Unlock TikTok Ads Insights in Google Sheets: A Step-by-Step Guide with Proven Strategies

Somewhere in 2015, two entrepreneurs from China came up with a genius idea. They combined people's love for lip-syncing, dance, acting, and music to create a new format in social media. This new format revolutionized the video industry by transitioning from landscape to portrait. This is the story of TikTok, one of the world's largest social media platforms.

A TikTok video (or a reel or a short) has the potential to reach millions quickly, thanks to its short duration, which attracts many marketers. 

To aid this interest, TikTok has a separate “For Business” wing that lets you advertise on their platform. It also offers robust analytics, unique advertising features, and a smooth experience. 

Almost every big brand, including Amazon, Apple, Comcast, DoorDash, and The Walt Disney Company, advertises on TikTok. To make your ads count, all you need is creativity, a budget, and a solid analytical strategy.

We’ll leave the creativity and budget to you. This article will help you with analytics–an easier way to make your data work for you.

In this article: 

1. How to get TikTok Ads data on Google Sheets? (in under two minutes)
2. How to build a strong TikTok ads analytics strategy?

How to get TikTok Ads data on Google Sheets?

Unlike most online resources, we’re here to provide two quick and effective methods for analyzing your TikTok Ads data on Google Sheets with the Two Minute Reports add-on. 

The first step (obviously) is to install the add-on to Google Sheets. Here’s a step-by-step installation tutorial: How to install Two Minute Reports

Once installed, you can follow two methods to create your TikTok Ads reports: 

• Method 1: Connecting TikTok Ads to Google Sheets using the Sidebar
• Method 2: Connecting TikTok Ads to Google Sheets using in-built templates

Method 1: Create a TikTok Ads report using the sidebar

Step 1: Adding the Data Source

• Open Google Sheets and launch Two Minute Reports from the extensions menu. The Two Minute Reports sidebar would open with all its available tools. 

• Click on the menu. From the dropdown menu, select Data Sources to access the section. 

• Click on the blue “Add” button to start configuring a new data source for extraction. First, name the data source appropriately to locate it for future use. 

• Use the dropdown menu below to find all available data sources. From here, locate TikTok Ads–you can simply type in the text box in the menu to search for it. 

• You must log in to your TikTok Ads account to authorize Two Minute Reports to draw data from it. 

• Once authorized, click “Save” from the pop-up window to save your new data source. Now, you can extract data from your TikTok Ads account by accessing this data source.

Step 2: Creating a query

• To proceed with TikTok Ads data, you must first create a query. To do so, click the menu button to the left for the Data Queries section. 
• In this section, you’ll find all data queries you create with Two Minute Reports. To create a new query, click on “Add +”. 

• Name the data query appropriately, and choose the accounts from which you need to extract data. 

Note: For agencies, you can create data queries that combine multiple accounts and data sources with the Client option. This feature lets you combine a client’s accounts to create a unified dashboard with multi-channel data. Read here to learn how you can create a query using clients.
 

• Next, choose the metrics and dimensions you need for your report. You can search for them in the respective search bars or use the dropdown menu to explore all the metrics. 
  
  Note: We’ve categorized all the metrics available in Two Minute Reports for your ease of access. Explore them before choosing the data for your report. 
   
• Once you choose the metrics and dimensions, you can set a date range for the data extract. You can choose a predefined date range from the dropdown menu or create a custom range.
• You can also organize and filter your data from within the sidebar. 
  • To organize, click the “Sort” section, select the relevant data fields, and choose whether to sort the data in ascending or descending order. 
  • You can do the same under the “Filter” section to add custom filters or currency conversions to your data. 

• Once you’ve completely defined your query, you can run it to visualize the final output. This fetches the data from the data source onto the sheet and cell of your choice. 
   

Pro TMR Tip: Run all your queries directly from the Extensions menu on your Google Sheets. Go to Extensions > Two Minute Reports > choose your desired quick action.

Method 2: Create a TikTok Ads report with pre-designed templates

Two Minute Reports offers a wide range of templates that enable you to build reports with easy-to-interpret visuals. Each template has a specific combination of metrics and visualization that serves a particular purpose, be it an overall view of your advertisements or a specific user action. 

To use Two Minute Reports templates, create a data source and authorize it from step 1 in the previous method. 

Once the data source is created, click Extensions > Two Minute Reports > Templates, or choose it from the Two Minute Reports sidebar menu. 

• Once the template gallery opens, you can filter by Category, Data Source, or even search for specific templates.
  
  Note: Two Minute Reports offers a vast range of templates. Explore all the templates to find one that fits your purpose. 
   

• Once you find the right template, click on “Use”
   

• Then, choose the preferred data source and the relevant Ad Accounts. 
• Name your spreadsheet and click “Submit” to create the report. Your report will be created in a new Google Spreadsheet. 
• Click on Go to spreadsheet to access the new report. Once the new report opens up, launch the Two Minute Reports sidebar.

