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If your agency still dedicates hours each week to pulling data, fixing broken connections and manually updating client reports, it’s at a significant competitive disadvantage.
Clients want cross-platform data that’s linked directly to business goals. They expect reliable, up-to-date reporting on demand and value partners who spend time on analysis and strategy, not data preparation. Manual work limits the time your team can spend on that strategic work.
The agencies pulling ahead have transformed their reporting infrastructure with marketing agency reporting tools. They automate routine tasks and connect disparate data sources to allow their teams to climb out of the trenches of manual reporting.
6 ways manual reporting will cost your agency
Manual reporting hurts your agency beyond just wasting time. When your team gets stuck pulling data and fixing spreadsheets, they don’t have time to focus on strategic work that clients actually value. Your profitability suffers when you pay skilled professionals for administrative tasks.
You'll struggle to grow without proper reporting automation because each new client multiplies your manual workload. Meanwhile, competitors who've streamlined their reporting processes can deliver better insights faster, which puts your agency at a serious disadvantage.
1. Manual processes will consume your time
Many marketing teams get stuck preparing data each reporting cycle. This often involves copying and pasting numbers from ad platforms, exporting files and manually normalizing data in spreadsheets to create pivot tables.
Marketing agency reporting tools automate this process. "With Funnel, I can connect a marketing platform, export and analyze the data and start creating reports within 30 minutes," says Juriën Calis, Data Analyst at Havas. What typically might take hours or days can be done in minutes, so your team can focus on the analysis that clients truly value.
2. Your ability to gather data will be unreliable
Manually preparing reports usually means using several different methods to export data. This leaves room for human error during copy-paste operations, not to mention that reports often contain outdated information when they reach clients. This problem compounds when ad platforms inevitably change their interfaces and export formats and your team has to spend valuable analysis time troubleshooting technical issues instead.
When numbers don't add up, clients lose trust. Data is always consistent if you use a tool that pulls data using dependable APIs. "We can outsource the API responsibility to Funnel, and we know that they have a large team of developers focused on keeping the APIs functional," says Steven Hilgendorff, Head of Data and Analytics at Mediaschneider.
3. Your team will be disconnected
When people with different technical skills work on different reporting tasks, analysis gets siloed, and everyone makes decisions using different data. If you have technical specialists on the team, they get stuck handling basic reporting requests instead of doing more valuable work.
Look for a reporting tool that does the technical work for you. "We have very technical people and junior marketing specialists who work with Funnel. They're all able to access data and see what's happening across different platforms, bringing everyone together," says D Doan from NP Digital.
4. Your strategic value will be limited
Agencies that spend most of their time assembling reports struggle to deliver insights. When your team is constantly fixing spreadsheets and formatting data, you become relegated to a “report provider” rather than a strategist role. This creates a real problem when clients question your value beyond basic reporting.
If you’re working with a tool that outsources your data work for you, then you can focus on delivering strategic insights. Aimee Wilkinson, Senior Analyst at Journey Further, puts it plainly: "Funnel is a key point in client retention for us as it allows our clients access to automated live reports, and we can focus on providing analysis to go along with it."
5. The marketing data you gather will be disconnected from the business
Clients care about business impact, not just marketing performance metrics. It’s hard to connect those metrics to business impact when your data sits in separate systems with no connection to business goals.
A marketing agency reporting tool will unify data from your CRM, ad platforms, marketing automation, help desk and more. You get a single source of truth to track the path from ad spend to revenue. Casper Rouchmann, Founder at Sparkforce, says, "Most of the time, companies look at ad platform data and CRM data separately. But when it's time for the CMO to go to a board meeting, someone actually needs to blend the data together to figure out the important KPIs."
6. You’ll end up building costly workarounds
If you’ve built a custom report and a platform changes its API, your report will inevitably break. These technical failures accumulate hidden costs when they pull your team away from critical client work. The resulting downtime damages client relationships, and the unpredictable costs associated with fixing these reports make budget planning nearly impossible.
A better approach is using a ready-to-use scalable platform that handles these fixes for you. Glenn Tamkin, Consulting Manager at fifty-five, confirms this: "The reality is that Funnel is much cheaper than in-house solutions. In-house solutions do not work out best for the customer because it ends up being more expensive. And not only that, they break, and when they do break, you need specialists to come in and fix it, which takes time. Funnel never breaks."
Top 5 marketing agency reporting tools in 2025
Agencies today need specialized tools to stay ahead of the competition, but you need the right one for your business size and reporting needs. Selecting the right tool could be the difference between growth and churning client accounts.
1. Funnel: Best overall
Funnel is the only marketing reporting tool purpose-built for agencies that need both data transformation and automated reporting — without requiring engineers. It’s a no-code solution that automates cross-platform normalization, provides granular control over metrics and comes with fully managed connectors for total peace of mind. It helps agencies:
- Improve budget and KPI tracking by putting all your budget and spend data in one place. You can track costs against budgets and performance against goals without jumping between platforms, so you don’t overspend while still hitting client targets.
