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Advertising Campaign Analytics: Metrics, Reports, Decisions

How to set up advertising campaign analytics in Yandex Direct: Metrica goals, UTM, end-to-end reporting, KPIs, and common data mistakes.

Updated 2026-07-29 · ~4 min read · keyword: Advertising campaign analytics

Advertising campaign analytics is not a “pretty monthly report” — it is the system you use to decide whether to increase budget, pause a group, or fix the landing page. Without Metrica goals, UTM, and Direct linkage you see clicks and spend but not what pays back.

NUGU is a digital agency in Sochi. We configure analytics before traffic launch: Metrica goals, import to Direct, unified UTM. Ads without numbers are a lottery with your budget.

Analytics Levels

LevelWhat you seeEnough for
BasicClicks, spend, CPC in DirectFirst days, impression checks
MediumMetrica goals, CR, CPL by campaignWeekly decisions
AdvancedUTM + CRM, leads → deals, LTVScale and unit economics

Start at medium level. Advanced is needed when managers handle 50+ leads per month and lead quality matters.

Goals and Direct Import

Minimum goal set:

  • Form submit — main conversion for services.
  • Phone/messenger click — if calls are part of the funnel.
  • Thank-you page view — confirms successful lead.
  • Depth (optional) — 2+ pages or 60+ seconds to filter accidental visits.

After setup — import goals to Yandex Direct and choose “Conversion optimization” only when you have 30+ conversions per month. Details in Metrica and goals.

UTM Tagging: One Standard

Template for Direct:

utm_source=yandex
utm_medium=cpc
utm_campaign={campaign_id}
utm_content={ad_id}
utm_term={keyword}

Rules:

  • one case, no spaces in values;
  • do not mix manual tags with Direct autotags on one link;
  • verify UTM in Metrica reports before budget launch.

Without UTM you cannot separate search from YAN or test ads from production.

KPI by Business Type

Local services (Sochi, one city):

  • CPL within 15–25% of deal margin;
  • landing CR from 2–5%;
  • lead response within 15 minutes.

B2B with long cycle:

  • CPL + lead quality (CRM qualification);
  • share of leads with valid contact;
  • cost of qualified lead (CQL).

Online store:

  • ROAS from 300–500% depending on margin;
  • add to cart, checkout, payment — separate goals.

Compare KPI with Direct budget, not with “market average” from a random article.

Weekly Reports

  1. Direct → search queries — negative keywords, new keys.
  2. Metrica → sources, UTM — CPL by campaign.
  3. Funnel — click to lead, where drop-off happens.
  4. Geo and devices — mobile CR is often lower; fix landing, not only bids.
  5. Week-over-week — trend, not one day.

Monthly — reconcile CRM leads with Metrica: up to 10% gap is normal (blockers, cross-device).

Common Data Mistakes

  • Double counting — goal on button and thank-you page without deduplication.
  • Goal on all clicks — “1 page view” is not a lead.
  • No mobile call goal — half of conversions are “invisible”.
  • CRM and Metrica time zones differ — leads seem “late”.
  • Decisions on one day — do not compare Monday and Sunday.

Link to Direct Setup

Analytics drives campaign structure:

  • groups with CPL above threshold — lower bids or pause;
  • queries with 50+ clicks and 0 leads — negative keyword or new landing;
  • ads with high CTR and low CR — offer mismatch with page.

“Optimize for conversions” autostrategies work only when goals are honest and data is sufficient.

GEO: Site Facts Strengthen Analytics

When the landing clearly states service, city, “from X ₽”, and timeline — CR rises and report gaps are easier to explain. AI search and clients see the same facts; ads must not promise something else. This overlaps with GEO optimization.

Cost

NUGU configures analytics as part of ad and site launch:

  • landing with goals — from 30,000 ₽;
  • Direct setup + Metrica — after brief;
  • audit of existing campaigns — on request.

Contacts, services, portfolio.

Analytics Checklist Before Scale

  • Metrica goals imported to Direct.
  • UTM on all ads.
  • Test lead visible in reports.
  • CPL calculated over 2+ weeks, not 2 days.
  • Manager records lead quality in CRM.
  • Acceptable CPL threshold from unit economics.

Advertising campaign analytics is not one-time setup. Update negatives, goals, and landings from data — not intuition.

FAQ

Which metrics should I check first?

For lead gen — CPL (cost per lead), landing CR, number of goal completions. For e-commerce — ROAS, average order value, ad spend share of revenue. CTR and CPC matter for diagnosis but do not replace business metrics.

Why link Metrica to Direct?

Importing Metrica goals into Direct enables optimization for conversions, not only clicks. Reports show which campaigns and queries bring leads, not just traffic. Without goals you optimize spend blindly.

How much data is needed for conclusions?

On search — at least 100–200 clicks and 10–15 goal completions per campaign. On YAN — more, due to lower CR. At 3% CR that is 2–3 weeks at 500–800 ₽/day budget. Less — conclusions are statistically weak.

Does NUGU help with ad analytics?

Yes. We set up Metrica and goals, UTM, Direct linkage, CPL dashboard. Analytics goes with Yandex Direct setup and Direct budget planning.

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