Why You Should Own Your Marketing Accounts

Many business owners find themselves in a frustrating position with their digital marketing agencies. You're investing a significant budget in paid media management, but you lack visibility into your own accounts, spending details, or performance data. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and there are better ways to structure these partnerships.

Common Concerns We Hear from Prospects 

We regularly speak with business owners who share similar experiences:

•     Limited or no access to their own Google Ads, Facebook Business Manager, or Microsoft Advertising accounts

•     Unclear breakdowns of media spending versus digital marketing agency fees

•     Difficulty understanding what they actually own versus what the agency controls

•     Concerns about switching agencies due to account ownership complications

•     Frustration with lack of transparency in reporting and billing

These situations create unnecessary stress and business risks that can be easily avoided with a proper account structure.

Understanding the Account Ownership Challenge

When agencies maintain primary ownership of client accounts, it creates several potential issues:

Platform Compliance Risks: Google doesn't allow multiple accounts under one organization. When agencies manage numerous client accounts under their business structure, policy violations can affect all connected accounts, potentially leading to suspensions.

Limited Business Flexibility: If you want to bring marketing in-house or switch agencies, the transition becomes complicated when you don't own the accounts. This can result in lost historical data and optimization of work across all paid media campaigns.

Reduced Visibility: Without account ownership, you may not have full insight into information that's valuable for broader business decisions such as your media spending, audience data, or campaign performance.

Brand Control: Your marketing campaigns represent your brand in the marketplace. Maintaining control over these accounts ensures you can respond quickly to any issues or opportunities.

What Full Transparency Should Look Like

In a well-structured agency partnership, you should expect:

Complete Account Access: You own all marketing accounts (Google Ads, Facebook Business Manager, Microsoft Advertising Center, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, etc.) with your business email as the primary admin. The agency receives management permission to execute campaigns while you retain ownership.

Clear Financial Reporting: You should see detailed breakdowns of media spending, agency fees, and any other costs. No bundled charges or hidden markups.

Data Ownership: All audience insights, conversion data, and performance history belong to your business and remain accessible regardless of the agency relationship.

Seamless Transitions: Whether you're changing strategies, bringing work in-house, or switching agencies, the process should be straightforward because you control all the assets.

Evaluating Your Current Situation

Consider asking your current agency about:

•     Primary ownership status of all your marketing accounts

•     Detailed billing breakdowns showing media spend versus fees

•     Your level of access to campaign data and performance insights

•     Their process for account transitions if the relationship changes

Professional agencies welcome these conversations because transparency strengthens the partnership. 

Moving Forward: What to Look For

When evaluating agencies, whether staying with your current partner or exploring alternatives, look for those who:

•     Insist on client account ownership from the start 

•     Provide complete financial transparency 

•     Offer comprehensive training and access to all data 

•     Have documented processes for account management and transitions 

•     View their role as strategic partners rather than gatekeepers

A Better Approach to Agency Partnerships

The best agency relationships are built on mutual trust and shared goals. When you own your digital marketing accounts and have full transparency, your agency can focus on what they do best, developing strategy, optimizing campaigns, and driving results while you maintain control over your business assets.

At SilverTech, we believe that transparency and client ownership aren't just good practices, they're essential for building lasting partnerships. We help clients establish proper account ownership from day one and provide complete visibility into all aspects of their marketing investment from digital advertising and PPC to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

If you're looking for a more transparent approach to digital marketing, reach out to our team. We'd be happy to discuss how proper account structure can benefit your business. After all, the best partnerships are built on trust, transparency, and shared success.