If you’re running Google Tag Manager (GTM) campaigns, you know the headache: tracking what matters, cutting through endless data, and actually seeing if your campaigns are working. This guide’s for marketers, growth folks, and anyone tired of wrestling with unwieldy spreadsheets or dashboards that look impressive but tell you nothing useful. We’ll walk through setting up and using Jasper dashboards so you can spot what matters—fast.
1. Get Clear on What You Need to Track
Before you even open Jasper, stop and ask: What’s the point? GTM campaigns can trigger dozens of events, but more data isn’t better—it’s just more confusing. Start here:
- Figure out your real goals. Are you tracking signups? Purchases? Newsletter clicks?
- List out your key conversion points. Not every event matters.
- Decide how often you need to check in. Daily? Weekly? If you’re checking every hour, you probably need a hobby.
Pro tip: Ignore “vanity metrics.” Pageviews and bounce rates can be interesting, but if they don’t tie to your campaign goal, skip them in your dashboards.
2. Make Sure Your GTM Events Are Set Up Right
You can’t monitor what you don’t track well. Go into GTM and double-check:
- All important events are firing. Test them—don’t just trust the setup.
- Event names are consistent and easy to understand. You’ll thank yourself later.
- GTM is sending data to the destination Jasper can read. Usually, that’s Google Analytics, but it could be other tools.
If your GTM setup is a mess, fix it before trying to build fancy dashboards. Otherwise you’ll just be visualizing garbage.
3. Connect Jasper to Your Data Source
Jasper is a dashboarding tool that pulls data from a bunch of sources. For GTM campaigns, most people use Google Analytics as the connector. Here’s what to do:
- In Jasper, add a new data source.
- Pick Google Analytics (or whatever you’re using downstream of GTM).
- Authenticate and select the right property/view.
- Test the connection. Don’t skip this—half the time, permissions are messed up, or you’re looking at a stale view.
If you’re using custom events or non-standard tracking, double-check that Jasper can actually see the data fields you care about. Sometimes, custom GTM events don’t show up in default connectors.
4. Build a Campaign Performance Dashboard—Step by Step
Here’s the meat. Forget the pre-made templates for now; they’re usually generic and overloaded. Build your own:
a. Start Simple
Add just a handful of widgets:
- Total conversions (your main goal)
- Conversion rate
- Traffic source breakdown
- Key funnel steps (if relevant)
If you’re tracking a specific campaign, filter for that campaign’s UTM tags or event names.
b. Add Trend Charts
Static numbers are fine, but trends show if you’re improving or tanking:
- Line charts for conversions over time
- Bar charts for channel/source
- Optional: Drop-off rates between funnel stages
c. Use Filters and Segments
Make your dashboard flexible. Add filters for:
- Date ranges
- Traffic sources (organic, paid, email, etc.)
- Device type (mobile/desktop)
Resist the urge to add every possible filter—pick what your team actually uses.
d. Set Up Alerts (But Don’t Overdo It)
Jasper lets you set alerts for when metrics spike or drop. Use these for:
- Big drops in conversions
- Sudden spikes in bounce rate
- Campaigns spending with no results
Don’t set up alerts for minor fluctuations—you’ll just start ignoring them.
5. Share and Review—But Keep It Focused
Nobody wants another dashboard link lost in Slack. Share your Jasper dashboard in a way people will actually use:
- Set up scheduled email reports for the core team.
- Pin the dashboard somewhere obvious (bookmark, project doc, whatever).
- Do a quick review as part of your regular campaign check-ins.
If people aren’t looking at the dashboard, ask why. Too complex? Not answering real questions? Simplify it.
6. What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Let’s be honest: Most dashboards are graveyards for good intentions. Here’s what actually helps, and what to skip:
Things That Work
- Focusing on one or two key metrics per campaign
- Keeping the layout clean and uncluttered
- Automating reports so you don’t forget to check
Things That Don’t
- Dozens of widgets crammed onto one page
- Tracking everything “just in case”
- Building dashboards nobody uses
Things to Ignore
- Overly granular breakdowns (e.g., browser versions unless you’re debugging a bug)
- Metrics that don’t tie to business results
- “Cool” visualizations you don’t understand
7. Troubleshooting: Common Jasper Dashboard Problems
Even with a good setup, you’ll run into snags. Here are a few:
- Data not updating? Check your data source connections and refresh intervals.
- Numbers don’t match what’s in Google Analytics? Make sure filters and date ranges are set the same way in both tools.
- Dashboard is slow? Too many widgets or overly complex queries can bog things down. Pare it back.
If something seems off, pull up the raw data. Don’t just trust the dashboard—sometimes the problem is upstream.
8. Iterate and Improve
Your first dashboard won’t be perfect. That’s normal. Here’s what to do:
- Ask the team what’s useful and what’s not.
- Trim what’s not being used.
- Add new views as your campaigns evolve.
Remember: Simple beats clever every time. If you can spot problems and successes at a glance, you’ve won.
Keep it simple, check what matters, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. Jasper dashboards are just a tool—the real magic is cutting through the noise and acting on what you see.