How to Visualize CRM and Email Campaign Metrics with Looker Studio

In the modern digital marketing landscape, data visualization is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity. With email marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) systems generating large volumes of data, marketers are increasingly relying on visualization tools like Looker Studio to transform raw numbers into clear, actionable insights. The ability to visualize how contacts move through your funnel, how engaged your audiences are, and which campaigns drive conversions can drastically improve your decision-making and ROI.

But how exactly do you bring CRM and email marketing data into Looker Studio? And what are the most effective ways to visualize these metrics for better understanding and reporting?

Let’s break it down.

🔑 Key Takeaway

Looker Studio allows you to unify CRM and email campaign data into one interactive, customizable dashboard. By connecting tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or Salesforce to Looker Studio (either directly or through connectors like Supermetrics or Funnel), marketers can visualize key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, contact lifecycle stages, and revenue attribution. This article guides you step-by-step through the process and offers design best practices and real-world layout ideas to help you build compelling, insights-driven dashboards.

Why CRM and Email Metrics Matter in Visualization

CRM and email campaign data are foundational for measuring how effectively you’re nurturing leads and converting customers. Visualization helps in several ways:

• Quick identification of trends: Spot open rate drops or contact churn at a glance.

• Improved reporting: Create shareable dashboards for stakeholders and team members.

• Campaign optimization: Understand which email sequences or CRM workflows are delivering ROI.

• Data unification: See CRM and email data alongside web analytics, ad performance, and sales data.

Step 1: Identify the CRM and Email Metrics You Want to Track

Before building your dashboard, decide which metrics are critical for your goals. Here’s a list of commonly tracked CRM and email KPIs:

Email Campaign Metrics:

• Open Rate

• Click-Through Rate (CTR)

• Unsubscribe Rate

• Bounce Rate

• Deliverability

• Top-performing subject lines

• Time of opening

• Device type (mobile vs desktop)

CRM Metrics:

• Leads by Source

• Lifecycle Stage Distribution

• Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)

• Conversion Rate

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

• Deal Pipeline Value

• Lead-to-Customer Ratio

• Last Contact Date

These metrics will form the foundation of your visualizations in Looker Studio.

Step 2: Connect Looker Studio to Your CRM and Email Tools

Looker Studio does not have built-in connectors for many CRMs or email tools, but you can use third-party connectors to bring your data in. Here's how:

Option A: Use Third-Party Connectors

Tools like Supermetrics, Funnel.io, Power My Analytics, and Windsor.ai provide data connectors to platforms like:

• HubSpot

• Salesforce

• Mailchimp

• ActiveCampaign

• Klaviyo

• ConvertKit

Most connectors allow you to schedule automatic data refreshes and select which metrics/dimensions to import.

Option B: Export and Import Manually (CSV or Google Sheets)

If you’re working with smaller datasets or don’t want to pay for a connector, export your metrics into a Google Sheet, then connect that sheet to Looker Studio.

Option C: Use Native APIs via Apps Script or BigQuery

For technical users or large datasets, you can pull data from CRM and email platforms using APIs and store it in BigQuery for analysis in Looker Studio.

Step 3: Design Your Dashboard Layout

Now that your data is connected, it’s time to build a meaningful layout. Here’s a suggested dashboard structure:

📊 Section 1: Email Performance Overview

• Scorecard visualizations of total sends, open rate, CTR, and unsubscribes

• Time-series chart of open rate and CTR over the last 30/60/90 days

• Bar chart of best-performing email campaigns (based on open or click rates)

  
  

🧠 Section 2: Contact Behavior & Segmentation

• Pie or donut charts of contacts by lifecycle stage

• Heatmap showing time-of-day vs open rate

• Table view of top engaged contacts with last activity and last email opened

  
  

📉 Section 3: CRM Pipeline & Conversion

• Funnel chart showing lead > MQL > SQL > Customer progression

• Table of sales reps and their deal progress

• Cumulative line chart of deals won per month

  
  

💰 Section 4: Revenue Attribution (if applicable)

• Bar chart showing which email campaigns influenced closed-won deals

• Map of customer acquisition by location

📍 Filters and Controls:

• Date range control

• Campaign filter dropdown

• Sales rep or region filter

• Email list segment filter

Step 4: Use the Right Visualization Types

Each metric benefits from a specific type of chart. Here’s a quick guide:

Use conditional formatting in tables to highlight top/bottom performers and draw attention to outliers.

