Should I create a new account when changing agencies?

Usually no. Preserve historical data unless there is a specific reason not to.

Can the old agency prevent access?

The business should maintain direct admin ownership at all times.

Will performance drop?

It can if major changes are made too quickly, but switching managers itself does not require a drop.

How long should the new agency observe?

Fix immediate risks quickly. Larger structural decisions should wait until the account is understood.

What is the most important step?

Protect ownership and validate conversion measurement.

Switching Google Ads Agencies: Account Takeover Checklist

The safest way to switch Google Ads agencies is to preserve the account, secure every access point, document the current measurement setup, and delay major changes until the new manager understands what is already working.

Before telling the old agency

Confirm ownership of Google Ads, GA4, GTM, Merchant Center, Business Profile where relevant, call tracking, CRM, Looker Studio, Search Ads 360, customer lists, and product feeds.

Account ownership checklist

–Company admin access to Google Ads
–Billing controlled by the company
–GA4 admin confirmed
–GTM admin confirmed
–Merchant Center confirmed
–CRM integration documented
–Call tracking documented
–Automated rules exported
–Scripts and API integrations documented
–Audiences understood and change history reviewed

What should be exported?

Capture 30-day, 90-day, 12-month, and year-over-year performance: campaign spend, bid strategies, targets, conversion actions, search terms, landing pages, PMax asset groups, channel performance, Merchant Center diagnostics, and negatives.

What should the new manager review first?

–Tracking
–Economics
–Ownership
–Bid targets
–Budget constraints
–Search-term quality
–PMax and AI Max controls
–Landing pages

What should not change in week one?

Avoid simultaneous changes to tracking, bidding, structure, budgets, landing pages, AI Max, and PMax architecture.

Removing the old agency

Remove access only after documentation is complete, ownership is confirmed, the new manager has access, scripts are understood, and billing is verified.

First 30 days

Week 1

Diagnosis and measurement.

Week 2

Immediate risk fixes.

Week 3

Controlled structure and bidding changes.

Week 4

First performance read and test roadmap.

Warning signs

–No company admin access
–Agency owns GTM
–Revenue does not match backend
–Nobody knows which conversions are primary
–Scripts run from former employees
–PMax lacks documented controls
–Merchant Center ownership is unclear
–Reporting exists only in agency tools

When should you rebuild?

Only when the current structure prevents sensible management. Do not rebuild just because a new agency prefers a different template.

Questions to ask the new agency

–Will you preserve the account?
–Who manages it?
–What changes happen first?
–How will tracking be validated?
–How will Smart Bidding be evaluated?
–How is lead quality measured?
–How do you handle PMax?
–How are changes documented?
–What happens if we leave?

For the full transition framework, including deliverables and the keep-vs-rebuild decision, see Google Ads account takeover and agency transition.