How to connect Facebook Ads / Meta Ads to Looker Studio
Want to analyze your Facebook Ads / Meta Ads in Looker Studio, but not sure how? No problem, in this article we show you
So, the Facebook / Meta business manager is nice, but somewhat limited when you want to run deeper analysis, in particular when you’re managing several accounts. Unfortunately, there is no free out-of-the-box connector to Looker Studio (you’ll notice that there are only Google products native connectors…). In this article, we’ll show you how to connect Facebook Ads / Meta Ads to Looker Studio.
Looker Studio connectors we use on a daily basis and are happy with (w/ free trials): Supermetrics - Windsor - Catchr - PMA - Funnel
Not sure which one to pick? Reviews here and there. Still unsure?! Contact us with your tech stack and budget, and we’ll guide you in the right direction:
The hard way: through their API or with Big Query Data Transfer
So, one way to get Facebook Ads / Meta Ads data prior to sending them back to Looker Studio is to write your own API calls. Takes time, requires knowledge and probably maintenance over time as their tools evolve. So if you’re tech-saavy or have a developer at hand at your company and want to save money, it’s the best option (free to almost free, depending on number of requests and where you run them). Make your API calls, store data into your data warehouse (Big Query, SQL, or even Google Sheets!), and then use these as a data source to Looker Studio.
Another option is to use the Google Big Query Data Transfer, easier than writing code but still need some tech knowledge. If you’re interested in this option, documentation is here.
But it is not recommended for most people out there that want to run analysis and report on performances internally / to their end clients without the hassle of mananing a new layer of complexity.
The easy way: using a third-party connector
Google does not provide a native out-of-the-box connector, but many companies do (not for free though ^^). You’ve looked around and seen many possibilities, but not sure which one to choose?
First, let’s review things to consider:
Where the data will be sent? It could be a out-of-the-box direct connector to Looker Studio connector (best), or it could send data to a data warehouse or Google Sheet and then it’s on you to re-send the data to Looker Studio (still good though)
Date range available and refresh frequency: there are free options out there, but only for last 30 days and/or weekly refreshes, so make sure to check the features if you need daily refreshes. Please note that most connectors retrieve 2 years of historical data from the first time you connect
Does it handle multi-accounts? Most of them do, but pricing curve is different so make sure to understand what will be the final price for 1, 10 & 50 accounts
Are all the fields you want to look at available? Check documentation. From experience, they all offer the same fields, but in rare instances one not so used information could not be available
Does the software offer other connectors that I might be interested in? You don’t want to have one connector for Facebook Ads, one for Shopify, one for Klaviyo, ... Try to pick one that cover most of your tech stack. We’ve got an article here to cover this topic.
Does the connector offer pre-blending? Interesting to only have one connector to send Facebook Ads + TikTok Ads + LinkedIn Ads data for instance, will make your life easier in Looker Studio
Does the connector store the data, or just run API calls? If you’ve got 1–10 accounts/connectors, shouldn’t be an issue. But when you start managing 50+ accounts, it does a make a difference when it comes to performance, so make sure to understand this part if you’re an agency with many clients
Which are your options then?
That being said, here’s a list of solid connectors we use on a daily basis that we can speak nicely to. There are obviously way more options out there that are great too, but we know these work:
Supermetrics: solid option that does the job with a lot of connectors available, and a reasonable price for up to 3 data sources / 3 accounts each (weekly refreshes though)
Windsor: A cheap option for up to 3 data sources that does the job
Catchr: Another good solution that offers a friendly priced single-connector plan
Funnel: most powerful option as you can pre-blend your data directly in the tool and only use one Looker Studio connector to display all of your data. Might come with a higher price point if you’ve got many data sources / accounts, but to be mentioned, there is free plan!
Power My Analytics: A good trade-off also, as price does not go wild when you increase your number of connectors / accounts
Please note that they all offer 14-day trial, so don’t be shy and try several at the same time to see which interface you prefer.
How it works
To be honest, once you know which connector you’ll go with, this is the easy part. Open an account, start a trial, follow the steps to connect Facebook Ads, create a new Looker Studio report, find the data source from your connector, connect it, and you’re good to go.
And if you need help for the actual building of the report, contact us!
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