Agencies and clients need to trust each other in the world of digital advertising.
But some agencies don’t want to give clients access to their ad accounts. They say it’s about protecting data, but it’s actually about money. In this article, we’ll explain why it’s important for agencies to be open and give clients access to their ad accounts and why transparency can make or break and agency relationship.
A long time ago, a client asked an agency to create a media plan. Not only was a plan created, but the agency also setup their ad accounts and media platforms ultimately preventing their clients from line of sight into what is being spent and optimized against. It’s hard to believe, but this is still the framework in which many agencies operate today.
You may be asking – why don’t agencies want clients to see their ad accounts? It’s simple: money. Some clients have found out that agencies spend less on ads than they promised. Agencies manipulate the goals they set to make it seem like they did better than they actually did. This way, they can keep their margins up and fees low.
A lack of transparency can mislead marketers.
Let’s imagine a company wants to advertise on a popular website. They give the agency $100,000 for the campaign, and the agency promises to get them 100,000 clicks on their ads. The company is excited about the potential success. However, the agency uses tricky tactics to make it seem like they did a better job than they actually did.
At the end of the campaign, the agency reports that they delivered 120,000 clicks, surpassing the goal. The company is thrilled and thinks the agency did an excellent job. But here’s the trick: the agency bought low-quality clicks from unreliable sources at a cheaper price. These clicks didn’t bring any real customers or value to the company. In reality, the agency could have obtained 150,000 high-quality clicks for the same budget.
The agency’s goal was to make it seem like they exceeded expectations, but they sacrificed the company’s success and wasted some of the budget on ineffective clicks. This leaves the company unaware of the actual performance and reduces the impact of their advertising efforts.
To avoid falling into these traps, it’s important for marketers to stay informed and involved in their ad campaigns. Ask questions, set clear goals, and closely monitor the results. Work with an agency that prioritizes transparency and is committed to maximizing every dollar you spend.
Not sure how to add multiple people to an ad account? On META its simple.
Be selective in your agency partner. Prioritize trust and transparency.
In digital advertising, trust and openness are crucial. Agencies should give clients access to their ad accounts so they can see what’s happening. It’s about trust and making sure clients get what they pay for. When choosing an agency, question what visibility you will have into the your own data and understand what tools they will be using for data transparency.
