Every marketer’s been there: you’ve got a pile of numbers, a critical client meeting, and the creeping feeling your report will be ignored—or worse, misunderstood. If you want clients to pay attention (and actually get what’s working), how you present the data matters as much as the data itself. This guide is for anyone who needs to turn marketing results into reports that don’t bore people to tears.
Venngage ([venngage.html]) is a popular tool for making infographics and reports, but most folks just slap charts on a template and call it a day. That’s not enough if you want clients to remember your insights, not just the pretty colors. Here’s how to build marketing reports in Venngage that are clear, visual, and don’t waste anyone’s time.
1. Clarify what your client actually cares about
Before you touch Venngage, get brutally honest about what matters to the client:
- What business questions are they really asking?
- Which KPIs do they actually care about? (Not just the ones you like.)
- Are they more interested in growth, ROI, brand awareness, or something else?
- How technical are they? Will they want to dive deep, or just get the highlights?
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, ask. It’s way easier to tweak your focus up front than to rework a finished report.
2. Gather only the data you need
The biggest mistake? Overloading clients with every metric under the sun. Instead:
- Pick 3–5 key metrics that tie to their goals.
- Find one or two standout stories or trends you can dig into (e.g., “Why did conversions spike in May?”).
- Don’t be afraid to cut fluff—nobody cares about bounce rate if the campaign’s ROI doubled.
If you’re pulling data from different platforms (Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, HubSpot, etc.), make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.
3. Choose the right Venngage report template
Venngage has hundreds of templates, and most are… fine. But don’t get distracted by wild colors or cutesy icons unless your client’s brand or industry calls for it. Here’s what to look for:
- Clean layouts with plenty of white space
- Simple, readable fonts (skip the script fonts)
- Templates designed for “Reports” or “Dashboards”—skip the poster-style infographics for client decks
What works: Simple dashboards, executive summary reports, or templates labeled for marketing.
What to ignore: Anything too busy, stuffed with icons, or trying too hard to be “fun.” You want the data to stand out, not the clipart.
4. Import and organize your data
Venngage lets you pop data into their built-in charts or import from CSV. Either way:
- Double-check your data for errors before uploading. Nothing kills credibility faster than a mislabeled axis.
- Keep chart titles short but clear (“Email Signups by Month,” not “Our Awesome Email Marketing Journey”).
- Group related metrics together—don’t scatter social stats across three pages.
Pro tip: If you need to update the report each month, save your data in a spreadsheet that matches the chart layout. It’ll save a ton of time later.
5. Visualize only what's meaningful
Just because you can make a pie chart for everything doesn’t mean you should.
- Use bar or line charts for trends over time (e.g., traffic, conversions).
- Use pie charts sparingly—only when you’re showing parts of a whole (and not too many slices).
- Highlight big changes with callout boxes or arrows. Don’t expect the client to “find” the important stuff.
- Avoid 3D charts—they look fancy, but they’re hard to read and often misleading.
What works: Side-by-side comparisons, clear labels, color coding that matches the client’s brand (but don’t go overboard).
What doesn’t: Rainbow gradients, “fun” shapes, or data visualizations that take longer to decode than the data itself.
6. Add context—don’t just dump numbers
A report full of charts without explanations is just homework. Add 1–2 lines to explain why each chart matters:
- “Traffic from paid search doubled after the new campaign launched.”
- “Organic reach fell in April—likely due to the algorithm change.”
Where possible, connect the dots to business outcomes (“This led to a 15% increase in leads.”).
You can use text boxes, callouts, or simple captions under each chart. Don’t overwrite—skip the fluff and get to the point.
7. Weave in a simple narrative
Clients remember stories, not spreadsheets. Frame the report with a beginning, middle, and end:
- Start: What were the goals? What’s the topline result?
- Middle: What drove the changes? Any surprises, good or bad?
- End: What are the next steps or recommendations?
If there’s bad news, don’t bury it. Bring it out, explain it, and show what you’ll do next. Clients trust you more when you’re candid.
Pro tip: Use the summary slide/page to call out two wins and one area to improve. That’s usually all a client will remember (if you’re lucky).
8. Customize branding, but don’t overdo it
Venngage makes it easy to add logos, brand colors, and custom fonts. Do this—it helps reports look polished and professional.
But:
- Stick to a max of 2–3 colors (usually the client’s main brand colors).
- Use their logo once per page (max). No need to slap it on every chart.
- Keep fonts consistent. Don’t mix more than two font families.
What matters is clarity, not showing off your Photoshop skills.
9. Export and prep for presentation
Once your report looks good:
- Download it as a PDF or PowerPoint (Venngage supports both, depending on your plan).
- Check for formatting weirdness—sometimes charts shift when exporting.
- Do a dry run: open it on another computer and make sure everything’s readable, especially on a projector or Zoom screen.
If you’re presenting live, keep your talking points tight. The report should support your story, not force you to read slides word-for-word.
10. Get feedback—and iterate
After the presentation, ask the client what made sense and what didn’t. Did they get what they needed? Was anything missing? Adjust your next report based on their feedback.
What works: A quick email (“Anything I can explain better next time?”) gets more honest answers than waiting for the next meeting.
Bottom line: Clear, engaging reports aren’t about fancy graphics—they’re about answering the client’s questions, fast. Venngage is a solid tool for this, but only if you’re ruthless about focus and clarity. Start simple, cut the noise, and improve each time. That’s how you make reports people actually want to read.