10 Client Reporting Best Practices in 2025

Ever spent hours on a client report, only to get… nothing? 

No feedback. No follow-up. Just silence. 

So what’s missing?

Most of the time, it’s not the effort—it’s the focus.

Hence, here are 10 best practices to focus on the client reports that will just do the thing:

1. Understand your client’s needs and goals
2. Focus on key metrics and KPIs
3. Make your report easy to read
4. Show wins and address challenges
5. Make your reports actionable, not just informative
6. Automate the basics, personalize the rest
7. Customize reports for each client
8. Use reports to support ongoing communication
9. Strengthen trust through transparency
10. Review and improve your reports regularly

Pick a few to start. Apply what makes sense. And you’ll start to notice a shift—your clients will actually read your reports, ask better questions, and trust your work more.

Let’s get into it.

What is Client Reporting?

Client reporting is how you keep your clients updated on the work you’re doing. You show what’s been done, how it helps their goals, and what’s coming next. It’s one of the best practices you must maintain during client management.

Most agencies—around 58%—send reports every month to stay transparent and build trust. Regular reporting keeps everyone on the same page and helps clients feel confident in the process.

10 Best Practices for Creating Client Reports the Right Way

Client reports shouldn’t feel like a formality. If they’re falling flat—or worse, going unread—you’re not alone. We’ve been there too.

That’s why we put together this set of practical, easy-to-follow client reporting best practices. Let’s break them down in detail.

1. Understand Your Client’s Needs and Goals

You spent hours creating a report. Charts, KPIs, the whole deal. You send it off—then silence.

Frustrating? Absolutely. But it often comes down to this: you’re reporting on your work, instead of what your client actually cares about.

Before you start building a report, step back and ask yourself:

What does success look like for this client?

Not every client measures success the same way. 

Some are chasing revenue. Others want more engagement, or fewer churned customers. If your report doesn’t align with their goals, you can’t retain the clients.

Here’s how to get aligned before you hit “send”:

• Identify their top business goals: Are they after new revenue, customer growth, or something else? Get specific.
• Understand their biggest challenges: Know what roadblocks they’re trying to overcome.
• Tie your reporting to real outcomes: Skip vanity metrics. Highlight the KPIs that move their goals forward.
• Stay updated on shifting priorities: Client goals can change fast—check in often.
• Keep communication flowing: Make sure you’re reporting on the right things, not just everything.

Agency Tip: After each major project or quarter, ask: “What’s your focus right now?” That one question can completely reframe your next report.

2. Focus on Key Metrics and KPIs

Ever opened a report so dense it felt like reading a spreadsheet in paragraph form?

Your clients feel the same way. 

Overloading them with charts and numbers doesn’t impress—it overwhelms. In fact, too much information can hide the real wins your agency is delivering.

Hence, dial in on 3–5 KPIs that truly reflect progress against their goals.

Here’s how to keep it sharp and client-focused:

• Choose 3–5 KPIs that match their main goals: Choosing the right reporting metrics for clients ensures your report speaks directly to their business goals.
• Add context – Compare to last month, last quarter, or industry benchmarks.
• Spotlight trends: Use clear visuals to highlight growth, improvement, or new opportunities.
• Explain shifts – Don’t leave clients guessing about why a number changed.
• Use simple visuals: Charts and graphs should tell the story without extra explanation.

Agency Tip: Ask your client during kickoff meetings which metrics they care about most. Then build your reports around the answer.

3. Make Your Report Easy to Read

Here’s a hard truth: clarity beats clever every time.

You could have the most insightful data in the world—but if it’s buried in jargon or dense blocks of text, your client’s not going to find it.

To keep them engaged, design your report for readability first.

Here’s how to create reports that actually get read (and appreciated):

• Use simple visuals: Use simple data visualization for clients to highlight key data points with clean, easy-to-understand charts or graphs.
• Cut the jargon: Swap out technical terms for plain, clear explanations.
• Lead with a summary: Start with 3–5 key takeaways so clients can quickly grasp the highlights.
• Structure matters – Break reports into sections: performance, challenges, next steps.
• Stay consistent with formatting: A clean consistent client report formatting makes reports feel professional, easier to navigate, and much more readable.

