Why this matters more than the fee
Most business owners I speak to aren't unhappy about what they pay. They're unhappy about not knowing what they get for it.
The research backs this up. Setup's 2025 Marketing Relationship Survey found that dissatisfaction with value rose from 36% to 61% in a single year. The most cited reasons for leaving an agency are a lack of proactive strategic guidance (68%) and poor communication and transparency (57%). Next comes an inability to demonstrate value (53%). Price ranks sixth, at 37%, according to an analysis by Swydo.
There's a quieter problem too. One agency owner described clients saying results weren't there when they were strong. They'd arrived as a spreadsheet with no explanation (reported by Onboardmap). Good work, badly explained, looks exactly like bad work.
So the monthly report isn't admin. It's how you find out whether your money is working.
The four questions every report should answer
A good monthly update doesn't need 40 tabs. It needs to answer four questions clearly, ideally from the person who runs your account.
1. What did we spend?
Total spend for the month, by channel, against the budget you agreed. If it was over or under, a sentence on why.
2. What did it bring in?
Enquiries, calls, bookings or sales. Not clicks, impressions or "engagement". Then what each one cost: cost per lead, or return on ad spend if you sell online. Compared with last month and, once there's enough history, the same month last year.
Those numbers should line up with what you received, as closely as tracking allows. If Google says one thing and your inbox says another, the report should say so and explain the gap.
3. What changed, and why?
What was done to your account this month, in specific terms. "Optimised campaigns" isn't an answer. "Excluded searches for training courses, which were costing money and never turned into enquiries" is.
You should also hear about changes nobody chose: a platform update, a new competitor, a tracking fault, a seasonal dip. Right now that includes Google's automation. If AI Max or Performance Max has changed how your ads run, you should hear it from your agency, not find out for yourself. I've written about what AI Max and Performance Max change, and the guardrails to add.
4. What happens next?
One to three things planned for next month, and what each should achieve. A good update always ends with a plan. The next one should tell you how that plan went.
What good reporting looks like in practice
The format matters less than the habits behind it. These are the ones I'd look for:
- A short written summary at the top, before any charts.
- Results tied to your business goals, not the platform's.
- The same few numbers every month, so you can compare like with like.
- Bad news reported as clearly as good news, with what's being done about it.
- A chance to talk it through. A short call or a screen-recorded walkthrough beats a PDF nobody opens.
- Questions answered within a working day, by someone who knows your account.
You can see an example of a plain-English monthly PPC report on my Google Ads page. It fits on one screen.
You should be able to check for yourself
Your Google Ads, Meta and Analytics accounts should be in your business's name, with your agency given access. That way you can always look for yourself, and nothing is held back if you part ways.
If your agency owns the account, ask for it to be moved into your name. It's a reasonable request, and how they respond will tell you a lot.
Warning signs
- Reports that arrive with no written explanation
- Clicks and impressions, but no leads or sales
- The same "optimisations" listed every month
- Nothing about what's planned next
- You can't log in to your own ad account
- Questions answered by someone who has to "check with the team"
- Results that look better than what you're seeing in your business
One of these on its own isn't a disaster. Several together usually mean nobody senior is looking closely at your account. Budget agencies have been described as running 50 or more accounts per manager, with templated setups, according to PPC Chief. At that load, there isn't much time left to think about yours.
Questions to ask at your next review
If you're not getting this from your current provider, you don't need to switch straight away. Start by asking:
- How many real leads did we get last month, and what did each one cost?
- How does that compare with what we received?
- What did you change in the account, and what happened as a result?
- What are you planning next month, and why?
- Who works on our account day to day, and how many other accounts do they look after?
- Do we own our Google Ads and Analytics accounts?
A good agency will welcome these questions. Clear, specific answers are a good sign. Jargon, defensiveness or silence suggest it's time for a second opinion.
How I report
Every month, the person running your ads tells you what happened and why. That's me. Four questions, answered: what you spent, what it brought in, what I changed and what's next. You can ask anything, any time.
It's the same whether I'm running Google Ads management for a Bristol business or Meta ads and paid social. If you'd like a second opinion, send me a message below. I'll look at your last report and tell you what it isn't telling you.