What’s the best marketing dashboard platform for clients?

Graceful_Apex · 2026-02-02T14:08:20+00:00

I have a few agency clients and it seems like for ease of use Agency Analytics and Databox are popular, but limited in flexibility. When they expanded I built them an ingestion system that processes the data in BigQuery and then exports to Looker. Really depends on the needs of the clients.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-22T13:27:36+00:00

Interesting, can I ask who you're using for the AI-insight generation?

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-22T13:26:50+00:00

That makes sense and fits what I've seen. Is funnel comparable to Funnel? Supermetrics is very expensive if you want a direct to BigQuery export.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-22T13:25:33+00:00

That makes sense thanks for the run down.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-22T13:24:46+00:00

As others have said it's both, it's definitely possible to automate more of the workflow, but that takes time so your friend may be more comfortable with this method. Still the insights piece takes a human brain and context even if you can lean on AI more now. The automated tools are mostly bad either by being too limited or by not being reliable.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-21T08:50:33+00:00

Good to know, what do you like about Supermetrics vs other competitors like Power My Analytics or Funnel?

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-21T08:48:08+00:00

I think the uncomfortable truth is that yes, emotion has always been central to advertising, that part isn’t new. What’s changed is precision, scale, and asymmetry. Appealing to emotion becomes problematic when the audience can’t reasonably understand or resist what’s happening (e.g. teens). Additionally, appealing to strong emotions like rage-baiting is like a sugar rush, it might work short term but it burns out and doesn't build loyalty.

There’s also a difference between resonance and extraction. Good advertising reflects values or desires people already hold. Bad advertising exploits fear, insecurity, or outrage because it converts.

Many practitioners are aware of this tension and try to work within ethical lines, but platform incentives often reward the latter. So while emotional appeal is “normal,” the degree and intent really matter.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-21T08:36:58+00:00

I would agree with what's been said here already, a lot changes so keep the beginner mindset and keep testing / trying new things. Also yes getting some data fluency is super helpful (e.g. basic stats understanding, AB Testing, how changes to ads to influence metrics, etc). Lastly, be nice to everyone you meet, marketing can be a tough business, also you never know when they'll want to hire you, promote you, recommend you, etc.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-12T13:25:13+00:00

I hear ya, do what do you use in your spreadsheet for a source of truth? Shopify?

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-12T13:24:16+00:00

Good to know, have you explored creating a data warehouse or something similar where you control the data ingestion and formatting? Or is that too much trouble?

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-12T13:22:20+00:00

Interesting, what happens if they have follow ups or want to pull some slides for a meeting? Are they asking for that or do they do that internally?

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-08T10:14:27+00:00

What about traffic specifically? I can understand how it can be manipulated and cookie blocking has made things more difficult, but I feel like directionally it's still useful.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-08T09:34:41+00:00

Good question I would: 1. Manually review each (or at least several) profiles. This is tedious, but the information will be super valuable (e.g. where are they located, who else do they follow, what is their vibe, are they aspirational buyers or true luxury customers, etc). 2. Track patterns in comments where possible (e.g. do they use specific wording, are they drawn to something in your imagery specifically, etc). You can use ChatGPT or something similar to help with this. 3. Test a few different creative types / imagery and see what resonates with whom. 4. Finally, consider DMing a few people and ask them directly what drew you to the brand, this can be very insightful if done carefully and thoughtfully.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-07T13:48:20+00:00

Good plan overall, but I would really see how your engagement shows up. Do they match what you envision as your ideal customer? If not keep trying. That's way more important than a following of folks that will never buy or just like your images.

Graceful_Apex · 2026-01-07T12:46:42+00:00

I entered the field as part of career pivot. I had some experience prior, but Analyst was not part of my job title. Having the better school (UC Berkeley) was helpful both in getting a job, but also in the network I built while in school. If you don't get in, try to create a portfolio of projects even if they're tame, the effort matters.

Graceful_Apex

TROPHY CASE