If you run marketing campaigns and need to actually see what’s working (and what’s not), dashboards can be your best friend—or just another thing to ignore. This guide is for marketers, analysts, and anyone stuck trying to make sense of campaign results, especially if you’re using Apteco. I’ll walk you through exactly how to build useful dashboards, what’s worth tracking, and what to skip. No fluff, just real talk about what gets results.
Why Dashboards Matter (and Where They Go Wrong)
Let’s be honest: dashboards are everywhere, but most are either too simple (hello, pie chart with four colors and no labels) or way too complex (a dozen gauges and you still don’t know if you’re winning).
A good dashboard is about clarity, not cramming every possible number onto one screen. The goal? Make it dead simple to answer: are my campaigns working, and what should I do next?
Common problems with dashboards: - Metrics overload (you don’t need 50 KPIs) - Data that’s out of date or doesn’t match what you see elsewhere - Pretty visuals that don’t actually help you decide anything
If you want dashboards that work, you need to build with focus, not FOMO.
Step 1: Decide What You Actually Need to Track
Before you even open Apteco, get clear on which metrics matter. If you can’t act on it, don’t track it.
Core campaign metrics worth your time: - Opens and clicks: For email or ad campaigns, these are the basics. - Conversions: What counts as a “win” for this campaign (purchase, signup, download, etc.). - Cost per acquisition (CPA): What did you spend to get a result? - ROI: Is the campaign paying off? - Unsubscribes/opt-outs: If people hate your stuff, you want to know. - Engagement over time: Are things improving or sliding downhill?
What to ignore: - Vanity metrics (like “impressions” if you can’t tie them to results) - Data you don’t trust or can’t explain - Anything you can’t act on this month
Pro tip: Talk to the people who’ll use the dashboard. Ask them what decisions they need to make, and build for that—not for a hypothetical exec who never logs in.
Step 2: Get Your Data Into Apteco (Cleanly)
Apteco is powerful, but it’s not magic. Garbage in, garbage out.
What you need: - Campaign data (emails sent, ads served, etc.) - Results data (clicks, conversions, revenue, etc.) - Cost data (what you spent on each channel or campaign)
How to get it in: - Use Apteco’s built-in connectors for email platforms, CRMs, or ad tools if you can. - For anything else, you’ll be importing files—make sure they’re clean (no weird column names, consistent date formats, etc.). - Double-check: does your data actually line up? If your “conversions” don’t match what the sales team sees, you’ll lose trust fast.
What doesn’t work: - Mixing apples and oranges (different date ranges, currencies, or definitions) - Hoping Apteco will “figure it out” on its own
Pro tip: Start with one data source. Get that right, then add others. Integrating everything at once is a headache you don’t need.
Step 3: Build Your First (Useful) Dashboard
Now you’re in Apteco, ready to build. Resist the urge to drag out every chart type. Your goal: a dashboard you can read in two minutes.
Key widgets to include: - Summary numbers: Top-level stats (total conversions, spend, ROI) - Trends over time: Line or bar charts to spot patterns or weird drops - Breakdowns: By channel, audience, or campaign—whatever matters to you - Top/worst performers: Quick tables or charts showing what’s crushing it (and what’s costing you money) - Filters: Let users slice by date, channel, or audience
How to do it in Apteco: 1. Create a new dashboard: Start with a blank slate. Don’t use a default template unless it actually fits your needs. 2. Add summary tiles: Use the KPI tiles for at-a-glance numbers. 3. Add trend charts: Drop in a line chart for conversions or ROI over time. 4. Break down by segment: Add bar charts or tables that split results by channel, audience, or campaign. 5. Add filters: Make it easy for users to drill down, but don’t overwhelm with too many options.
What works: - Keeping it simple—one page, clear answers - Using color sparingly (red for problems, green for wins) - Including context (targets, benchmarks, or previous period comparisons)
What doesn’t: - Pie charts with too many slices (nobody can read those) - Overly technical charts (unless your audience is data pros) - Dashboards that require a 10-minute walkthrough to understand
Pro tip: Test your dashboard with someone who didn’t build it. If they can’t tell you what’s working (and what isn’t) in two minutes, go back and simplify.
Step 4: Set Up Alerts and Automation (If It Helps)
You don’t want to live in a dashboard all day. Apteco lets you set up alerts or scheduled reports so you get a nudge when something’s off—or when you hit a goal.
When alerts are useful: - A campaign’s cost-per-acquisition jumps above target - Conversion rates drop suddenly - You hit a key milestone (e.g., 1,000 signups)
How to do it: - Use Apteco’s rules or triggers to send emails or notifications - Schedule regular reports to land in your inbox or a shared folder
Don’t bother with: - Alerts for every tiny change (alert fatigue is real) - Reports nobody reads
Pro tip: If you’re getting more than one or two alerts a week, you’re probably overdoing it.
Step 5: Review, Iterate, and Don’t Be Precious
The best dashboards are living things. As your campaigns change, so should your dashboards. Review them monthly (or quarterly) and ask:
- Are we tracking things that matter?
- What’s missing?
- What’s just noise?
Make changes ruthlessly. Delete unused widgets. Add new metrics if they help answer important questions. And don’t be afraid to go back to basics.
What to Watch Out For
There’s a lot of hype about “data-driven” marketing. Here’s the truth:
- Fancy dashboards won’t fix bad campaigns.
- More data isn’t always better—sometimes it just hides what matters.
- Your dashboard should help you make decisions, not just look impressive in meetings.
If your team isn’t using the dashboard, it’s not their fault—it’s the dashboard’s. Ask what would make it useful, and rebuild as needed.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Get Results
Dashboards should make your life easier, not harder. Focus on the metrics you can act on, build simple views that answer real questions, and update as you go. Ignore the noise. Start small, get feedback, and iterate. That’s how you get dashboards—and campaigns—that actually work.