Agency Tip: Before sending any report, do a quick scan: if someone unfamiliar with the project opened it, could they understand the key points in two minutes or less?

4. Show Wins and Address Challenges

It’s easy to highlight what went right, but clients want the full story—even the bumpy parts.

Campaigns don’t run perfectly. That’s just reality. And your clients? They’re smart. They’d rather get the full story—with wins and setbacks—than guess what you’re not telling them.

When you’re upfront about both, you’ll surely build trust and retain clients in the long term. 

Let’s share how to report honestly and still stay confident:

• Highlight key wins with real metrics: Show exactly where your efforts made an impact.
• Be upfront about challenges: If something missed the mark, say so.
• Explain why: Give clear, simple reasons for any setbacks—no hiding behind vague language.
• Offer solutions: Outline what you’re doing to fix issues or improve results.
• Share lessons learned: Show how today’s challenges are shaping smarter strategies for tomorrow.

Agency Tip: Every challenge should come with a plan. Even a simple “here’s what we’re testing next” keeps the conversation forward-focused.

5. Make Your Reports Actionable, Not Just Informative

A report that only says what happened is fine.

A report that also says what to do next? That’s leadership.

If your report doesn’t point the way forward, you’re missing a huge opportunity to lead the conversation. So don’t just report—recommend.

Here’s a quick look at what you should actually do:

• Spot growth opportunities or red flags: Don’t just highlight trends—interpret them.
• Suggest clear, data-driven next steps: Tell clients exactly what actions to take and why.
• Back every recommendation with context: Use data to explain the “what” and the “why.”
• Separate quick wins from long-term plays: Help clients prioritize where to act first.
• Use visuals to map the impact: Charts, projections, and “what-if” scenarios make your ideas tangible.

Agency Tip: Think one step ahead. Before your client even asks, answer the question: “Based on this, what should we do next?”

6. Automate the Basics, Personalize the Rest

Still manually building every report from scratch? You’re spending time where it doesn’t count.

Your clients don’t pay for data pulling. They pay for insights, recommendations, and strategy. That’s why smart agencies use client reporting software to automate the mundane and save their brainpower for their strategies.

But automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” It’s about creating a reliable reporting foundation while leaving room for the personal touches that clients still expect.

Here’s how to strike the right balance:

• Automate data pulls from key platforms: Save hours every month pulling metrics from SEO, PPC, social, and more. You can speed things up even more by using client reporting templates.
• Set up a consistent reporting schedule: Clients appreciate knowing when to expect updates without having to ask.
• Review and personalize every report: Add context, highlight wins, flag concerns, and suggest next steps.
• Double-check automated data: A second glance keeps errors from slipping through.
• Stay flexible: Automation sets the baseline, but tailor your insights to meet shifting client needs.

7. Customize Reports for Each Client

You don’t deliver the same strategy to every client—so why deliver the same format and report?

Generic reports feel, well… generic. Clients want to see REAL growth. They want proof you understand their goals, their numbers, their growth story.

Custom client reporting gives each client a sense of ownership and ensures your insights are relevant.

And it’s not just about swapping in a logo or a color scheme. Customization means connecting the dots between their goals and your results in a way that feels personal and clear.

Here’s how to make your reports feel tailor-made:

• Match the report design to their branding: Logo, colors, fonts—the little details matter.
• Focus on the right metrics: Highlight KPIs that align directly with their strategy.
• Use past performance as a benchmark: Give context so clients can see real progress.
• Cut the clutter: Leave out any data that doesn’t move the story forward.
• Tie everything back to their bigger goals: Make it obvious how your work drives their success.

Agency Tip: Before building any report, ask yourself: “If I were the client, would this report feel built just for me?”

