Analyzing paid-search trends with line & area charts

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Luke Pajer

Digital Marketing Specialist

Digital marketing data set

original table

Keep in mind:

  • CTR increase is always good
    • Ads are performing well
  • Cost is more complicated
    • Increase cost and CTR is good
    • Increase cost and decrease CTR is bad
Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Visualizing CTR trends

Line chart
  • Shows basic trend of each line
  • May be the most recognizable of all trend charts
  • Great for any number of trends

line chart

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Visualizing CTR trends

Area chart
  • Shaded under the curve
  • Great for showing relative differences between trends
  • Will get messy if too many trends are plotted on a single area chart

area chart

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Visualizing cost trends

Stacked area chart
  • Aggregate of all trends
  • Shows contribution by each trend
  • CTR does not work with this since it is an average

stacked area chart

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Compare area charts

Stacked area chart

stacked area chart

Area chart

area chart

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Change chart type

change chart type

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Add a series to a chart

add a series

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Reformat data set for trend analysis

Original data set

original table

Reformatted data set

modified table

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Let's get to work!

Marketing Analytics in Google Sheets

Preparing Video For Download...