How to Transfer Google Ads Account Ownership and Management
Moving your Google Ads data isn't as simple as clicking a "send" button. Whether you are transferring to a new agency or a new business structure or consolidating accounts under a new management, you need to ensure the process is seamless. As a wrong move could lead to lost conversion tracking or, worse, a complete pause in your lead generation. In this guide on how to transfer Google Ads account, we’ll cover the essential steps to transfer ownership and link accounts to a new Manager account while ensuring that all account data, campaigns, billing information, and access controls are correctly migrated.
Transfer Google Ads Account: Understanding Different Types of Transfer
Before we get to the step-bý-step on how to transfer Google Ads account, as an advertising expert who working with Google advertising for years, I believe it's crucial to understand what kind of transfer you're performing, as this dictates the necessary steps.
1. Transferring Ownership to a New User (Same Account):
When a new individual (e.g., a new marketing manager, a business buyer) needs to become the primary administrator of an existing Google Ads account, they will transfer ownership to a new user.
When the process is complete, the account itself will stay active. The only thing that has been changed is the ownership.
2. Linking to a New Manager (MCC) Account:
This type of transfer is common when you are switching agencies. With this type of transfer, your existing Google Ads account (client account) still remains yours, but it is linked to a new agency's Manager Account for centralized management and billing.
3. Moving an Account Between Manager Accounts:
This type of Google Ads is quite less common for individual businesses, but it will be relevant if you have multiple brands or entities managed under different MCCs and plan to consolidate.
Step-by-step to Transfer Google Ads Account Flawlessly
At GDT Agency, we've offered countless Google ads agency account for rent for diverse businesses, and one of the most common questions we encounter relates to account transfers.
Our experience has taught us that proper planning and execution are key to avoiding common pitfalls like data loss, campaign pauses, or billing disruptions.
Based on our agency's hands-on experience, here’s our step-by-step guide to transferring your Google Ads account. Keep in mind that you need to ensure you have "Admin Access" to the Google Ads account(s) you intend to transfer.
Step #1: Review Account Details and Performance
Before transferring your ad account, remember to conduct a thorough review of the current Google Ads account to ensure that nothing crucial is overlooked during the transfer.
Campaign Performance: Advertisers need to evaluate the performance metrics of all campaigns and identify high-performing campaigns that need careful handling during the transfer.
Billing Information: You need to ensure all billing details are up-to-date and there are no pending payments.
Account Structure: Remember to review the account structure (including the organization of campaigns, ad groups, and ads) and note any custom scripts, automated rules, or third-party integrations.
Step #2: Create a Backup of Account Data
To safeguard against any potential data loss during the transfer process, our advice is to create a backup of the entire Google Ads account because having a backup will ensure you can restore the account to its previous state if anything goes wrong.
The things you will need to do include:
Export Campaign Data: Advertisers can use the Google Ads Editor to export all campaigns, ad groups, keywords, and ads into a CSV file.
Download Reports: Generate and download reports for performance metrics, conversion data, and billing history.
Save Custom Scripts: If there are any custom scripts or rules, save copies of these as well.
Now it’s time to choose the type that best suits your situation.
As I said at the beginning, there are multiple ways to transfer a Google Ads account, depending on your specific requirements: changing account ownership, linking to a new manager account, or granting access to a new party.
Step #3: Transfer Google Ads Account Ownership
If you decided to transfer ownership, here is the detailed guide to transfer:
1. First of all, you will need to log in to the Google Ads account you wish to transfer. Then, in your Google Ads Account, click the Admin icon (the wrench icon) > Click Access and security > Click the Users tab.
Or you can click on Tool and Settings > click Access and security and then click the Users tab.
2. Click the blue "+" button to add a new user.
3. You need to enter the email address of the person taking over your Google Ads account (you must ensure that the email address of the person taking over your Google Ads account matches their Google Account email address).
Next to "Select account access level", and then click Admin, and finally click on the blue Send invitation button.
