Marketing teams waste 3-5 hours per week exporting Snapchat Ads data to CSV files, cleaning formatting errors, and copy-pasting into reports. This guide shows you how to pull Snapchat metrics (impressions, swipe-up rates, conversions, video completions) directly into Google Sheets where they auto-update daily. No more manual exports or stale data.
Why Manual CSV Exports Don't Work
You run five Snapchat campaigns. Every Monday, you:
- Log into Ads Manager
- Export each campaign as CSV
- Open the file and delete header rows Snapchat adds
- Copy-paste into your master spreadsheet
- Realize the date format is MM-DD-YYYY but your formulas expect YYYY-MM-DD
- Fix 47 cells manually
- Notice you forgot one ad set
- Start over
Time burned: 45 minutes for one platform.
The real problem isn't just time, it's decision lag. By the time you finish formatting data from Friday, it's Tuesday morning. If a campaign tanked over the weekend, you've already wasted two days of budget.
Compare that to automated reporting where your Google Sheet shows yesterday's performance at 8 AM without you touching anything.
What Snapchat Metrics Actually Matter
Snapchat's API provides 177 metrics. Here are the ones worth tracking:
Performance Metrics
- Impressions: Total ad views
- 2-Second Video Views: Views lasting 2+ seconds (counts as "watched")
- Swipes: Users who swiped up (your main engagement signal)
- Swipe-Up Rate: Swipes ÷ Impressions (benchmark: 2-5% is average, 7%+ is excellent)
Cost Metrics
- Spend: What you actually paid
- eCPM: Cost per 1,000 impressions
- eCPSU: Cost per swipe-up (most critical for direct-response campaigns)
Conversion Metrics
- Purchases: Tracked via Snap Pixel
- Conversion Value: Total revenue attributed
- ROAS: Revenue ÷ Spend (the ultimate profitability check)
According to Snapchat's measurement guide, conversions use 28-day swipe attribution and 1-day view attribution by default, important for matching your Google Sheets data to Ads Manager.
How to Connect Snapchat to Google Sheets (5 Minutes)
Step 1: Install Dataslayer
Open any Google Sheet, go to Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons, search "Dataslayer," and install. Once installed, click Extensions > Dataslayer > Launch Sidebar.
Step 2: Connect Snapchat
In the Dataslayer sidebar:
- Select Snapchat Ads from the data source dropdown
- Click Connect Account
- Log in when Snapchat's authorization screen appears
- Grant read permissions
You'll need Organization Admin, Account Admin, or Campaign Manager role in your Snapchat account to access data.
Step 3: Build Your First Query
Select what you want:
Date Range: Last 7 days (or "yesterday" for daily tracking)
Metrics:
- Impressions
- Swipes
- Spend
- Conversions (Purchase)
Dimensions:
- Date (to see daily trends)
- Campaign Name (to compare campaigns)
Click the cell where you want data (usually A1), then hit Generate Table.
In seconds, your Snapchat data appears with no CSV cleaning required.
Step 4: Schedule Auto-Refresh
Click anywhere on your data table. In the sidebar, choose Schedule Refresh > Daily at 8 AM > Save.
Your sheet now updates every morning automatically. You can close your laptop, it runs on Google's servers.
Real Examples That Save Hours
Example 1: Kill Underperforming Campaigns Fast
Pull yesterday's data showing:
- Campaign Name
- Spend
- Swipes
- eCPSU
Sort by eCPSU (cost per swipe-up) descending. If "Campaign B: Holiday Sale" has a $4.50 eCPSU while everything else is under $2, pause it before you burn another $100 today.
Example 2: Find Your Best Ad Creative
Track Swipe-Up Rate by Ad Name for the last 30 days. You discover:
- Video demo ad: 6.8% swipe rate
- Static product image: 1.9% swipe rate
- Carousel: 3.2% swipe rate
You reallocate 60% of budget to video ads and triple your swipe-ups without increasing spend.
Example 3: Multi-Platform ROAS Dashboard
Pull Snapchat data (Spend, Revenue) into Sheet 1. If you're also running Facebook and TikTok, pull those into separate sheets. Create a summary tab with:
Platform | Spend | Revenue | ROAS
Snapchat | $2,500 | $8,200 | 3.28x
Facebook | $4,000 | $9,600 | 2.40x
TikTok | $1,800 | $5,400 | 3.00x
When you see Snapchat beating Facebook by 37% on ROAS, you shift budget accordingly. (For more on multi-platform tracking, see our guide on ad spend tracking across platforms.)
