How to Add an Agency to Your Google Ads Account

Why Your Agency Needs Google Ads Access

When working with a marketing agency to manage your Google Ads campaigns, they need access to your account. Google Ads provides a structured way to do this through its manager account (MCC) system, which keeps your account secure while giving your agency the tools they need.

There are two approaches: you can invite the agency's manager account to link with your account, or the agency can send you a link request. This guide covers both methods.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

• A Google Ads account (ads.google.com)
• Admin or Standard access to the account
• Your agency's Google Ads Manager Account ID (a 10-digit number, formatted as XXX-XXX-XXXX)

Method 1: Invite Your Agency From Your Account

Step 1: Open Account Access Settings

1. Sign in to Google Ads
2. Click the Admin icon (wrench icon) in the left navigation
3. Under "Account", click Access and security

Step 2: Add a Manager Account

1. Click the Managers tab at the top
2. Click the + (plus) button
3. Select Link a manager account

Step 3: Enter the Manager Account ID

1. Enter your agency's 10-digit Manager Account ID
2. Click Send link request
3. The agency will need to accept the request from their MCC dashboard

Step 4: Confirm the Link

Once your agency accepts, the status will change to Active in the Managers tab. They can now view and manage your campaigns based on the access level you granted.

Method 2: Accept a Link Request From Your Agency

If your agency initiates the request (which is more common), here's what you'll see:

1. Sign in to Google Ads
2. Go to Admin > Access and security > Managers
3. You'll see a pending request from your agency's manager account
4. Click Accept
5. Review the access level and confirm

Setting the Right Access Level

Google Ads offers several access levels for manager accounts:

• Admin access: Full control including billing and user management. Only grant this if absolutely necessary.
• Standard access: Can create and edit campaigns, adjust bids, and manage most day-to-day operations. This is the recommended level for most agency relationships.
• Read-only access: Can view campaigns and reports but not make changes. Useful for auditing or consulting relationships.
• Billing-only access: Can only manage billing information.

For most agency engagements, Standard access provides the right balance of capability and security.

Troubleshooting

"I don't see the Managers tab" — You need Admin access to your Google Ads account. If you only have Standard access, ask the account admin to send the invitation.

"The link request expired" — Link requests expire after 30 days. Ask your agency to send a new request.

"I want to unlink my agency" — Go to Admin > Access and security > Managers, find the agency, and click Unlink. This removes their access immediately.

"My agency needs access to multiple accounts" — Each account needs to be linked separately. For agencies managing many client accounts, this becomes very time-consuming.

Skip the Manual Work With Portaal

If you're an agency, you know the drill: send instructions to the client, wait for them to find the right settings, troubleshoot when they get stuck, and repeat for every new account. Multiply that by 10 or 20 clients a month, and you're spending hours on access management alone.

Portaal replaces this entire workflow with a single link. Your client clicks the link, authenticates with Google, and access is granted automatically to the right account with the right permissions.

Why agencies choose Portaal for Google Ads onboarding:

• One link connects Google Ads, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, and 15+ platforms
• No manager account IDs to exchange
• Clients don't need to navigate complex settings
• Access status tracked in real-time on your dashboard
• Works with Google Ads MCC and individual accounts

Try Portaal free and onboard your next Google Ads client in under a minute.