3 Reasons Why Agencies Should Never Own A Client’s Ad Account
Lauren Johnson and Samantha Dietz also contributed to this article
So, your business is growing, and you have a lot on your plate—it’s time to hire a social media agency to run your ad program. And while the idea of allowing your new agency to create and own your ad account may be very tempting—after all, you’re a busy business owner—one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not owning your assets and ad account. Here are just a few reasons why an agency should never own a client’s ad account.
1. You Own Your Business; You Should Own Your Data
It can’t be overstated how vital historical data is for a successful and productive ad account. If an agency has control of your ad account, you won’t benefit from your historical data. We know what you’re thinking: “owning my data doesn’t impact my ads, so why does it matter?”
When one ad account controls ads for multiple clients within one ad account, your ads can be corrupted by the worst-performing ads or brands in the agency’s account. Essentially, Facebook will assume your ads require the same level of scrutiny as the worst-performing ads/brands within the agency’s account. If your agency is running your ads out of their ad account, your ad reputation will be lumped in with the behavior of all ads and brands within their account—potentially hurting your ads’ performance and the long-term projection of the ad account.
2. Control Your Account, Control Your Access
As a business owner, it’s essential to maintain a level of control over your assets, financial and otherwise. By allowing an agency to set up and own your ad account, control can become a serious problem. If the agency is running ads for other companies through an agency ad account, it’s likely you won’t be given full access to the account—or your data. It’s your business being advertised and your dollars being used to pay for ads. Relinquishing control to your agency allows them to work on your accounts and report on your data as they see fit.
At a minimum, you should occasionally be checking in on your accounts’ performance and quality without depending entirely on your agency for reporting. After all, knowledge is power.
3. Life Happens; Always Be Prepared
A lot can happen in a short amount of time in business—it’s important to be prepared. When you own your accounts, you’re the ultimate decision-maker. Did a product sell out on a Saturday? You can turn those ads off without waiting for your agency to make the change on Monday (remember, time is money, especially in advertising!) Maybe it’s time to take things in-house? Owning your accounts means you can rest easy knowing you have access and control of your accounts and data if you ever part ways with your agency.
Sure, setting up and owning your accounts takes some effort—there’s no getting around that—but the minimal effort it takes is far outweighed by all the benefits it provides and the risk-aversion of owning your ad accounts. What you lose in setup (time) you gain in flexibility and control, and it gives you the peace of mind that you are not simply at the mercy of an agency. You will be free to make moves with much less red tape, preserving your ad accounts’ learned historical data.
It does not, however, mean that you shouldn’t give your agency access. Partner access allows your agency to work in your space as though they were the owners (without you losing that all-important asset control.) Sharing access with the agency is a better general practice. If you are having trouble with it, your agency may be able to help—plus, there are plenty of free resources online!
Don’t make the mistake of letting an agency take control by owning your ad account. Your business is yours. Your ad account should be, too.
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