8. Use Reports to Support Ongoing Communication

You might be doing amazing work, but if the client isn’t hearing from you, they’re left to guess.

That’s where trust erodes.

Reports shouldn’t feel like cold updates. They should be part of a living, ongoing conversation. A steady rhythm of reporting keeps clients looped in and reassured that everything’s on track—or that you’re already on top of what’s not.

Here’s how to make reports the heartbeat of communication:

• Deliver reports on a regular schedule: Weekly, monthly, quarterly—pick one and own it.
• Share critical updates immediately: Is a campaign outperforming expectations? Did something unexpected pop up? Let them know right away.
• Set clear expectations upfront: Tell clients exactly which metrics you’ll track and why those numbers matter.
• Provide quick updates for fast-moving projects: Big campaigns or time-sensitive launches deserve progress reports between formal updates.
• Use honest, clear language: Skip the sugar coating. Clients appreciate knowing what’s working—and what’s not.

9. Strengthen Trust Through Transparency

Want to build long-term client relationships? Start by telling the truth—clearly and completely.

Clients don’t just want numbers. They want the meaning behind the numbers. And that’s where most reports fall short.

A 15% bump in revenue? Great. But why? What caused it? Does it tie to the client’s bigger picture?

When you connect outcomes to strategy and explain how you got there, you’re surely going the long way.

Here’s a quick look at transparent reporting: 

• Connect results directly to their goals: Always tie metrics back to what your client is aiming for.
• Tell the story behind the numbers: Go beyond what happened—explain why it happened.
• Use reports to suggest next steps: Propose ideas based on the latest results to keep momentum strong.
• Highlight opportunities for collaboration: Show where client input or teamwork can amplify results.
• Invite feedback: Make reporting a two-way conversation, not just a one-sided update.

Agency Tip: Add an “Insights & Opportunities” section to every report. It keeps the door open—and the conversation moving forward.

10. Review and Improve Your Reports Regularly

Even the best reports can go stale if you’re not checking in and evolving with your client’s needs.

Goals shift. Markets change. Client expectations grow. 

If your reporting stays the same while everything else moves forward, you risk losing relevance—and the connection you’ve worked hard to build.

That’s why smart agencies treat reporting as a living process, not a one-and-done task.

Let’s keep your reports fresh, valuable, and client-focused:

• Schedule regular reporting reviews: Set quarterly or biannual check-ins to ask if the format and metrics still serve the client.
• Gather direct client feedback: Find out what’s working, what’s missing, and what could be even better.
• Look for efficiency upgrades: New tools or automation tricks could save you hours without losing the personal touch.
• Assess the impact of your insights: Make sure your recommendations are clear, practical, and tied to results.
• Stay flexible: Be open to adjusting reporting frequency, format, or focus based on client needs.

Agency Tip: Track your reporting benchmarks over time—things like turnaround speed, client satisfaction, and level of insight—to stay ahead of agency industry standards.

Conclusion

So, now you’ve got a set of practical ways to make your client reports clearer, useful, and easy to understand. 

Each one is simple, but together, they can make a real difference in how your work is seen and valued.

FAQs

What is a client report example?

A client report example could be a monthly summary that shows key performance metrics, campaign progress, and actionable insights. For instance, a digital marketing agency might include traffic growth, ad performance, and recommendations for the next month. 

Which tools can help simplify client reporting?

Using the right client reporting tools can save you time and help you deliver more professional, consistent updates. Tools like Google Data Studio, AgencyHandy, and AgencyAnalytics let you pull in data automatically and present it in a way that’s easy for clients to understand.

Why do marketing teams need reporting tools?

Marketing reporting tools help teams track performance, organize data, and present results clearly. They make it easier to spot trends and share insights with clients. Without them, reporting can become confusing and time-consuming.

How do I handle reports with poor results?

Be honest about underperformance, explain the causes, and outline your plan to fix it. For example, suggest testing new strategies or adjusting budgets to improve future outcomes.