How to use GA4 and Locker Studio for smart PPC reporting

Data is not just a report card. Your marketing guide to action. Following that roadmap means going beyond the Google Analytics 4 automation tools.

If you only rely on GA4’s built-in reports, you’re still stuck in communication and struggling to tell a clear story to stakeholders.

This is where Locker Studio comes in handy. It allows you to turn raw GA4 and marketing data into interactive dashboards that deliver decision-level insights and drive real-time campaign optimization.

Here’s how GA4 and Locker Studio work together for PPC reporting. We’ll compare their roles, highlight recent updates, and go through specific use cases, from slow budgeting to waste reduction research.

GA4 vs. Looker Studio: How it differs from PPC reporting

GA 4 is your true source for website and app collaboration. It tracks user behavior, clicks, page views, and conversions with a dynamic, event-based model. It even integrates with Google Ads to pull key ad metrics into its advertising workspace. However, GA4 is primarily designed for data collection and analysis, not polished, client-facing reporting.

Locker Studio, on the other hand, acts as your one-stop shop for reporting. It connects to more than 800 data sources, allowing you to build interactive dashboards that cover everything.

Here’s how they compare in performance in 2026.

Data sources

GA4 focuses on on-site analysis. Towards the end of 2025, Google finally released a native integration of Meta and TikTok, allowing automatic import of costs, clicks, and impressions without third-party tools.

However, the feature is still strong. It requires strict UTM matching and does not have the ability to clean up campaign names or import platform-specific conversion rates, such as Facebook Leads vs. GA4 Conversions.

Looker Studio excels here, allowing you to easily integrate these data sources or connect to social networks that GA4 still does not natively support, such as LinkedIn or Microsoft Ads.

Metrics and statistics

GA4’s reporting UI has improved significantly, now allowing up to 50 custom metrics per standard layout, up from the previous limit of five. However, these often stop.

Locker Studio allows calculated fields, which means you can perform calculations on your data in real time, such as calculating profit by subtracting expenses from revenue, without changing the source data.

Integrating data

Locker Studio allows you to combine multiple data sources, basically join tables, to create rich insights. While business users in Locker Studio Pro can now use LookML models to manage robust data, the regular free version still offers the flexibility to combine data to match ad spend and stream conversions.

Sharing and collaboration

Sharing information in GA4 usually means providing local access or exporting static files. Locker Studio reports are live web links that update automatically. You can also schedule automatic email delivery of PDF reports for free.

Business features in Locker Studio Pro add delivery options to Google Chat or Slack, but standard email editing is available for everyone.

Dive deep: How to use GA4’s predictive metrics for smart PPC targeting

Why you need Locker Studio

This is where Locker Studio goes from useful to essential for PPC groups.

1. An integrated, multi-channel view of PPC performance

You are not dependent on just one ad platform. The Locker Studio dashboard becomes your single source of truth, pulling intent-based Google ads data and mixing it with awareness-based Meta and Instagram Ads for a holistic view.

Instead of just comparing clicks, use Locker Studio to normalize your data. For example, you might find that X Ads drove 17.9% of users, while Microsoft Ads drove 16.1%, allowing you to allocate budget based on actual aggregate performance.

2. Viewing creative performance

In industries like real estate, a picture sells a click. A spreadsheet that says “Ad_Group_B worked well” means nothing to the client.

Use the IMAGE function in Locker Studio. If you use a link that pulls an ad image URL, you can display the actual image of that luxury home or HVAC promotion right in the report table next to the CTR. This allows clients to see exactly which artwork is driving results, without translation.

3. Deep understanding of post-click behavior

Reporting shouldn’t stop at clicks. By bringing GA4 data into your Locker Studio report, you connect the ad to the next action.

You may find that the Cheap Furnace Repair campaign has a high CTR but a 100% bounce rate. Locker Studio allows you to visualize the times captured per click alongside the cost of ads, proving that lead quality is more important than volume.

4. Custom metrics for business goals

Every business has different KPIs. A real estate company might track the average visit to close, while an HVAC company focuses on seasonal efficiency.

Locker Studio allows you to create these formulas once and have them evolve automatically. You can even plug data gaps to calculate return on ad spend (ROAS) by creating a formula that divides your CRM revenue by your Google ad spend.

5. Storytelling and storytelling

Raw data needs context. Locker Studio lets you add text boxes, a dynamic date range, and annotations that turn numbers into stories.

Use annotations to describe spikes or drops. Highlight the so what behind metrics. If costs increase in July, add a text note directly to the chart, “Increased seasonal demand + fierce competition.” This prepares the client’s questions and turns the static report into a strategic tool.

Dive deeper: How to use Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads for better audience targeting

---

Use cases: PPC dashboards drive real data

These dashboards go beyond more metrics and more insights that you can quickly process.

Budgeting dashboard

Are you worried about spending too much? Standard reports show what you’ve spent, but not how it relates to your monthly cap.

Use character charts in Locker Studio. Set your goal on specific spending for the current day of the month. For example, if you are at 50% for the month, the target line is 50% of the budget.

This visual quickly shows stakeholders whether you’re running too fast and need to back off, or slow and need to push harder, ensuring the month ends on budget.

Test report click-zero

Excess cash with zero turnover is a silent budget killer in service industries.

Create a dedicated garbage filtered table. Set it to only show keywords where conversion = 0 and cost > $50, or whatever threshold makes sense to you, sorted by cost in descending order.

This creates a quick list of keywords to pause. Showing this to the client proves that you are actively managing their budget and reducing waste, or you can use it internally.

Functional area maps

With local services, location is everything. GA4 provides local reports, but Locker Studio sees them in important ways.

Create a geo-functional page that targets regions by cost per lead rather than traffic volume.

You may find that while City A drives more traffic, City B generates leads at half the cost. This allows you to adjust bid modifiers by ZIP code or city to maximize ROI.

Dive Deeper: 5 Things Your Google Looker Studio PPC Dashboard Should Have

Getting more from GA4 and Locker Studio in 2026

To ensure success with this combination, keep these last tips in mind.

View your API ratings

One of today’s biggest technical challenges is the GA4 API quotas. If your dashboard has too many widgets or is viewed by many people at once, charts may break or fail to load.

If you have complex reporting needs, consider exporting your GA4 data to Google BigQuery first, then connect Locker Studio to BigQuery. This bypasses API limitations and greatly speeds up your reports.

Enable optional metrics

Different clients have different needs. In your charts, turn on the “optional metrics” feature. This adds a transition that allows viewers to change metrics, for example, change the chart from clicks to impressions, without editing the report every time.

Confirm and repeat

When you first create a report, look at the numbers against the native GA4 interface. Make sure your attribute settings are correct.

Once you’ve established trust in the data, treat the dashboard as a living product, and continue to iterate on the design based on what your stakeholders actually use and need.

From effective reporting to effective PPC strategies

Master Looker Studio to unlock the full potential of GA4 for PPC reporting. GA4 gives you granular behavioral metrics; Locker Studio is where you mix, refine, and present.

Go beyond basic metrics and use advanced visualizations – budget flows, character charts, and ad creation tables – to deliver transparency that builds real trust.

The result? You’ll move from actionable reporting to actionable strategy, ensuring you’re always one step ahead in the data-driven landscape of 2026.

Dig deeper: Why click-based attribution shouldn’t set top dashboards