• Open the menu next to the “Add” button and click on “Run All Queries” to update the template with your data within the date range. 
• Once the queries are complete, the template will be updated with your data. 

Scheduling Data Refresh and Emails 

Here’s what you’ve done so far: 

• Installed Two Minute Reports (TMR)
• Created a Data Source (Tiktok Ads) in TMR
• Created a Data Query that fetches you the data

Now you have your data in your Google Spreadsheet. The next time you need fresh data, you can run the query again. 

Or, you can automate your data queries. 

With the “Schedule Refresh” feature, TMR runs automatically, constantly refreshing your queries at your desired date, time, and duration. With this feature, you can also receive your updates via email. Here’s how you can set this feature: 

• Click the Menu and then on Schedule Refresh to open the section. 
   

• Click “New” to add a new schedule–an instruction for Two Minute Reports to run the query automatically. 
   

• Name the Schedule and choose the query to automate.
• Now, choose the frequency and timing to automate your data query 
  • Choose the frequency: hourly, daily, monthly
  • The designated day for the refresh
  • The time for the refresh

• Under the actions section, you can get an email notification every time the schedule runs your query. 

• Next, configure your notification email:
  • Choose the sheet to report
  • Add the recipient and cc email IDs
  • Add the subject line and even the body of your notification

• You can also choose if you want to send the report as:
  • part of the body
  • a pdf attachment
  • an Excel spreadsheet (with the selected Sheet)
  • an Excel spreadsheet (with the entire Sheet)

• Save the refresh, and rest assured that TMR will refresh your data at the desired intervals. 

Why Two Minute Reports (TMR)?

1. Centralized data integration: TMR is a Google Sheets add-on that consolidates your metrics from various platforms, including top advertising sources and analytics tools. It eliminates the need for manual CSV imports, creating a seamless data flow from TikTok Ads to Google Sheets.
2. Extensive integrations and upcoming features: TMR’s Google Sheets add-on currently supports integrations with various platforms across advertising, analytics, SEO, social media, e-commerce, email, mobile, CRM, and databases. This includes Facebook, TikTok Ads, LinkedIn, and many more, with exciting upcoming integrations to enhance its capability.
3. Intuitive reporting: The TMR add-on helps create professional, mobile-friendly reports. The intuitive interface enables you to craft and customize reports and share them with unlimited users.
4. Cost-effective and user-friendly: TMR is a user-friendly add-on with no steep learning curve and is priced affordably–without sacrificing functionality.
5. Native connectors and API Bridge: Native connectors simplify pulling data from various sources. The API Bridge feature allows connection to any data source that returns JSON, making data accessibility limitless in Google Sheets.
6. Efficiency and customization: TMR’s add-on helps you set up dashboards swiftly with pre-built templates that can be customized and duplicated. Templates also streamline report generation and client setup.
7. Automatic data refreshes and reports: TMR enables you to schedule data to refresh automatically in Google Sheets and send beautifully formatted reports via email, saving time and keeping clients informed with the latest data.

Two Minute Reports is not just about data consolidation but also about empowering businesses. With TMR’s AI-powered report creation and report configuration tools, your business can now automate and streamline reporting processes, making data-driven decisions quicker and more efficient. 

Why import TikTok Ads data in Google Sheets?

Google Sheets has been a popular option for creating reports, including TikTok Ads, Google Ads, and Facebook (Meta) Ads. 

Add-ons and extensions

Google Sheets can integrate several key functions through add-ons. For example, with an add-on like Two Minute Reports, you can extract data, manage data, create reports, and even schedule reports.    

Optimized data management

By constantly integrating your TikTok Ads data to Google Sheets, you don’t have to download CSV files, analyze, and create reports manually. Real-time data is fresh and actionable, ensuring you’re always working with the most current information. 

Comprehensive data analysis

Insightful metrics and collaborative accessibility are key benefits when using Google Sheets to manage your website/app’s performance. With a TikTok Ads add-on, you can dissect and analyze data, compare them, and create custom metrics that align with your business goals. 

Collaborative access

Building a spreadsheet also allows for seamless collaboration between functions in your organization. The ease of data accessibility allows teams to work together with real-time data, fostering a highly collaborative environment. 

Customization and flexibility

Importing TikTok Ads data into Google Sheets allows you to customize your reports according to your needs. Google Sheets allows the proper arrangement of the metrics and dimensions most relevant to your business goal for practical analysis. 

Workflow efficiency

Setting up automated workflows to channel data from TikTok Ads to Google Sheets effectively streamlines the data journey from source to analysis. This process ensures seamless synchronization when connecting TikTok Ads to Google Sheets, enabling consistent workflow management by synchronizing your datasets.

