Top 10 Looker Studio (Google Data Studio) Connectors

Marketing agencies primarily prefer Looker Studio due to its extensive list of connectors. This article will explain everything you need to know about Looker Studio Connectors - what they are, how they’re used, and the top 10 connectors for marketing agencies.

Let’s get started.

What Are Looker Studio Connectors?

Looker Studio in and of itself deserves a review. Not to mention their pricing. It was recently rebranded as Looker Studio too, which is something to keep in mind.

Now we can start with Looker Studio Connectors.

According to Looker Studio - ‘Connectors connect Looker Studio to your underlying data’. In other words, Looker Studio connectors act as tools that allow transferring marketing data from one source (such as Facebook) to another - Looker Studio.

Looker Studio has more than 600 connectors giving marketing agencies the flexibility to pull data sets from any popular marketing platform.

Free vs Paid Looker Studio Connectors

Looker Studio offers two types of connectors: free (20) and partner/paid (600).

Here is a list of free Looker Studio integrations:

1. Google Sheets;
2. BigQuery;
3. Google Ads;
4. Google Analytics;
5. File Upload;
6. Amazon Redshift;
7. Display & Video 360;
8. Campaign Manager 360;
9. Cloud SQL for MySQL;
10. Cloud Spanner;
11. Extract Data;
12. Google Ad Manager 360;
13. Google Surveys;
14. Google Cloud Storage;
15. MySQL;
16. Microsoft SQL Server;
17. Search Ads 360;
18. YouTube Analytics;
19. Search Console;
20. PostgreSQL.

As you can see, all of these platforms are provided by Google. So, Looker Studio may be the perfect reporting option if you only use Google apps.

Then we have paid connectors. Writing a list would take up too much space but here are some examples of them:

• SEMRush;
• Ahrefs;
• Google My Business;
• Klaviyo;
• BigCommerce.

Shh… we got a secret.

If you want these and other popular marketing tools in one place without having to pay additional fees, get Whatagraph. We got your agency needs covered! Try out convenient reporting for 7 days for free.

If you can't find what you're looking for, you can even make your extra connectors. In the Partner Connectors section, you can Create Your Own, which you can test, deploy, use, and distribute.

Looker Studio supports a wide range of data sources, letting agencies access and extract meaningful information about the success of ad campaigns, initiatives, and experiments.

Using paid Looker Studio connectors such as Supermetrics, Power My Analytics, Windsor.ai, or Ahrefs, you can pull client data from LinkedIn ads, PPC campaigns, or SEO campaigns. This will highlight critical client business information such as audience demographics, keyword ranking, impressions, clicks, or sales, all of which are critical for small businesses.

How to Use Looker Studio Connectors

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use Google Studio Connectors:

1. Go to Looker Studio and select Create. You can either add a new data source or a new report.
2. You will be directed to the connectors gallery in both cases. This is where you’d choose what to create, a Looker Studio report or dashboard.
3. Then you’ll have the option to connect to Looker studio sources or My Data sources. This means you’d be adding a new data source from scratch or adding data you have already connected.
4. Go to connect data tab.
5. Sign up to your Google account to access connectors.
6. Authorize Looker Studio to get access to data sources.

Steps after the 6th one vary by the connector and would need separate instructions.

Lastly, you’ll have the option to configure Looker Studio connectors. This means:

• Changing connector name;
• Choosing the data type of each field;
• Setting up the permissions;
• Adding data freshness intervals;
• Adding custom formulas.

All of this is a nice touch if you want to set up a reporting workflow in Looker Studio.

The Top 10 Looker Studio Connectors to Use as a Marketing Agency

1. Google Ads

Helps to promote clients’ business, increase traffic to their website and reach potential customers. By connecting Google Ads and Looker Studio, you can access PPC metrics such as CTR, cost per click, quality score or conversion rate.

Connecting Google Ads to Looker Studio is free.

2. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a website analytics tool that highlights your clients’ website performance and gives an in-depth overview of key website metrics. For example, you can get actionable insights into content quality or target audience demographics and behavior habits. You can easily track metrics such as sessions, users, goal completions, clicks and impressions.

Using the Google Analytics connector is free.

3. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is particularly useful for SEO specialists as it is a tool to examine a website’s link profile. It is also a reporting solution for tracking SEO health, keywords and backlinks. Connect Ahrefs and Looker Studio and monitor metrics such as: keywords search volume, organic keywords, traffic value or cost per click.

