Watch out for these marketing mishaps that One Firefly is sharing with us over the next few months. In Part 2 of this series, we talk about how important it is to own your own accounts and data when it comes to Google Ads.

Over the course of the next four months, we’re going to feature multiple horror stories and describe how to protect your business from falling victim. We will prepare you with questions you should be asking your internal team or marketing agency. As they say, knowledge is power and we want to empower you to know how to protect your rights and your intellectual property as it relates to your brand and marketing. 

In Part 2 of our series, we are highlighting the importance of owning and retaining your Google Ads accounts and data.

One integrator says:

“I had been managing my own Google Ads before I ever hired anyone to do it for me. One day, years later, I logged into the account and all our targeting data was gone. We had given all these people access to the account, never thinking that our data would go away.”
— Gregg Dixon of AV Specialists

The question you should ask:

“If we no longer work together, will I retain my Google Ad data?”

What You Want To Hear:

“Yes, your account belongs to you. If you have an account already, we will link it to our manager account and you will retain both access and ownership of all your historical performance. If you would like us to set up a new account on your behalf, we are happy to help, and we have standard processes for transferring ownership back to you that we can easily engage at your request.” 

Why It Matters:

You have been paying a person or agency on an on-going basis for campaign management. If you ever choose to engage someone else to manage your advertising, whether you hire a staff member or a new marketing agency, that historical information will allow them to know what works and what doesn’t work so you can optimize your campaigns.

What Should Concern You:

“We don’t like to share visibility of our work. If you terminate our relationship and would like to run your ads in-house or with another agency, you will need to start from scratch.” 

What To Do If This Has Already Happened To You:

If your ads are still managed by the same party that did not provide access to you, simply asking them for administrative level access to the account is always an option. If they refuse, then be aware that moving your advertising management elsewhere (whether you hire someone on your staff or engage another agency) will present a new “ramp up” period. Your Google Ads account will need to start from scratch in it’s data collection, and this new campaign will likely not perform as well as your old campaign for the first 3-6 months. The marketing agency that owns your account may use this point as leverage to keep your business. 

Learn more about Google Ads from One Firefly here.

About the Author: One Firefly is the custom integration industry’s leading marketing agency, helping hundreds of technology professionals grow their businesses with innovative and strategic marketing solutions. Headquartered in Davie, Florida, with staff located throughout North America, One Firefly has helped thousands of technology integrators feel proud, prosperous and connected since 2007. www.onefirefly.com