The Dangers of Hiring Someone to Run Your Facebook and Google Ads
Hiring a company to set up and run your online ads can seem like a very attractive option. You don’t have to deal with the set-up or manage the content. What’s better than that?
Aside from the fact that you pay hundreds to thousands of dollars per month just for the privilege of their service, that does not even include the ad spend. Why pay $3000 for $1500 (or less) worth of ads? Is it really worth it?
Not just from a financial perspective, but in terms of the safety and stability of your business. These companies can not only take vast amounts of your money, but they can also literally get control of much of your online world and leave you powerless.
So, what are problems that often arise with ads companies? You might lose control, access, receive no financial reporting, and so much more. Let’s take a look.
When having other people run your ads, they can run them from your existing ads accounts, both Facebook and Google. This means giving them access either by providing login info or by adding them as administrators of your accounts.
This can be problematic on both platforms.
If The Company Uses Your Accounts
When someone is made an admin of a Facebook Ads Account (which is the level of access they need) they are given control over everything in that account. Often, they will also want that access to your Meta Business Suite as well. Providing this only gives them greater access.
When this access is given, here is what happens:
They can become admins of all your Facebook assets. This includes your business page (the one with all the likes and followers you’ve worked so hard for), your business. Suite, your ads account, your pixel and its data, etc.
They can give anyone else access to all your assets.
Can limit your access and or remove you from your business page and ad accounts.
Can delete or close accounts.
In short, they can do anything you can do. And, as I’ve seen with several clients, they can and will actually limit your access to you own accounts and assets.
This is similar on Google as well. It can be a bit easier to prove you are the owner with Google, but the problems they can create are not worth it.
If The Company Hosts Your Ads (RED FLAG ALERT!)
If they run your ads in their account, you are totally at their mercy. Having this arrangement can and does lead to the following situations:
No access – All access for you is up to them. Generally, you will not get any as it is their account and there is no reason for them to let you in there.
Reporting data is at their discretion – Once again, with no access, you have no idea if what you are being told about performance and leads is the truth. This does happen. It is beyond not receiving reports. Some companies have lied and fudged the numbers.
You will lose access to your business page for other ad purposes. Your business page can only be associated with one business account. If it is theirs, you can’t use it
The pixel or gtag data is not yours – When they use their accounts, all of the valuable data that Facebook and Google collect on your behalf is lost to you if and when you leave their service.
No control over actual ad spend – when another company has your credit card info or permission to spend on your behalf, there are very few safeguards in place to stop them from spend more than you want them to. Sometimes it can be substantially more.
Don’t Leave Your Stuff Behind When You Break Up with Your Ads Company
When you leave (I think while you are still there) you need to ask for access to and full admin privileges to everything that you pay for. This will most likely not be given if the company is using their own accounts.
If they are using your accounts and you have limited or no access you should not only request, but demand access to them.
**NOTE** This is very important! If you are leaving a company and only have partial or no access, you MUST make sure that you have full access/privileges before they remove themselves from your account. If you don’t you will get locked out and be unable to recover it on Facebook. You might be able to get it back with Google, but it is not worth the time or hassle.
Never be ok without full control of your assets.