Ahrefs Looker Studio connectors are available for Advanced and higher plans. The advanced plan in Ahrefs starts at $380 per month.

4. SEMRush

SEMRush is another powerful SEO solution that tracks keywords strategy, allows agencies to see which keywords competitors use and you can also use it to run an SEO audit. Connect SEMRush to Looker Studio and monitor your clients’ SERP positions, domain authority score and new and lost backlinks, among other things.

Connect Looker Studio and SEMRUsh for $119.95/Month.

5. Facebook ads

Facebook ads are an effective way for marketing agencies to drive traffic, grow clients’ audiences and retarget most potential customers. Connect Facebook ads to Looker Studio and track the performance of ad campaigns and metrics such as total spend, cost per link, cost per lead and unique page impressions.

To connect Looker Studio and Facebook Ads Manager, you’d need to use a partner connector such as Supermetrics. This would cost you $19 per month.

6. LinkedIn ads

LinkedIn ads help marketing agencies to reach and attract more professional audiences. Depending on the client’s business goals, targeting leaders in the industry can increase conversion rates and promote products to niche industry specialists. Connect LinkedIn ads to Looker Studio and monitor the performance of your ad campaigns and get insights into metrics such as social actions, cost per click, engaged users, clicks, cost per lead and conversion rate.

To connect Looker Studio and LinkedIn ads, you’d need to use a partner connector such as Supermetrics. This would cost you $39 per month.

7. Shopify

Shopify helps marketing agencies run their client’s online stores. Connect Looker Studio to Shopify and learn about the performance of your client’s business, track metrics such as net sales, pending orders, or the average order value and easily grow your client’s revenue.

As for the cost of this Looker Studio connector, you’d need to use a partner Looker Studio connector such as Power My Analytics. This would cost you $9.95 per month.

8. Google Ad Manager

Marketing agencies use Google Ad Manager to manage ad campaigns and optimize new ad strategies. Connect Google Ad Manager to Looker Studio and get real-time metrics such as clicks, impressions and CTR.

Connecting Google Ad Manager to Looker Studio is free.

9. HubSpot

Hubspot is an advertising, revenue, and service platform that assists marketing agencies in increasing traffic, converting leads, and closing and retaining customers. Connect HubSpot to Looker Studio and get your KPIs instantly highlighted in your report, such as sales qualified leads and marketing and sales qualified leads.

You’d need to use a partner Looker Studio connector such as Portermetrics. This would cost you $15/mo.

10. Instagram Ads

Last but not least, we have Instagram ads. Connect Instagram ads and pull data into Looker Studio to get all your data visually displayed.

You’d need to use a partner Looker Studio connector such as Power My Analytics to pull data on Instagram ads. This would cost you $9.95 per month.

A Better Alternative for Your Agency Needs

Looker Studio is a great powerful tool. No one is saying the opposite.

Yet, here at Whatagraph, we acknowledge the paints of reporting marketing agencies face and want to offer a tool that would cover all their needs and the best data analysis practices.

While Looker Studio comes with 630 connectors, 600 are paid and must be purchased separately. For example, you'd have to pay a monthly subscription fee if you wanted to create a report using HubSpot or Shopify data.

We’ve got a Looker Studio alternative - Whatagraph.

Begin enjoying reporting while saving time and money by purchasing a tool that meets all of your requirements (pre-made templates, help center with tutorials, data visualization, use cases, automation, cross-channel reporting).

Whatagraph has three pricing plans, which are customizable to meet the needs and size of marketing agencies. There are currently three tiers: Essential, Advanced, and Custom, which are based on the amount of “source credits” and access to customization and data organization capabilities.

You can use “source credits” to connect data sources, send data from a source to a warehouse, and blend cross-channel data together.

Did we mention that all of the pricing plans allow you to connect and pull data from any of the 45 integrations without paying extra? That’s the best part about Whatagraph that Looker Studio can’t offer.

Bottom Line

Looker Studio is a powerful reporting tool that thousands of marketing agencies use to create reports and dashboards and track their campaign progress. We understand why that is and why so many agencies won’t consider any other tool. When you get used to something, changing your habits is hard.

Whatagraph is a tool that covers all of the marketing agency’s needs and saves time. We won’t convince you to purchase a plan, but at least give it a try for 7 days for free, and you’ll see the benefits we could bring to your team.