The person taking over your Google Ads account will receive an email with instructions for completing the transfer process. After they complete the process, they'll be added to the "Users" page in "Access and security".
Step #4: Linking to a New Manager (MCC) Account
If you're switching agencies or want to manage the account under a new MCC, linking the account to a new Google Ads Manager account is often preferred:
1. Obtain the Manager Account ID: Get the new manager’s account ID. The new agency (or the new manager of your MCC) will provide you with their 10-digit Google Ads Manager Account ID. This ID typically looks like XXX-XXX-XXXX.
2. You need to log in to the Google Ads client account (the one being linked) and then click on Tools and Settings > Setup > Account Access.
3. At the Account Access, you have to click on the "Managers" tab and then click the blue "+" button, then enter the 10-digit Manager Account ID provided by the new agency/manager.
After you finish this step, an invitation will be sent to the Manager Account. The new manager must accept this request within their MCC.
Our Tips: Our advice for you is to confirm that the new agency has accepted the link request. We’ve seen cases where a client assumes the link is automatic, but it requires acceptance from the MCC side.
Step #5: Transferring Billing Ownership
If the transfer involves changing the billing entity, you need to update the billing information because accurate billing information is critical to avoid interruptions in ad delivery.
First of all, you will need to access Billing Settings by navigating to the “Billing & Payments” section of the Google Ads account.
Then, add a new payment method by entering the new payment method details, ensuring that it aligns with the new ownership or management structure.
In some cases, if both parties use the same Google Ads billing profile (e.g., within a larger corporate structure), a formal transfer of the billing setup might be required. This often involves contacting Google Ads support directly and can take longer.
Step #6: Reconfigure Account Permissions
After transferring ownership or linking to a new manager account, reconfigure account permissions:
Review and Remove Old Users: Carefully review the list of users and remove any individuals or old agency accounts that no longer require access, especially those from the previous management or agency.
Review Linked Accounts: Your Google Ads account rarely operates in a vacuum. It's usually linked to other critical platforms. Navigate to Tools and Settings (wrench icon) > Setup > Linked Accounts and check for every account, like Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and Merchant Center.
How To Transfer Your Google Analytics and Google Merchant Center Account?
A Google Ads account doesn't work alone but also relies on a constant stream of data from your broader ecosystem to function effectively.
If you transfer your ads but leave your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or Merchant Center accounts behind, you essentially blind your conversion tracking and kill your Shopping campaigns.
At GDT Agency, we’ve seen transitions halt because these "satellite" accounts were forgotten, leading to a total loss of attribution and "out of stock" errors on active ads.
Therefore, to maintain a true 360-degree view of your performance, you must treat these platforms as a packaged deal during any ownership change.
Step-by-step to transfer your Google Analytics Accounts
To transfer your Google Analytics account to another Google Account, you will need to add a person with the "Edit" and "Manage Users" permissions to your Google Analytics account first, and then you can remove your Google account from the Google Analytics account.
Here is the detailed step-by-step process to transfer your Google Analytics account to another Google Account:
In your Google Analytics account, click the Admin icon.
Under “Account settings,” click Account, and then click Account access and management.
Click the blue plus button .
Add a person with the "Edit" and "Manage Users" permissions to your Google Analytics account.
Have the newly added administrator verify the ownership of the website.
You can then remove the previous owner’s Google Account from the Google Analytics account by clicking the box next to their email and clicking Remove.
Step-by-step to transfer your Google Merchant Center Accounts
In your Merchant Center account, click Settings Tools in the left navigation menu.
Select Access and services.
Under the "People and access" tab, Click Add person.
Enter the email address of the person you want to invite.
Click Next.
On the next page, grant the account admin access, and set the email preferences for that person.
Click Save.
Conclusion
When you're transferring a Google Ads account, you’re not only moving data, but you're moving the engine of your online growth. I hope that this guide on Transfer Google Ads account can help you learn the complete process on Transfer Google Ads account.
If you have any questions or need additional help, feel free to contact GDT Agency. Our expert team with seasoned expertise is always ready to help you.