Own your Google Assets
As a digital agency, we see time and time again, clients who do not have access to their Google Assets. This can become quite a big nightmare when clients change agencies.
You should never ever let an agency create your Google Assets for you. Why?
1.If you don’t own them, you can’t control them; and
2.If you don’t own them, you may not have access to them when you need it.
3. If you don’t own them, you can lose access to months, or years of precious data.
By letting an agency keep primary ownership and access to your digital accounts, you’re creating an unnecessary risk that could cause a messy breakup.
Owning your assets while your agency manages them will also let you transition those services more quickly to an internal team or another agency.
Pulse Media’s Advice
Do not let an agency setup your Google Assets for you. Sometimes, an agency will choose to create accounts on behalf of a client. This is unethical and only serves to hurt clients. This can be a bad idea when your relationship with your agency fails and you ask them to hand over your assets. We’ve seen so many clients not get back access to their data. We have some helpful, how to guides on our website.
Don’t wait! Check your Google Asset ownership now. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your digital assets aren’t as important as your physical assets. Whoever is listed as the owner of the accounts is seen by them as the owner of the business. Ask for access now, so that you don’t have to worry about it in the future.
Which Google Assets?
Well, all of them, you need to own all of them. We will look at each platform and let you know why they are important. We recommend creating a generic Gmail account to handle your google assets, I.e. yourbrand@gmail.com
Google AdWords
When you change agencies, the new agency is going to want to see how your ads performed in the past. They will want to know which campaigns were successful and which were not. They will want to assess the keywords you are targeting and how much you are paying for clicks and conversions. This list goes on and on. That is very important data for your business. If you don’t have this data, you’re starting at a disadvantage.
Google Ads favours history. To start again, you will pay more. Older accounts have built up over time a good quality-score. The higher the quality score, the better.
Here’s how to check whether you “own” your Google Ads account:
Sign in to your Google Ads account https://adwords.google.com/um/signin Tools > Access and Security > Check your access level–it should be “Admin”
Agencies should be added as managers only.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics data is very important to understanding your audience. What are people doing on your website, what content is doing well and so much more. Google Analytics allows you the information needed to help you shape the success strategy of your business, discovering things you probably never knew about visitors on your website.
Sign in to your Google Analytics account https://analytics.google.com Go to Admin.
There are 3 levels of permissions:
1. Account User Management
2. Property User Management
3. View User Management
Agencies should be added as Property Users unless we need them for more advanced account level settings. Granting account-level access is typically necessary only if the agency is setting things up for multiple websites under your account or if they need high-level access to make broad changes within the account.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results. You don’t have to sign up for Search Console to be included in Google Search results, but Search Console helps you understand and improve how Google sees your site.
Sign into your Google Search Console https://search.google.com/ Go to Settings.
Make sure you are the verified owner and that Agencys are Full Users.
Google Search Console Permissions
Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager is a tag management system (TMS) that allows you to quickly and easily update measurement codes and related code fragments collectively known as tags on your website or mobile app
Sign into your Google Tag Manager Account https://tagmanager.google.com
Click on the Settings Cogwheel and go to User Management – Make sure you have account level access and your agencies have Container level access and can publish.
Google Tag Manager Permissions
Google My Business
With a Google My Business Account, you get more than a business listing. Your free Business Profile lets you easily connect with customers across Google Search and Maps.
Sign into your Google My Business account https://business.google.com/
Click on Users and make sure you are the Primary Owner.
Make Sure your agencies are a Manager.
Google My Business Permissions
Conclusion
Now that you have all the information about owning your Google Assets. Don’t delay, check now that you are the owner and not the agency. This will give you peace of mind for the future of your business. Your organisation has a right to maintain primary control over your google assets. Make owning your assets a priority when vetting your next marketing agency. If you can’t get ownership and admin access to your own google assets, it’s time to break up.