Quick answer: Facebook ad account ownership should sit with your business portfolio. Your marketer should get partner access, so you keep everything if you part ways.
It happens all the time: a business stops working with an agency or freelancer and finds out the ad account, the pixel or even the Facebook Page was set up under the marketer’s business. Years of campaign history, audiences and conversion data walk out the door, and the business starts from zero.
It’s easy to avoid. Here’s how ownership should work.
What you should own
Your business portfolio (formerly Business Manager) should own:
- Your Facebook Page and Instagram account
- Your ad account(s), with your business payment method
- Your pixel / dataset and Conversions API setup
- Custom audiences and customer lists
- Product catalogues, if you have them
- Your WhatsApp Business account, if used
The same applies on Google: your Google Ads account, Google Analytics property, Tag Manager container and Business Profile should be owned by your Google account, with the marketer given access. See who should own your Google Ads account.
What your marketer should get
Your marketer adds their business portfolio as a partner, and you share the specific assets they need with the right permission level (for example, manage campaigns on the ad account, use the dataset). They work through their own login. When the engagement ends, you remove them as a partner.
Why it matters
- Data: the pixel’s history and audiences help Meta find customers. Starting again means a slower, more expensive learning period.
- Continuity: you can switch marketers without rebuilding.
- Account health: if the agency’s portfolio has problems, assets it owns can be affected.
- Billing transparency: you see exactly what’s spent, directly from Meta.
Questions to ask any marketer before you start
- Whose business portfolio will own the ad account and pixel?
- Will ad spend be billed to my card directly?
- Will I have full admin access to everything at all times?
- What happens to the accounts if we stop working together?
A good marketer will answer “yours”, “yes”, “yes” and “you keep everything” without hesitation. More in questions to ask before hiring a marketer.
If a marketer owns your assets now
- Ask politely first. Most will transfer or grant access when asked. For Pages, ownership can be moved between business portfolios. Ad accounts and datasets generally can’t be transferred, but they can be shared with full control.
- Get it in writing. Make ownership part of your agreement for future work.
- If they refuse, you may need to start a new ad account and pixel in your own portfolio. For Pages you can show you own (business documents, domain email), Meta has support processes to regain access.
Starting fresh is painful but usually faster than a long dispute, and you’ll own everything from then on.
Sources and further reading
- Meta Business Help Centre – search “add a partner to your business portfolio” and “share assets with a partner”
- Meta Business Suite
- Google Ads Help: Manage access to your account
Written by Gregory
20 years building websites and running lead generation, mostly with my own money on the line. Based in Sydney, working with clients worldwide. How I work →