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LinkedIn Ads Looker Studio Connector

Learn how to connect your LinkedIn Ads data directly to Looker Studio using SyncRange's LinkedIn Ads connector for real-time campaign analytics and reporting.

Overview

The LinkedIn Ads Looker Studio connector allows you to directly connect your LinkedIn advertising data to Google Looker Studio, eliminating the need for manual data exports. This connector provides real-time access to your LinkedIn Ads campaigns, creatives, audience insights, and performance metrics for creating comprehensive marketing dashboards.

Note

This connector requires you to have already connected your LinkedIn Ads account to SyncRange. If you haven't done this yet, please see our LinkedIn Ads connection guide first.

Prerequisites

Before setting up the LinkedIn Ads Looker Studio connector, ensure you have:

  • A SyncRange account with an active subscription
  • Connected your LinkedIn Ads account to SyncRange (see Connecting Your LinkedIn Ads Account)
  • At least one active LinkedIn Ads account with campaign data
  • A Google account with access to Looker Studio
  • Admin or editor permissions in Looker Studio to create new data sources
  • Generated an API key from your SyncRange account settings

Setting Up the LinkedIn Ads Connector

Follow these steps to set up the LinkedIn Ads Looker Studio connector:

  1. Generate Your API Key

    First, you need to create an API key in your SyncRange account:

    1. Log into your SyncRange account
    2. Navigate to Account → Profile
    3. Click "New API Key"
    4. Copy the generated API key and keep it secure

    Security Note

    Keep your API key secure and don't share it publicly. You can regenerate it at any time from your account settings.

  2. Access the Connector Installation Link

    Navigate to the Looker Studio section in your SyncRange dashboard and find the LinkedIn Ads connector installation link.

  3. Install the Connector in Looker Studio

    Click the installation link to add the LinkedIn Ads connector to your Looker Studio account. You'll be redirected to Looker Studio where you can authorize the connector.

  4. Enter Your API Key

    When prompted, enter the API key you generated in step 1. This authenticates your connector and allows it to access your LinkedIn Ads data.

  5. Select Your LinkedIn Ads Account

    Choose which LinkedIn Ads account you want to connect. If you have multiple accounts, select the one containing the campaigns you want to analyze.

  6. Configure Your Data Source

    Set up your data source configuration as described in the sections below.

Configuring Your Data Source

After installing the connector, you'll need to configure your data source in Looker Studio. The LinkedIn Ads connector offers several data types and configuration options:

Available Data Types

The LinkedIn Ads connector provides access to different types of data, each optimized for specific analysis needs:

Data Type Description Use Cases
Campaigns Campaign-level performance metrics and settings Campaign performance analysis, budget tracking, ROI measurement
Campaign Groups Campaign group information and aggregated performance High-level campaign organization analysis
Creatives Ad creative details and performance data Creative performance analysis, A/B testing insights
Shares Content shares and their performance metrics Content marketing analysis, engagement tracking
Video Ads Video ad performance and engagement metrics Video marketing analysis, engagement optimization
Insights Detailed campaign insights and analytics Deep-dive analysis, advanced reporting
Account Account-level information and settings Account overview, settings tracking
Audience Audience targeting and demographic data Audience analysis, targeting optimization
Conversions Conversion tracking and attribution data Conversion analysis, attribution modeling

Date Range Configuration

You can configure the date range for your data in several ways:

  • Fixed Date Range: Select specific start and end dates for historical analysis
  • Relative Date Range: Use relative periods like "Last 30 days" or "Last 3 months"
  • Dynamic Date Range: Set up automatic date ranges that update over time

Pro Tip

For ongoing dashboards, use relative date ranges that automatically update. For historical analysis, use fixed date ranges to ensure consistent data periods.

Field Selection

The connector provides access to numerous fields for each data type. Common fields include:

Performance Metrics

  • • Impressions
  • • Clicks
  • • Click-through Rate (CTR)
  • • Cost per Click (CPC)
  • • Cost per Mille (CPM)
  • • Conversions
  • • Conversion Rate
  • • Cost per Conversion

Campaign Details

  • • Campaign ID and Name
  • • Campaign Status
  • • Campaign Objective
  • • Budget and Bid Strategy
  • • Start and End Dates
  • • Targeting Criteria
  • • Creative Details

LinkedIn API Limits

LinkedIn limits the number of analytics metrics you can request per query. Keep your field selection under 18 analytics metrics to avoid hitting API limits.