- Monitor performance by centralizing all client data, making it easy to create internal roll-up reports. You can also benchmark clients against each other to spot who's performing well and who needs attention.
- Proactively respond to trends by automatically collecting data so you can spot trends in easy-to-read dashboards before they become problems. It builds the foundation for advanced analysis and finding insights.
Funnel creates a scalable way to collect, transform and integrate data without a tech background. Johan Stockmarr, Data and Technology Director at Publicis Sweden, was surprised by the amount of data they could collect when they implemented the tool: "When we got access to Funnel, we were amazed with the amount and types of data we got access to. We will be able to do very advanced things at scale."
2. AgencyAnalytics: Best for SEO
AgencyAnalytics is known for its SEO tools, including rank tracking, site audits and backlink monitoring. The system includes customizable dashboards, reporting templates and an AI insights feature for data explanations.
It’s limited in its ability to conduct in-depth data transformation and normalization, focusing more on dashboards than data management. It isn’t great for building custom metrics.
Plus, their pricing is structured per client instead of by data volume, which makes it costly to run several client reports. AgencyAnalytics works better for agencies managing multiple small clients rather than for those handling enterprise needs.
3. Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio): Best free tool
Looker Studio is a self-service business intelligence platform. There is a free version that handles basic reporting but quickly reaches its limitations. As a part of Google's ecosystem, it works well with other Google tools like Analytics, Ads and Search Console.
Its interface has drag-and-drop functionality within a snap-to-grid canvas and offers report templates for visualization. Users can share reports with their team or embed them in websites.
The Looker Studio platform requires some technical knowledge and SQL skills for complex reports. Data preparation is more manual than Funnel's automated approach and lacks automated normalization. Plus, the platform struggles with large datasets that haven’t been prepared by a professional and offers no built-in data governance controls for marketing teams.
4. Tableau: Best for advanced data visualization
Tableau is an analytics platform that visualizes data. It connects well with the Salesforce ecosystem and includes some AI tools. Its interactive dashboards are secure and can be extensively customized for those with the right technical skill set.
Enterprise agencies like Tableau because it can be deployed across cloud, on-premises or hybrid environments and is scalable, but it comes with trade-offs. The learning curve is steep, and it isn't designed specifically for marketers. It requires significant technical expertise and training investment.
Tableau makes the most sense for organizations that already have dedicated data teams. You’ll get deep analytics capabilities but will pay for it with higher complexity.
5. TapClicks: Best for enterprise operations
TapClicks is popular with agencies and large marketing departments that need extensive operational control. The platform combines data management and ETL functionality with AI-powered insights for marketing decision-making.
The system routes tasks based on business processes and leaves room to scale. It also offers HIPAA compliance for healthcare verticals and white-labeling options. However, like Tableau, it comes with a technical learning curve.
TapClicks works best for organizations that need an end-to-end marketing ecosystem but is potentially a bit excessive for simpler use cases.
How marketing agencies are staying competitive with reporting tools like Funnel
The agencies that have successfully implemented marketing agency reporting tools have undergone technical and cultural shifts. They believe their internal team should be focused on strategy and deep insights, not reporting.
Example 1: Build a foundation for growth
Broadhead struggled with scaling their operations. They were spending valuable time debating definitions of different metrics and working in silos. It became hard to grow, and their lack of internal alignment made it hard to innovate.
When they implemented Funnel, Broadhead built a solid data foundation. They centralized data, automated normalization and broke their silos. Now, their team works with consistent, accurate information, and governance rules align everyone on key metrics. Their team is focused on strategy, which their clients appreciate.
"We’ve given teams the power of data without sacrificing governance. That's the holy grail for any data-led organization." - Dan Mandle, SVP of Data Science at Broadhead
Example 2: Boost team well-being and retain top talent
Digital Reach found that repetitive manual work was damaging individual and team morale. Their staff spent long hours fixing broken workflows and building reports manually, which wasn't what team members were hired to do.
When they implemented Funnel, their team became much more efficient. They were free to focus on the strategic work they were actually hired to do. The team was more fulfilled when they had fewer late nights and less stress. Digital Reach also found that it helped retain top talent.
"Funnel has improved our processes, increased our capabilities and most importantly, significantly changed the day-to-day experience of working in an agency environment. There are fewer people working late, greater peace of mind and more time spent doing the smart, strategic work they were hired to do." - Scotty Jewett, Director of Business Intelligence at Digital Reach
Example 3: Connect marketing performance with real impact
Sparkforce knew that individual marketing platforms alone couldn't tell a full performance story. They needed to show how all their marketing efforts impacted key metrics, but without a unified view, they couldn’t see the insights. This made it difficult to demonstrate the real value of marketing investments, which was hurting relationships with clients.
