Are you about to partner with a digital marketing agency to manage your Google Ads campaigns? A crucial first step is granting them access to your account. This process can seem daunting, but setting up the right permissions ensures secure collaboration without compromising your data or account security.
This guide is designed for existing Google Ads account holders. We’ll walk you through each step to securely add new users, select appropriate access levels, and confirm their permissions. If you don’t yet have a Google Ads account, we strongly recommend creating it yourself to maintain full ownership and control.
Why Owning Your Google Ads Account Matters
Before we dive into how to grant access, it’s vital to understand why you should always create and own your Google Ads account, rather than letting an agency do it for you. Trust us, this simple action can prevent significant headaches, potential financial loss, and the invaluable loss of historical data down the line.
Key Benefits of Owning Your Account:
- Full Control: You retain complete control over your account settings, data, and spending.
- Data Integrity: All historical campaign data, performance metrics, and audience insights remain yours.
- Seamless Transitions: If you ever switch agencies, transferring management is straightforward and clean, without losing valuable information.
- Security: You manage who has access and can revoke it at any time.
Step-by-Step: Granting Access to Your Google Ads Account
Before you begin, ensure the person you are granting access to has a Gmail account. Google Ads accounts are linked to Google accounts.
Once confirmed, follow these steps:
- Log In to Google Ads: Sign in to your Google Ads account at ads.google.com.
- Navigate to Admin Settings: In the left-hand navigation panel, click on “Admin” (usually represented by a gear icon or “Tools and Settings” -> “Setup”). Then, select “Access & Security.”
- Find the “Users” Tab: In the “Access & Security” section, click on the “Users” tab. Here, you’ll see a list of all email addresses currently having access to your account.
- Add a New User: Click the blue “+” symbol (or “plus button”) to add a new member.
- Enter Email & Select Access Level:
- Enter the email address of the new user.
- Carefully select the Access Level you wish to grant. (Refer to the “Understanding Google Ads Access Levels” section below for details.)
- Send Invitation: Click “Send Invitation.”
Once the invited user accepts your invitation via email, you will receive a notification confirming their access to manage your Google Ads account.
Understanding Google Ads Access Levels
When granting access, it’s crucial to understand the different roles and permissions to ensure your account security and efficient collaboration:
- Email Only: This user receives emails containing reports and notifications related to the account but cannot log in or view account data directly. (Least access)
- Billing: This user can view and modify billing information and payment methods. They cannot manage campaigns.
- Read-only: This user can view all campaign performance data, reports, recommendations, and account-related information but cannot make any modifications or changes. Ideal for auditors or reporting.
- Standard: This user can make changes to the account, create and edit campaigns, view and edit reports. However, they cannot change the access level of other users or manage billing. This is often the recommended level for agencies or campaign managers.
- Administrator: This user has full access to all actions within the account. They can edit campaigns, manage billing, view all data, and add or remove other users, including changing their access levels. (Most access – grant only to highly trusted individuals).
Choosing the right access level ensures that your partners can perform their tasks effectively without unnecessary permissions.
Partnering with Confidence
By following these steps and understanding the various access levels, you can securely grant access to your Google Ads account, paving the way for a successful partnership with your digital marketing agency. Maintaining ownership of your account is the first step towards a transparent and effective advertising strategy.
