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Read your dashboard

The dashboard reads live data from Google Ads in your account's time zone and currency. The numbers match the numbers in Google Ads.

The metrics​

Hero Marketer shows three groups of metrics.

Volume​

  • Impressions. The number of times Google showed your ad on a results page.
  • Clicks. The number of times someone clicked to your landing page.
  • Conversions. Tracked goal completions, for example sign-ups, demo requests, or purchases. The goals depend on what you set up in Google Ads.

Cost​

  • Spend. Total cost across the date range. Google charges this cost to your Google Ads payment method.
  • CPC (cost per click). The average amount you pay for each click. It is spend divided by clicks.
  • CPA (cost per acquisition). The average cost for each conversion. It is spend divided by conversions.

Efficiency​

  • CTR (click-through rate). Clicks divided by impressions. It is the percentage of people who saw your ad and then clicked.
  • Conversion rate. Conversions divided by clicks. It is the percentage of clicks that became conversions.
  • Conversion value. The total value of conversions, when you set up conversion value in Google Ads.

For a glossary of every metric, see Glossary.

Date ranges​

The date range picker has presets and a custom option. The default range is Last 7 days, with comparison turned on:

  • Today. The current day, in your account's time zone.
  • Yesterday. The previous full day.
  • Last 7 days. The last 7 days. This range does not include today.
  • Last 30 days. The last 30 days. This range does not include today.
  • Month to date. From the first day of the current month to yesterday.
  • Year to date. From January 1 of the current year to yesterday.
  • Custom. Pick any start and end date.

Today, and other ranges that include today, refresh more often, because the data still changes. Hero Marketer caches older ranges.

Comparison modes​

Open the date range picker to change the comparison. You can compare with:

  • No comparison. Only the current range.
  • Previous period. The window of the same length just before the current one. For example, Last 30 days compared with the 30 days before.
  • Same period last year. The same calendar window one year ago. This helps with seasonal businesses.

When a comparison is on, the performance summary shows the change next to each metric, as an absolute value and a percent. The tiles that support a comparison period show the previous period next to the current one.

Filters​

Use the filters next to the date range to narrow the report by campaign type, campaign status, or campaign name. The dashboard and Campaigns > All campaigns use the same filters. If you change the date range or a filter on one page, the other page opens with the same selection.

Hero Marketer remembers the filters for each Google Ads account. When you switch accounts, Hero Marketer shows that account's last view. It does not carry campaign names across from a different account.

On the dashboard, the campaign name dropdown lists only the campaigns with activity in the selected date range.

When you change the date range, the comparison, or a filter, you also change which account brief you see. Each combination has its own brief. See The AI account brief.

What the default tiles show​

The Overview opens with seven tiles. Each tile reads the date range, comparison, and filters at the top of the page.

  • Performance summary. Cost, impressions, clicks, and conversions for the period, with the change from the comparison period.
  • Performance over time. Cost, clicks, and conversions for each day across the range.
  • Campaign breakdown. A table of your top campaigns with cost, clicks, and conversions.
  • Device breakdown. The share of cost for each device.
  • Country breakdown. Your top countries by cost.
  • Audience breakdown. Your top audiences by cost.
  • Conversion actions. Your top conversion actions, with all conversions.

Only campaigns with performance data in the selected date range appear in the campaign breakdown. A paused campaign does not appear if it had no impressions or spend in the window, even when it is still enabled in Google Ads. For the full list of campaigns, including paused and removed campaigns, open Campaigns > All campaigns.

You can change which tiles appear and how they are arranged. See Customize your dashboard.

When data looks wrong​

A few common causes:

  • Numbers do not match Google Ads. The time zone is the most common cause. Hero Marketer uses your Google Ads account time zone. For example, if your Google Ads time zone is UTC and you are in California, "today" in the dashboard ends earlier than you expect.
  • Conversions show as zero. Conversion tracking might not be set up in Google Ads. If you track conversions in other tools (Google Analytics, server-side events), you must connect them to Google Ads first. Hero Marketer reads what Google Ads has, not what other tools report.
  • Metrics look old. Google Ads has a reporting delay of up to a few hours for some metrics. Wait a while, then refresh.
  • A campaign is missing. Only campaigns with activity in the date range appear in the campaign breakdown. Make the range wider, or open Campaigns > All campaigns for the full list.

Going deeper​

The dashboard is the account-level read. To go one level down, click a campaign in Campaigns > All campaigns. The campaign view adds tabs. A Search campaign shows ad groups, ads, keywords, and search terms. A Performance Max campaign shows asset groups, assets, search terms, placements, and networks. See Drill into a campaign.

For a question the tiles do not answer, ask Hero AI. Hero AI reads the same account data. It can investigate a change, explain the cause, and recommend a next step. See Ask Hero AI for recommendations.

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