In today’s world of marketing dashboards and reporting tools, widgets play a crucial role in marketing analytics. Whether you are a digital marketing agency, an in-house marketing team, or a business owner, widgets allow you to track key metrics in a visual, interactive, and meaningful way. However, when you start building a dashboard in different reporting tools for marketers like Whatsdash. You’ll often see two options: Custom Widgets and Preset Widgets. Both serve different purposes and can drastically impact how you analyze data.

So, what exactly is the difference between a custom widget and preset widget? Let’s dive deep into their definitions, features, use cases, pros and cons, and when to choose one over the other.

What is a Preset Widget?

A Preset Widget is a ready-made, pre-configured data visualization element that comes built into your reporting tool. These widgets are designed to cover common metrics and KPIs from popular data sources like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, LinkedIn, and more.

For example, if you’re setting up a Facebook Ads report, a preset widget might show:

• Clicks and Impressions 
• Cost Per Click (CPC) 
• Engagement Rate 
• Page Likes Over Time 

These widgets are created by the platform developers based on standard reporting needs, so you don’t need to configure metrics, filters, or dimensions manually.

Benefits of Preset Widgets:

• Quick Setup – Just drag and drop into your dashboard. 
• Beginner-Friendly – No technical knowledge required. 
• Consistency – All clients and campaigns follow standard KPIs. 
• Time-Saving – Perfect for agencies handling multiple clients. 

Limitations of Preset Widgets:

• Limited Flexibility – You’re stuck with predefined metrics. 
• Not Always Client-Specific – May not reflect unique business goals. 
• Surface-Level Insights – Best for basic, not advanced, reporting. 

What is a Custom Widget?

A Custom Widget is a widget you build from scratch inside your dashboard. With a custom widget, you decide exactly:

• Which data source to use (Google Analytics, Shopify, HubSpot, etc.) 
• Which metrics to track (Revenue, Conversions, ROI, CTR, etc.) 
• Which dimensions to apply (Campaign, Location, Device, etc.) 
• Which filters to set (e.g., conversions from New York only) 
• Which visualization style to choose (table, bar chart, line graph, funnel, etc.) 

For example, if your client wants to measure ROI across multiple channels, you can create a Custom Widget that blends Google Ads spend with Shopify revenue, showing a calculated ROI formula.

Benefits of Custom Widgets:

• Maximum Flexibility – You control every detail. 
• Tailored to Client Needs – Show only the KPIs that matter. 
• Cross-Channel Reporting – Combine multiple data sources. 
• Advanced Analysis – Track unique formulas, goals, and benchmarks. 

Limitations of Custom Widgets:

• Time-Consuming – Requires manual setup. 
• Over-Complexity Risk – Can overwhelm if not structured well. 

Key Differences Between Custom Widgets and Preset Widgets

Just like preset template and custom template, here’s a side-by-side comparison to help you quickly see the differences:

When to Use Preset Widgets

Preset widgets are best used when you need speed and simplicity. They are ideal for:

1. Standard Client Reports – Agencies that deliver quick marketing updates to multiple clients. 
2. Beginner-Friendly Dashboards – If your team is new to reporting tools. 
3. Quick Overviews – When you only need a high-level view of performance. 
4. Basic KPI Tracking – For metrics like impressions, clicks, CPC, bounce rate, etc. 

Example: A PPC manager setting up a Google Ads performance dashboard can use preset widgets like “Clicks vs. Impressions” or “Conversions by Campaign.”

When to Use Custom Widgets

Custom widgets are perfect when you need flexibility, personalization, and advanced reporting. They are ideal for:

1. Client-Specific KPIs – Agencies with clients that have unique business goals. 
2. Cross-Channel Reporting – Combining SEO, PPC, and Social data into one widget. 
3. Advanced Analysis – Creating calculated metrics like ROI, ROAS, or blended CPA. 
4. Custom Visualizations – Showing funnels, blended metrics, or campaign-specific comparisons. 

Example: An eCommerce agency might create a custom widget to show ROI = (Revenue ÷ Ad Spend) across Google Ads, Facebook Ads.

Why Both Widgets Are Important in Reporting

The reality is, you need both preset and custom widgets for effective reporting.

• Preset widgets save time and ensure you don’t miss out on standard KPIs. 
• Custom widgets help you dig deeper, impress clients, and show real value. 

For instance, in Whatsdash, you can start with preset widgets for quick setup and then add custom widgets to personalize dashboards according to each client’s unique marketing strategy. This balance of speed + flexibility is what makes reporting effective.

SEO Benefits of Using Custom & Preset Widgets in Dashboards

From an SEO reporting perspective, here’s how widgets help:

• Preset Widgets – Quickly show organic traffic, bounce rate, impressions, CTR, and keyword rankings. 
• Custom Widgets – Allow you to track specific SEO goals, like conversions from organic traffic in New York, or ROI from SEO campaigns compared to paid campaigns. 

This level of detail not only improves your reporting but also helps in client retention, because businesses see data that matters to them.

Conclusion

So, what is the difference between a Custom Widget and a Preset Widget?

• Preset Widgets are ready-made, quick, and standard. Perfect for beginners or when you want to save time. 
• Custom Widgets are flexible, advanced, and personalized. Perfect for unique client needs and deeper insights. 

For agencies and marketers, the best strategy is to use a combination of both. Start with preset widgets for the basics, and enhance reports with custom widgets to deliver real value to your clients.

In tools like Whatsdash, you get access to both options – making it easy to create powerful dashboards that are not only fast to build but also tailored for every client’s unique business goals.