Common Problems (and Fixes)
"My data doesn't match Ads Manager"
Check your attribution windows. Dataslayer defaults to 28-day swipe + 1-day view, which matches Snapchat's defaults. If your Ads Manager is set to 7-day attribution, numbers won't align.
Fix: In Dataslayer's advanced options, change attribution window to match your Ads Manager settings.
"Service timed out" error
You're pulling too much data, like 365 days × 100 campaigns × 15 metrics = 547,500 cells.
Fix: Reduce date range to 90 days or pull data in chunks (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, etc.).
"No conversion data"
Snapchat requires your Snap Pixel installed and tracking events. You also need 50+ conversion events before you can optimize for purchases.
Fix: Verify pixel installation in Snapchat Events Manager. Until you have 50 purchases, optimize for swipe-ups instead.
Why This Beats Other Methods
vs. Manual CSV Exports
- Time saved: 3 hours per week
- Data freshness: Yesterday's data at 8 AM, not 3-day-old exports
- Error rate: Zero copy-paste mistakes
vs. Writing API Scripts
- Setup time: 5 minutes vs. 10+ hours coding
- Maintenance: Zero, Dataslayer handles API updates automatically
- Learning curve: Click buttons vs. learn JavaScript + OAuth + GAQL syntax
vs. Staying in Ads Manager
Snapchat Ads Manager shows one campaign at a time. Google Sheets lets you:
- Compare 47 campaigns in one table sorted by ROAS
- Calculate custom metrics Snapchat doesn't show (like profit per swipe)
- Combine with Facebook/TikTok data for cross-platform analysis
- Share with your boss/client via link (no screenshots or logins needed)
Beyond Basic Reporting
Once data flows into Google Sheets, you can:
Build calculated metrics:
=Conversion_Value - Spend // Profit
=Swipes / Impressions * 100 // Swipe-Up Rate %
Connect to Looker Studio for visual dashboards (if you format data for Looker Studio compatibility).
Archive historical data using the "Combine new with old results" option to build rolling 12-month reports without overwriting previous months.
Filter dynamically with Google Sheets' =FILTER() function to show only campaigns spending >$100/day or ads with swipe rates above 5%.
FAQ
How far back can I pull Snapchat data?
Up to 36 months for most metrics. Demographic dimensions (age, gender) are only available from January 1, 2020 forward due to API limitations. For best performance, pull data in 90-day chunks if you need multiple years.
Can I track multiple Snapchat ad accounts?
Yes. You can either create separate queries for each account in different sheets, or switch accounts using the sidebar dropdown. Most Dataslayer plans support multiple accounts per data source, check your plan limits.
Does this work on mobile?
The Dataslayer sidebar requires desktop (laptop or desktop computer). However, once data is in Google Sheets, you can view and edit it on mobile via the Google Sheets app. Scheduled refreshes run on Google's servers, so you don't need to keep your computer on.
What's Google Sheets' data limit?
5 million cells per spreadsheet (across all sheets in one file). If you're pulling 365 days × 50 campaigns × 10 metrics, monitor cell count. Dataslayer shows estimates before generating tables. For massive datasets, consider BigQuery instead.
How do I track offline conversions (like in-store purchases)?
Use Snapchat's Offline Conversions API to upload purchase data tied to Snap ad exposure. Once configured in Snapchat Events Manager, these conversions appear in your Google Sheets data like any other metric.
Why doesn't my swipe-up rate match Ads Manager exactly?
Common causes:
- Time zone mismatch: Snapchat uses UTC; check your Dataslayer time zone setting
- Data finalization lag: Conversions finalize 24-48 hours after clicks, wait 2 days for complete numbers
- Different attribution windows: Verify both use 28-day swipe + 1-day view
Can I use this for Excel instead of Google Sheets?
Yes, Dataslayer offers an Excel add-in with identical functionality. Scheduled refreshes require your computer to be on when they run (unlike Google Sheets, which runs on Google's cloud).
Get Started in 10 Minutes
Here's your checklist:
- Install Dataslayer (2 min)
- Connect Snapchat account (1 min)
- Pull last 7 days of campaign data: Impressions, Swipes, Spend, Conversions (3 min)
- Schedule daily refresh at 8 AM (1 min)
- Create simple chart showing daily swipe-up rate trend (3 min)
That's it. You've eliminated 3-5 hours of weekly busywork.
Want to pull data from Snapchat, Facebook, Google Ads, TikTok, and LinkedIn into one dashboard? Dataslayer connects 50+ marketing platforms to Google Sheets, Looker Studio, Power BI, or BigQuery. See how much time you could save with our marketing automation calculator. Try Dataslayer free for 15 days, no credit card required.
