Why AI and automation still leave stakeholders confused
The real reason your reports don’t drive action
How to get buy-in before you show a single chart
The hidden pre-work behind every report that lands
Action: Stakeholder Alignment Exercise
Action: Measurement Standard Worksheet
Why performance changes (and why most people misread it)
The concept that changes everything: Invisible CTAs
The 3-part structure every effective report follows
How to build a scorecard people actually understand
Action: scorecard review
Context, trends, and insight (and why most reports skip one)
The one chart that explains “why” better than anything else
Essential PPC chart types (and when they fail you)
Turning raw data into a clear narrative
Action: audit your report setup
Why data never “speaks for itself”
Invisible CTAs: guiding decisions without saying “do this”
Using color to direct attention (not decorate)
Why size and layout change what people believe
How to use text to eliminate confusion (without clutter)
Action: upgrade your existing report
The Data Story Method is based on Amy Hebdon's keynote talk, "PPC Reporting Sucks (But it Doesn't Have to)," delivered at Friends of Search (Amsterdam) and Measure Summit (Performance Measurement) in 2026.
It includes cut-for-time material, extended examples and application, brand new hands-on exercises, and exclusive bonus resources.