Here’s a surprisingly common story:
You hire an agency to run your Google Ads. Things go fine for a while. Then something changes — maybe results stall, or you decide to bring things in-house. But when you ask for access, you hear something like:
“We can’t give you the account — we own it.”
At that moment, you realize: you don’t own the thing you paid for.
The campaigns. The data. The history.
All gone — unless you start over in a fresh account from scratch.
This isn’t a technical glitch. It’s a business risk.
Why This Happens
Many agencies create client ad accounts under their own master account (called an MCC — My Client Center). This is standard. But some go a step further:
They set up your Google Ads in their account — not one under your name or billing.
This means:
- They control access.
- They “own” the campaigns.
- They can revoke your visibility at any time.
You might be paying the ad spend, but you’re not building anything long-term.
If you ever want to switch providers, audit performance, or bring things in-house, you’re stuck.
And the new partner? They have to rebuild from zero.
Step 1: Check If You Own It
Here’s how to quickly find out if you own your Google Ads account:
Log into ads.google.com
Use the Google login your company uses for marketing or billing.
Look at the top-right corner
Click the account icon and note the Customer ID (looks like 123-456-7890).
Now ask:
- Do we recognize this account?
- Is it under our domain (e.g. [email protected])?
- Is our company listed as the Admin in the “Access and Security” settings?
If you can’t log in, or see that your user is only a Viewer (or worse — not listed at all), there’s a good chance you’re using an agency-owned account.
Step 2: Check Billing Ownership
Next, head to Tools & Settings → Billing → Settings.
Look for the Billing Profile and check:
- Is your company name listed as the payer?
- Are you getting direct invoices from Google?
- Or is the agency listed as the billing contact?
If your company is not listed, you’re not the official account owner — even if you’re reimbursing ad costs.
What to Do If You Don’t Own the Account
If you discover you’re not the owner, here’s the fix path — and what to ask for:
Step 1: Request Admin Access
Ask the agency for Admin-level access to the Google Ads account. Frame it calmly and professionally:
“We’d like to ensure our records and billing are set up properly long-term. Can you please make sure we have admin access to the Ads account?”
If they refuse or delay, that’s a red flag.
Step 2: Transition to a New Account (if needed)
If they won’t grant ownership, the safest path is to start fresh in a company-owned account:
- Create a new Google Ads account under your business email/domain.
- Set up your own billing profile.
- Migrate campaigns manually (if you can access them), or rebuild using insights from past performance.
- Use your account for all future partnerships — you can invite agencies in (and out) as needed.
It’s a bit of work, but it means full control and transparency from here forward.
How to Prevent This Going Forward
A few simple practices protect you from lock-in:
- You create the account. Agencies get access, not ownership.
- You own the billing profile. You get invoices directly from Google.
- You use a company domain email. Avoid [email protected] logins.
- You check access once a year. Make it part of your digital hygiene checklist.
Final Thought
You wouldn’t let a sales consultant own your CRM.
Or a bookkeeper hold the only keys to your accounting software.
Your Google Ads account is no different. It’s not just data — it’s part of your business infrastructure.
If you don’t control it, you don’t really own the results.
Better to find out now — before it costs you down the road.
