NEW! Raven by TapClicks - SEO + SEM Tools with Deeper Competitive Insights

GET STARTED FREE External Link Tap Click Logo Tap Click Logo

The Raven Blog

We write tips for digital marketers and we create beginner through advanced guides for search engine optimization. Improve your SEO and Content Marketing game.

How To Create PDF Marketing Reports Fast

Written by and published



Different clients understand your value in different ways.

Some folks just need to hear from you over the phone and they are sold on your vision for making them more money. Some folks need written proof on a schedule.

One client might say, “Hey what’s the exact number of sessions from this spike I see here?” If you send an interactive marketing report, they can just hover over the data point for more information—on any device they’re using. Interactive data means clients can take a deeper dive, freeing you from follow-up questions.

Other clients prefer a simple, flat document without complexity. Like you, they’re busy; they just want you to filter through the data and give them the big picture.

A couple months ago we overhauled our reporting system. Crafting gorgeous marketing reports now takes minutes, but you could only schedule emails with links to interactive reports.

Starting today, we’re giving you the flexibility to communicate with clients in the ways that matter to them.

New PDF Scheduling Options

schedule raven reports as pdf

In addition to emailing a link to an interactive HTML report, you can now email a download link to your PDF report, or attach the PDF directly into your scheduled email. When editing a new report, click Tool Options > Report Settings to configure scheduling options.

Coming very soon: You’ll be able to email a report as an HTML link, PDF link or PDF attachment without scheduling it first. In other words, you’ll be able to create a report and email it immediately.

One-Click PDF Downloading

Before this update, you could download PDF reports manually, but we made you fiddle with your browser “print-to-PDF” settings. We knew there was a better way.

pdf marketing reports in raven

Where’s the Export PDF Button?

export a raven marketing report to pdf

Every new report will have the one-click Export PDF button after you publish and view a report. Additionally, you can republish any new report to see the Export PDF button.

Things to Know

Keep an eye on the following when flattening an interactive report.

Annotations

Interactive reports let you hover over data points to get more information. When exporting a report as a PDF, you can turn annotations On or Off per graph.

marketing report with annotations ON

Annotations On

marketing report with annotations OFF

Annotations Off

To edit how annotations appear when a graph is exported to a PDF, click the gear icon over a graph and then turn PDF annotations on or off.

marketing report annotationsAnnotations can be changed for any of your line charts, bar graphs and pie charts. This setting only affects how graphs appear when they are exported to a PDF.

Columns

When viewing interactive reports, you can scroll horizontally or expand a window, but a PDF’s width is fixed.

Because of this, review tables in your exported PDF to see if you need to toggle off a column or two before exporting.

Transitioning to New Reports

There currently isn’t a sunset date for our old reporting system. Don’t worry if you haven’t had time to transition to using new reporting for clients yet. We won’t turn off old reports this year so your end-of-year reporting won’t be interrupted.

Enhancing our PDF functionality is part of our commitment to understanding our customers’ wants and needs while keeping an eye on where the industry is headed. We don’t want to leave behind any of the awesome features you’ve grown to love.

Though, you’ll want to start taking advantage of new reports as soon as possible. Once you try it, we’re convinced you won’t look back!

In the meantime, we’ll continue to listen and launch meaningful updates that solve the issues you’re facing daily.

Marketing Reports Example - Raven Tools

Marketing Reports

White Labeled and Branded Reports. Drag and Drop Editor. Automate your SEO, PPC, Social, Email, and Call Tracking Reporting.

2 Responses to “How To Create PDF Marketing Reports Fast”

  1. That is really awesome stuff, Nate! I’m loving the new reports and innovations Raven Tools is rolling out. I’m looking forward to what you talked about in your article where you can send the email immediately to a client rather than scheduling it. I was a little confused with that the first time I created a new report. I was thinking, “How do I send the right report, like right now?!” 🙂

    Thanks for all you guys do and can’t wait to see what you guys come out with next!

    • Thanks for the kind words David! I’ll give you a heads up when we add the ability to send off a PDF right away. We’re super close on that one 🙂

      We’ll keep innovating and shipping code. Thanks for being a part of it!