A monthly marketing report should fit on one page and answer one question: did marketing bring in new patients at a cost that makes sense, and what are we doing next? Agency reports often run to 30 pages that nobody reads. This page gives you a one-page marketing report template built around new patients, explains each section, and includes a checklist for reading an agency's report with a critical eye.
People look for this kind of page often: "marketing report" draws 480 searches a month, "marketing report template" 170 and "marketing reporting tools" 140 (Google Ads Keyword Planner data via DataForSEO, US, 12-month average to Sep 2026).
What a monthly marketing report is for
A report is a decision document. It exists so the owner, manager and whoever runs marketing can agree, once a month, on three things:
- What happened, in numbers everyone defines the same way.
- Why it happened, in a sentence or two per change.
- What happens next, with a named owner for each action.
A marketing dashboard shows the live numbers; the report explains them. Both serve measuring marketing ROI.
The one-page layout
Four sections, top to bottom:
| Section | Answers | Takes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. New-patient leads by source | Are people contacting us, and from where? | 5 rows |
| 2. Spend and cost per new patient | What did each patient cost? | 4 rows |
| 3. Visibility | Are we being found in Google, Maps and AI assistants? | 3 rows |
| 4. What changed and what's next | What should we do about it? | 6 lines |
Header line: Practice name · Month · Prepared by · Date sent.
Section 1: New-patient leads by source
Copy this table into a spreadsheet or slide:
| Source | Calls | Forms | Bookings | Directions | Total | Last month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google listing | ||||||
| Organic search | ||||||
| Paid ads | ||||||
| Referrals and other | ||||||
| Total leads |
Below it, one line: New patients this month (completed first visits): ___, from your practice-management system.
Calls include taps on your website number and calls from your Google listing. Leads are counts only; don't list who called.
Section 2: Spend and cost per new patient
| Channel | Ad spend | Fees and tools | Leads | New patients | Cost per lead | Cost per new patient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | ||||||
| Meta ads | ||||||
| Website and SEO | ||||||
| Total |
Cost per lead = (ad spend + fees and tools) ÷ leads. Cost per new patient = (ad spend + fees and tools) ÷ new patients. Keep ad spend and fees in separate columns; it's the only way to see whether the ads or the management are the problem. For definitions of each number, see the KPIs for the report.
Section 3: Visibility in Google, Maps and AI assistants
| Measure | This month | Last month | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google search clicks | Search Console, Performance report | ||
| Business Profile actions (calls, website clicks, directions) | Business Profile performance | ||
| AI assistant mentions (questions where named ÷ asked) | AI visibility check |
Search Console's Performance report (opens in a new tab) gives clicks, impressions, CTR and average position; take clicks for the report. Here's how to pull Search Console numbers in a few minutes. Business Profile reports calls, website clicks, directions and bookings (opens in a new tab); our guide to Business Profile performance data explains each.
For AI mentions, ask the same set of patient questions each month (for example, "best family dentist in [your town]") to the same assistants, and record how many name you.
Section 4: What changed and what happens next
Top three changes this month (one sentence each, with the likely cause):
Next three actions (with owner and due date):
| Action | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|
Illustrative example (fictional practice). Changes: (1) Form leads fell after the contact page was edited; the form's confirmation step broke. (2) Listing calls rose after Saturday hours were added. (3) An AI assistant began naming the practice for "pediatric dentist" questions. Next actions: fix the form (office manager, Friday); add Saturday hours to the website (web lead, next week); publish the sedation-dentistry page (web lead, end of month).
What a weekly brief can look like
Some platforms send a shorter version every week. Medfy, for example, sends a weekly brief by email and keeps the full picture in its AI CMO dashboard. The structure below is illustrative, with no real data:
Illustrative brief structure. Leads this week by source · Spend to date against the monthly ceiling · Visibility changes in Google and AI assistants · Two or three recommended next steps, each approved in one click.
How to read an agency report critically
Use this checklist on any report you receive:
- Tied to new patients? Results are shown as completed new patients, not only clicks, impressions or "conversions."
- Fees separated from ad spend? You can see what went to Google or Meta and what went to the agency.
- Every change explained? Drops are explained as clearly as gains, and the explanations are specific.
- Same definitions as last month? A "lead" means the same thing every month.
- No double-counting? Platform-reported conversions from Google Ads and Meta aren't simply added together.
- Your accounts? The ad and analytics accounts are in your practice's name, so you can check the figures.
- No patient data? Names, phone numbers and reasons for visit never appear.
If a report fails two or more, bring these questions for your agency to your next call.
Copy the template
The template is the four sections above. Copy them into Google Sheets, Slides, Docs or Excel, fill in one month, and keep the same layout every month after. If you want the search and analytics rows to fill themselves, Google's free Data Studio (opens in a new tab) (formerly Looker Studio) can connect to Search Console and Google Analytics.
Before the report leaves the practice, have your privacy officer, attorney or clinical lead review the template once to confirm it holds only aggregate counts. HIPAA notes:
- Reports use aggregate counts, never patient names, contact details or reasons for visit.
- New-patient totals come from a summary report in your practice-management system, not from a list of patients.
- If an agency needs patient-level data for any reason, it needs a Business Associate Agreement first.
For a baseline to compare your first report against, run a free marketing audit.
Frequently asked questions
What should a monthly marketing report include?
Four sections: new-patient leads by source (calls, forms, bookings and directions), spend by channel with cost per lead and cost per new patient, visibility in Google search, Google Maps and AI assistants, and a short list of what changed this month and what happens next, with an owner for each action. Everything in it should be an aggregate count, never a patient's name.
How long should a marketing report be?
One page for the decision-maker, with detail available on request. If the person paying for marketing can't read the report in five minutes, the important numbers are buried. Agencies often send long decks of screenshots; ask for a single page on top that shows new patients, cost per new patient and the next three actions, and treat everything else as appendix.
What reporting tools work for a small practice?
A shared spreadsheet or slide works well if someone owns it each month. Pull Search Console clicks, Business Profile actions and website lead counts into it, add spend from invoices and new patients from your practice-management system. Google's free Data Studio can automate the search and analytics parts. A marketing platform can assemble it for you if no one has the time.
How do I know if my agency's report is honest?
Check three things. Are results tied to completed new patients rather than clicks or impressions? Are the agency's fees shown separately from your ad spend? Is every change in the numbers explained, including the bad months? Then ask for the raw sources, such as access to your own ad and analytics accounts, so you can confirm the figures yourself.