Studio reports:
- Click the option in the top-right corner to “Make a copy of this report.”
- If this is your first time creating a Data Studio report from your Google account, you’ll be asked to agree to their terms of service.
- To create a new report, connect a data source associated with your Google account by clicking on the “Select a data source” drop-down menu. Click “Create new data source.”
- I recommend that you first connect a Google Analytics (GA) property. Select Google Analytics from the left menu and “Authorize” the connection you haven’t already. Choose the appropriate GA property.
- Repeat the last step for any additional data source that you want to connect to the report.
5 Resources for Sample Google Data Studio Reports
Check out the resources below to access sample reports that will give you a head start on your own Data Studio report.
1. Google Data Studio Gallery
At the time of writing this post, there are twelve sample Data Studio reports available in Google’s gallery. Expect this number to grow as users opt to submit their reports as templates for others to use.
Currently, these Data Studio templates illustrate reporting capabilities for a number of data sources, including:
- Google Analytics
- Google Sheets
- YouTube Analytics
- Google BigQuery
- Google Adwords
2. LunaMetrics’ Data Studio Template for Google Analytics
LunaMetrics developed a Google Analytics dashboard using Data Studio, and it’s available for you to use. Check out their step-by-step instructions to access and copy this report over to your GA data.
Something to keep in mind is that Google Data Studio is frequently updated with new functionality. LunaMetrics’s report was created about one year ago, so make sure you look for opportunities to improve it!
2. One PPC Agency’s Data Studio Templates for Google Adwords and Google Analytics
UK-based One PPC Agency has created several sample Data Studio reports that are free for you to copy and use yourself.
Their 10-page Google Adwords report template for Data Studio comes in two configurations:
- A lead-generation-based Data Studio template geared towards professional services businesses.
- A product based Data Studio template for e-commerce businesses.
They also produced a beast of a Google Analytics report for Data Studio that covers 25 pages of metrics and data visualizations. Like the Adwords report, there are two versions – one for service-based business and another for e-commerce.
3. Report on Facebook Ad Performance with this Report from Supermetrics
Google does not offer a direct connection to Facebook, Bing, or other social platforms. However, the folks at Supermetrics, developers of the popular Google Sheets extension for data integration, have created a Data Studio template for Facebook advertising.
Bonus: After the popularity of their Facebook report, Supermetrics developed a sample Data Studio template for reporting on multiple paid media channels.
4. SEO-Focused Sample Data Studio Report by Geoff Kenyon
If you’re interested in looking only at your site’s organic search performance, consider starting with this sample report provided by Geoff Kenyon.
Or, if you need to develop a broader online marketing report, Geoff created a more general Data Studio report that you can also access from the link above.
Bonus: Check out this E-commerce Data Studio template by Marketlytics!
Create Your Own Sample Data Studio Reports
Once you’re comfortable customizing existing Data Studio reports, take a stab at developing your own template.
If you’d like to experiment with creating reports that are more complex than the data you have available, consider signing up for the Google Analytics Demo Account.
Be sure to submit your sample Data Studio reports to Google for a chance to be featured in their report gallery.
Griffin Roer is the founder of Uproer, a digital marketing agency based in St Paul, MN. Reach out to Griffin to discuss how Uproer’s SEO services can drive real business growth for your company.
