Agency Guide
Who Actually Owns Your Website, Ad Account and Social Pages?
Many businesses discover too late that their agency controls their domain, ad accounts or social pages. Here's how to check who owns each digital asset, and how to take control safely.
It’s one of the most common and most expensive surprises in digital marketing. A business decides to change agencies, and only then discovers that the domain is registered in the agency’s name, the Google Ads account belongs to the agency’s login, and the Facebook page admin is someone who left the agency two years ago.
Suddenly, leaving means rebuilding: a new ad account with no history, a website you can’t move, social pages you can’t post to. None of that is necessary if ownership is set up correctly from the start. It’s also why we include it in the 12 questions to ask before hiring a digital marketing agency.
Ownership vs access
The rule is simple: your business owns the accounts; your agency gets access. Agencies need admin rights to do their work, but the top-level owner should be an email address your business controls, ideally a shared business address rather than one employee’s personal Gmail.
Check each asset
Domain name
Look up who the domain is registered to and which registrar account holds it. The registrant should be your business, and the registrar login should be yours. Losing a domain means losing your website address, your email and years of search visibility.
Website hosting and code
Know where the site is hosted, who pays for it, and whether you can log in. Ask for the admin login to the website itself and, for custom-built sites, confirm you’ll receive the source code. A properly built website should be yours to move.
Google Ads
In Google Ads, check Admin → Access and security. Your business email should hold admin access. If the account sits only inside an agency’s manager account with no direct access for you, ask for it now. Account history and conversion data are valuable, and starting over resets them. More on running ads safely in Google Ads for beginners.
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
Your pages, Instagram account, ad account and pixel should belong to your own Meta Business portfolio, with the agency added as a partner. If the page or ad account belongs to the agency’s business portfolio, request a transfer.
Google Business Profile
Your business should be the primary owner of the profile, with the agency added as a manager. Losing control of your profile means losing your reviews and Map Pack presence.
Analytics and Search Console
Google Analytics properties and Search Console should be owned by your business account. These hold the historical data that shows whether your marketing is working.
Content, creative and brand files
Logos, brand guidelines, photos, videos and ad creative you paid for should be delivered to you in editable formats, with usage rights clear in the contract.
Put it in writing
Before signing with any agency, the contract should state that:
- All accounts, domains, data and paid-for assets belong to your business
- The agency will provide admin access for the duration of the engagement
- Access and files will be handed over promptly if the engagement ends
- Any third-party tools or licences in the agency’s name are listed
If an agency won’t hand over access
Start with a polite written request listing each account. Most handovers go smoothly once asked clearly. If not, platforms like Google and Meta have processes for proving business ownership, and your contract terms matter. Refusal to hand over access is one of the clearest signs your digital marketing agency is wasting your money.
How Heylix Media handles ownership
Every account we manage is set up under the client’s ownership from day one, with Heylix Media added as a partner or admin. If you’re unsure who owns your current assets, get in touch and we’ll help you check, whether or not you work with us.
Frequently asked questions
Can an agency refuse to hand over my website?
It depends on your contract and on whose name the domain and hosting are registered in. That is why ownership should be agreed in writing before work starts, with the domain registered to your business and the agency given access rather than ownership.
What is the difference between owner access and admin access?
Owner or primary admin access controls who else can access the account and can remove other users. Admin access is usually enough for an agency to do the work. Your business should always hold the highest level of access itself.
Do I lose my ad history if I create a new Google Ads account?
Yes. A new account starts without the campaign history, conversion data and performance insights from the old one. Keeping the original account and changing who has access preserves that data.