Building Your LinkedIn Ads Dashboard

Once your data source is configured, you can start building your LinkedIn Ads dashboard in Looker Studio. Here are some recommended approaches:

Campaign Performance Dashboard

Create a comprehensive view of your LinkedIn Ads campaign performance:

  • Campaign performance table with key metrics
  • Spend and budget utilization charts
  • Click-through rate trends over time
  • Cost per conversion analysis
  • Campaign status and health indicators

Creative Performance Analysis

Analyze the performance of your ad creatives:

  • Creative performance comparison table
  • Engagement rate by creative type
  • Video vs. image ad performance
  • Creative fatigue indicators
  • A/B testing results visualization

Audience Insights Dashboard

Understand your audience and targeting effectiveness:

  • Demographic breakdown charts
  • Job function and industry analysis
  • Company size distribution
  • Geographic performance maps
  • Audience overlap analysis

Conversion Tracking Dashboard

Monitor your conversion performance and attribution:

  • Conversion funnel visualization
  • Cost per conversion trends
  • Attribution model comparison
  • Conversion value analysis
  • ROI and ROAS calculations

Best Practices

Data Management

  • Start with a focused data type (e.g., just Campaigns) before adding more complex data types
  • Use appropriate date ranges to balance data completeness with performance
  • Select only the fields you need to avoid hitting LinkedIn's API limits
  • Consider creating separate data sources for different analysis needs

Dashboard Design

  • Use consistent date ranges across all charts for accurate comparisons
  • Include both absolute numbers and percentage metrics for comprehensive analysis
  • Add calculated fields for custom metrics like ROAS and cost efficiency
  • Use filters to allow users to drill down into specific campaigns or time periods

Performance Optimization

  • Limit the number of rows returned by using appropriate filters
  • Avoid requesting data for very large date ranges in a single query
  • Use caching features in Looker Studio to improve dashboard load times
  • Schedule regular data refreshes during off-peak hours

Troubleshooting

Authentication Issues

If you're experiencing authentication problems:

  • Verify your API key is correct and hasn't expired
  • Check that your LinkedIn Ads connection is still active in SyncRange
  • Ensure your SyncRange account is in good standing
  • Try regenerating your API key if the issue persists

Data Issues

If you're not seeing expected data:

  • Verify that your LinkedIn Ads account has data for the selected date range
  • Check that you have the necessary permissions to access the data
  • Ensure your campaigns are active and have generated data
  • Try selecting a different date range or data type
  • Check if you've exceeded LinkedIn's API rate limits

Performance Issues

If your connector is slow or timing out:

  • Reduce the date range to limit the amount of data being fetched
  • Select fewer fields to reduce data transfer
  • Check if LinkedIn's API is experiencing high latency
  • Consider splitting large data requests into smaller, more focused queries

API Limit Issues

If you encounter LinkedIn API limit errors:

  • Reduce the number of analytics metrics you're requesting (keep under 18)
  • Increase the time between data refresh requests
  • Split your data source into multiple smaller data sources
  • Check LinkedIn's current API status and rate limits

Advanced Features

Custom Calculated Fields

Create custom metrics in Looker Studio using your LinkedIn Ads data:

  • ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Conversion Value / Cost
  • Cost Efficiency: Cost / Impressions * 1000 (CPM)
  • Engagement Rate: (Clicks + Likes + Comments + Shares) / Impressions
  • Conversion Rate: Conversions / Clicks * 100

Data Blending

Combine LinkedIn Ads data with other data sources for comprehensive analysis:

  • Blend with Google Analytics data for full-funnel analysis
  • Combine with CRM data for lead quality analysis
  • Merge with other advertising platform data for cross-platform comparison
  • Integrate with sales data for complete ROI analysis

Automated Reporting

Set up automated reports and alerts:

  • Schedule regular dashboard refreshes
  • Set up email reports for stakeholders
  • Create alerts for performance thresholds
  • Automate data exports for further analysis

Related Documentation

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