Marketing strategy enhancement

When you export TikTok Ads data into Google Sheets, you can simultaneously evaluate performance across multiple channels. This approach enables you to make data-driven decisions that enhance the effectiveness of your marketing strategy.

How to build a strong TikTok Ads analytics strategy?

When you start with TikTok ads, you could get lost in all the little details and insights– TikTok ad analytics are really that advanced. However, you can easily get a hang of things if you understand these five categories of insights: 

1. Basic insights: Like most advertising platforms, TikTok Ads gives you insights that give you an overview of your ad performance. Some common metrics include
   1. Clicks, Impressions, Conversions
   2. Cost Per Click (CPC)
   3. Cost Per Mille (CPM)
   4. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
   5. Conversion Rate (CVR)
   6. Click-through Rate (CTR)
2. Attribution insights: TikTok for Business offers a unique proposition in the name of Pixel. TikTok Pixel is a tool that helps you record user actions on your website once they have interacted with your video. With the Pixel, you can set attributions or triggers for specific activities that meet your needs. 
   Through the TikTok Pixel, you get insights into
   1. CTA interactions: Conversion, Purchases, and Registration
   2. Cost per CTA interaction
   3. VTA interactions: Conversion, Purchases, and Registration
   4. Cost per VTA interactions
3. In-App event insights: TikTok also offers mobile-tracking systems in SDKs (Software Development Kits). These systems help you track important in-app insights like: 
   1. User Actions and Events: Total Achieve Level, Total Add to Cart, etc. 
   2. Values of User Actions and Events: Total Add to Cart Value, Total Checkout Value, etc. 
   3. Unique User Actions and Events: Unique Add Payment Info, Unique Add to Cart, Unique Add to Wishlist, etc. 
   4. Rates of Unique User Actions and Events: Unique Add Payment Info Rate, Unique Add to Cart Rate, Unique Add to Wishlist Rate, etc. 
4. Video insights: TikTok Ads offer metrics that help you understand how users interact with your videos. Some prominent metrics include 
   1. 2, 6-second video views
   2. 6, 15-second focused views
   3. Average playtime per user
   4. Average playtime per video view
   5. Video views
   6. Video views at 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%
5. Instant Page insights: When advertising with TikTok for Business, you can create pages that load instantly upon users’ clicks. These pages, known as Instant Pages, function just like a landing page but are highly mobile optimized.
   
   These Instant Pages can be optimized with insights like 
   1. Complete payment ROAS (onsite)
   2. Complete payment (onsite)
   3. Initiate checkout (onsite)
   4. Product details page view (onsite)
   5. Add to wishlist (onsite)
   6. Add billing (onsite)
   7. Add to cart (onsite)
   8. Form submission (onsite)
   9. App store click (onsite)
   10. Page views (onsite)
   11. Call-to-Action button clicks (Onsite)
   12. Product clicks (Onsite)

Great, there are many metrics to work with. But which ones would make sense to my business? 

Understanding your requirements and building a strategy for analytics is key to making the best of your TikTok Ads. Here are three steps to build the best strategy for your TikTok ads. 

1. Understand your goals: Do you want to sell your products? Or do you want to build your brand? Each purpose requires different ways of execution and analytics.
   
   Eg: If you want to sell more products, attributes like “Add to Cart” or “Add Payment Details” make better sense. 
   It is important to explore all aspects of TikTok Ads to arrive at this conclusion. 
    
2. Track and optimize: This is true with every advertising medium— you must always track your advertising performance, watch for patterns and insights from your analytics, and track your metrics. 
    
3. Stay consistent: It is important to understand that advertising isn’t clockwork. When you advertise, you reach out to real people, awareness, and emotions. So staying consistent with your analysis and campaign details is important. 

Get TikTok Ads data in Looker Studio

Two Minute Reports can be installed to integrate TikTok Ads data with Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio), enabling advanced data analysis and visualization. 

This TikTok Ads add-on allows the creation of detailed reports and dashboards using insights from TikTok Ads insights without the complexity of manual data entry. Looker Studio’s customization capabilities also let users craft custom formulae in a user-friendly interface. 

With seamless integration, comprehensive analytical capabilities, and automated workflows, strategic business intelligence from TikTok Ads has become quicker and more accessible. 

Connect other platform Data Sources with Google Sheets

With this add-on, you can connect 30+ Data Sources to Google Sheets, create additional reports, create visualizations, and build a comprehensive report. 

Facebook Ads

Social media ad platform for targeted audience reach.

Google Ads

Advertising platform for displaying ads on Google's search results pages.

Linkedin Ads

Professional social media platform's advertising data source.

Snapchat Ads

Social media advertising platform for Snapchat users.

Learn more about combining your data across multiple platforms here.