Step 5: Design Principles for Effective Dashboards

A functional dashboard is as much about clarity and usability as it is about data.

Best Practices:

• Use whitespace generously to separate sections

• Use consistent colors (e.g., green for success, red for issues)

• Label all metrics with context (e.g., “Open Rate (%) – Last 30 Days”)

• Limit dashboard length to 1–2 scrolls to maintain focus

• Group KPIs logically: keep email, CRM, and sales metrics visually separated

• Add tooltips or dynamic text to explain what each metric means

Step 6: Automate and Share the Report

Once built, make your dashboard interactive and collaborative.

• Schedule email delivery to stakeholders weekly/monthly

• Enable viewer filters so different departments can slice the data

• Embed in internal wikis or share via public link with appropriate access

• Use drill-downs (e.g., campaign → email → contact) for deeper analysis

You can also integrate Looker Studio with Google Slides for live reporting in presentations.

Use Case Example: HubSpot + Mailchimp Integration

Let’s say you’re using HubSpot as your CRM and Mailchimp for email campaigns. Using a connector like Supermetrics, you can:

1. Import Mailchimp metrics such as opens, clicks, and unsubscribes.

2. Import HubSpot contacts and deals data.

3. Create blended data sources to show how Mailchimp campaigns influence HubSpot lead stages or deals.

4. Build funnel charts showing how leads from email move through the CRM pipeline.

5. Attribute the deal revenue to specific email sequences.

This creates a holistic view of both your marketing and sales funnel in one dashboard.

Visualize CRM and Email Campaign Metrics with Looker Studio and Realize the Benefits

• Cost-effective: Looker Studio is free, and connectors often offer tiered plans.

• Customizable: Design dashboards to fit your team’s exact needs.

• Data blending: Combine data from multiple platforms to get unified insights.

• Interactive: Stakeholders can use filters and controls without editing the source.

• Real-time updates: Set refresh intervals for always-current data.

Final Thoughts

Visualizing CRM and email campaign metrics in Looker Studio bridges the gap between raw data and strategic insights. Whether you’re monitoring open rates or tracking sales pipelines, this approach enables your team to align efforts and make informed decisions faster. With a strong layout, reliable connectors, and a few thoughtful visualizations, you can build dashboards that don’t just report on performance—they drive it.

🧠 FAQ: Visualizing CRM and Email Campaign Metrics with Looker Studio

❓ What CRM and email tools work best with Looker Studio?

Most platforms can connect to Looker Studio through third-party tools like Supermetrics, Funnel.io, or Power My Analytics. Popular integrations include HubSpot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and Klaviyo.

❓ Can I blend data from my CRM and email platforms?

Yes, Looker Studio allows blended data sources. For example, you can blend HubSpot contact stages with Mailchimp engagement data using a common field like email address.

❓ What’s the best way to handle data refreshes?

Use connectors that support automated refreshes (e.g., daily, hourly). If importing via Google Sheets, use Apps Script or Zapier to automate data updates.

❓ How do I track revenue from email campaigns?

You’ll need to attribute deals or transactions in your CRM to email campaign sources. Use UTM tracking in emails and map that to deal sources or use a custom field in your CRM.

❓ Is Looker Studio secure for client reporting?

Yes, if configured correctly. You can control who sees what data, set viewer permissions, and embed reports in private portals with authentication.

❓ What are the limitations of Looker Studio?

While powerful, Looker Studio has some limits:

• No built-in support for some tools without connectors

• Data blending is limited to 5 sources

• Performance slows with very large datasets

• Doesn’t support advanced statistical analysis (use BigQuery or GA4 for that)