Two models that often get mixed up
In the first model, the Google Ads account is created under your company. The agency connects through a manager account (MCC) and works at the access level you grant. Campaign history, conversion settings and the billing profile stay with you. If the relationship ends, you simply remove the access.
In the second model, ads run from an account owned by the agency. You receive reports and pay for the service, but the account itself, the accumulated statistics and the audiences technically belong to someone else. This happens because of payment constraints, because it is convenient for the contractor, or simply out of habit.
Neither setup is bad by definition. The problem is when a business owner does not know which one they are in and finds out during a dispute.
When a contractor-owned account makes sense
For companies in Uzbekistan the practical question is usually payment. The ways to top up an ad balance depend on the current terms of Google and the banks, so some businesses work through a contractor who handles the settlements. That is acceptable if the arrangement is written down: how invoices are issued, which currency the budget is counted in, how the fee is formed, and what happens to any unspent balance. Confirm the current payment options before you start rather than taking them on trust.
The second case is a short test. If you are checking demand on a small budget, building your own setup may be overkill. Even then, place your tracking and goals on your own website and in your own Google Analytics property, so the data does not leave with the provider.
The risks of a shared or agency-owned account
The more of the account that is opaque or belongs to someone else, the greater your dependence on the contractor. These are the problems that come up most often:
- If several advertisers share one account, a policy violation by one can affect the others.
- When you leave, the statistics, audience lists and accumulated settings stay with the agency.
- You see the final invoice, but not how much was actually spent in Google Ads or what the markup is.
- If the contractor disappears, so does your access to ads that are still running.
- Reports are compiled by hand and cannot be checked against the source.
What to check before launch
Ask these questions before signing, not after the first charges:
- Whose name the account is registered under, and who is listed as the owner.
- Whether you will have at least view access to statistics inside Google Ads itself.
- Where conversions live: Google Analytics and Tag Manager should sit on your site and in your account.
- How the fee is calculated: percentage of budget, fixed amount, or a mix.
- Whether net ad spend is shown separately from the service fee.
- How invoices and closing documents are issued.
- What is handed over on termination: campaigns, audiences, history.
Example: a Tashkent shop taking orders through Telegram
Imagine a clothing shop that takes orders on its website and in Telegram and gets paid through Click and Payme. There are several valuable actions: a form submission, a phone call, a jump into the Telegram bot, a paid order. If all those goals are configured inside the contractor's account, then after you part ways you lose not only the ads but also your understanding of which searches brought buyers.
If the goals are tied to your own site and your own analytics, a new provider can quickly see what worked and continue with the data already collected instead of starting from zero.
How to start the conversation with a provider
Ask for a written description of the model: whose account it is, who pays Google, what access level you get, and how an exit works. An answer like "it doesn't matter, results are what count" is a reason for caution, because a result you cannot verify is only a promise.
If you want a second opinion on your situation, markdev can review how your advertising is currently set up and point out what is worth changing. Details on launching campaigns are on the Google Ads setup page, and you can describe your task in the form below.
FAQ
What is a Google Ads agency account?
It is either your company's own account that an agency accesses through a manager account, or the agency's own account from which your ads run. The models differ in who owns the data and how easily you can leave.
Who owns the data in a contractor's account?
Technically it sits in the agency's account, and your access is defined by the contract. It is better to spell out how statistics and audiences will be handed over before you begin.
Can I work with an agency and keep my own account?
Yes. You create the account under your company and give the agency the access level it needs. If you switch providers, you remove the access and the history stays with you.
How can I tell whether the markup on my invoice is fair?
Ask for net spend from Google Ads and the fee amount to be shown separately. If these figures cannot be checked, offers cannot be compared either.
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