Sparkforce used Funnel to combine marketing data with CRM and e-commerce data. They connected their backend systems to dashboards showing the impact on KPIs their clients wanted.
"Most of the time, companies look at ad platform data and CRM data separately. But when it's time for the CMO to go to a board meeting, someone actually needs to blend the data together to figure out the important KPIs." - Casper Rouchmann, Founder at Sparkforce
From report provider to strategic partner
Clients don’t just want data. They want insights that help them make smarter business decisions. Agencies that automate reporting with Funnel free up their team’s time to focus on delivering strategic recommendations, which leads to stronger client relationships and higher retention.
As Aimee Wilkinson, Senior Analyst at Journey Further, puts it:
“Funnel is a key point in client retention for us as it allows our clients access to automated live reports, and we can focus on providing analysis to go along with it.”
Funnel helps agencies evolve from tactical service providers into long-term strategic partners.
How to get started with marketing agency reporting tools
Implementing a marketing agency report tool successfully involves analyzing pain points with clients, defining what they need and knowing your team’s skillset. An ad agency focused on search ads and LinkedIn ads for marketing teams of one to ten people will need a different solution than one that serves enterprise clients.
Step 1: Select the right reporting tool for your agency
When choosing a reporting tool, prioritize platforms that can integrate easily with your existing marketing stack while automatically normalizing the data it pulls from it. Consider future scalability costs (costs often increase with the volume of data you process), and ensure both nontechnical and technical team members can use it.
For example, if you work with HubSpot, Google Ads and Shopify, you should prioritize tools that automatically normalize metrics across these platforms at a cost you’re comfortable with.
Step 2: Create a structured implementation plan
When you’re first getting set up, plan to test automated reporting with one low-risk client to validate its success. Set appropriate expectations for initial outcomes and allow time for optimization.
For example, you might select one established B2B client with campaigns across multiple platforms for a pilot program to thoroughly test connectors and automations. After seeing success, you might roll out the program to new clients using a phased approach that starts with high-priority platforms before expanding.
Step 3: Prepare your data infrastructure
Before you roll out your test, map all necessary data sources and connection points. Make sure you’ve set up the proper API access and permission settings with your new tool. You’ll also want to create uniform naming conventions to avoid confusion over what normalized data describes.
Suppose you were establishing API connections to Meta Ads and Google Ads. In that case, you’d want to align campaign naming structures across platforms and create consistent metric definitions that make cross-platform reporting straightforward.
Step 4: Configure your reporting tool
As you set up your new tool, develop standardized templates that address your most common client reporting scenarios. Test your templates with sample data before rolling them out to any client environment to identify and resolve potential issues proactively.
You might create a template dashboard that displays normalized performance metrics across search, social and display channels. If so, you’d want to test a report built for visualizing cross-platform performance before you present it to the client to make sure it’s accurate.
Step 5: Train your team effectively
Develop role-specific training programs that address the needs of different roles like analysts and account managers. Establish regular check-in meetings to address any challenges and share best practices amongst regular users of your new tool.
You might want to document specific processes for connecting new client accounts or refreshing reports. Then, conduct hands-on training sessions where team members practice these workflows with real client data under supervision before handling it independently.
Step 6: Launch and expand strategically
As your pilot runs, collect feedback from both internal teams and the client to make necessary improvements as quickly as possible. Once you’re happy with your pilot, you can gradually expand the implementation to additional clients based on what you learned from your pilot.
After a successful pilot implementation, you might expand to three more clients with similar channel mixes. During quarterly business reviews, you might plan to highlight time savings and deeper insights to demonstrate the concrete value of the new reporting approach.
Bonus: Common pitfalls to avoid during implementation
Don't try to implement a new tool with all of your clients at once. You'll have internal confusion and likely end up reporting inaccurate data. Most teams need more time than you think to get comfortable with new tools, and if you don't clearly explain reporting changes to clients, they'll be confused when their reports suddenly look different.
You’ll also want to track how much time you're saving compared to your old manual processes. Ask your clients if the new reports are more useful, and watch how your team adapts. Calculate what you spent on your new tool versus the value of the time saved with your team to get a better picture of your return on investment (ROI).
The new standard for marketing agency reporting tools
Time remains the most valuable resource for marketing agencies today. The agencies that are thriving today have recognized that reporting tools do more than just save hours. They fundamentally change client relationships. When agencies integrate these tools effectively, they transform from service providers into essential business partners and create a direct link between marketing activities and the business results that clients now expect.
The most successful agencies in 2025 will be those with the best creative ideas and the ability to consistently demonstrate impact on client business goals through data. That’s where Funnel shines — helping marketing agencies move beyond tedious reporting to deliver the insights clients actually pay for.
Ready to eliminate manual reporting and scale smarter? Request a Funnel demo today and see how your team can spend more time on strategy, not spreadsheets.