Getting access to your client's Google, Meta, TikTok, and analytics accounts shouldn't take days of back-and-forth. Here's how to request access to 15+ platforms-or skip the manual process entirely.
You just signed a new client. Exciting, right?
Now you need access to their Google Ads account. Their Meta Business Manager. Google Analytics. Maybe their TikTok Ads, Shopify, Search Console, and a handful of other platforms.
What should take 10 minutes turns into days of emails, Loom videos nobody watches, and back-and-forth messages like "I can't find where to click" and "it's asking me for a code."
Platform UIs change constantly. Clients get confused. And you're stuck waiting instead of launching campaigns.
This guide gives you everything you need to get access to 15+ marketing platforms:
- Step-by-step resources for each platform (official docs + best tutorials)
- Exactly what permissions to request (so clients don't stall at "Admin access")
- Common pitfalls and where things usually go wrong
Quick Reference: All Platforms at a Glance
| Platform | Time to Get Access | Difficulty | What You'll Request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | 5-10 min | Easy | Standard access |
| Google Analytics 4 | 5-10 min | Easy | Editor role |
| Google Search Console | 5-10 min | Easy | Full user |
| Google Tag Manager | 5-10 min | Easy | Publish access |
| Google Business Profile | 10-15 min | Medium | Manager role |
| Google Merchant Center | 10-15 min | Medium | Standard access |
| YouTube | 10-15 min | Medium | Manager role |
| Meta Business Manager | 15-30 min | Hard | Partner access |
| Facebook Page | 5-10 min | Medium | Advertiser or Editor |
| 10-15 min | Medium | Advertiser role | |
| Meta Ad Account | 10-20 min | Hard | Advertiser role |
| LinkedIn Ads | 10-15 min | Medium | Account Manager |
| TikTok Ads | 10-15 min | Medium | Advertiser role |
| Microsoft Ads | 5-10 min | Easy | Standard user |
| Pinterest Ads | 5-10 min | Easy | Ads access |
| Shopify | 10-15 min | Medium | Collaborator account |
Want to skip all of this? Send your client one branded link and get access to all these platforms in a single session. See how AgencyAccess works →
Google Ecosystem
Google's platforms are generally straightforward, but each one has its own access flow. The good news: once your client understands how to add you to one, the others follow a similar pattern.
Google Ads
What you need from your client:
- Their 10-digit Google Ads Customer ID (found in the top-right corner of their Google Ads dashboard)
What permissions to request:
- Standard access - not Admin
- This lets you create and edit campaigns, adjust bids, manage keywords, and view performance data
- You only need Admin if you're managing user permissions or account-level settings
- Pro tip: Clients grant Standard access much faster because it feels less risky
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client doesn't actually have a Google Ads account - they have a "Smart Campaign" from boosting a Google Business post, which is different
- Client tries to give you their Google login instead of adding you as a user
- Multiple Google Ads manager accounts create permission conflicts
- Client has MCC (manager) access but doesn't own the account
Google Analytics 4
What you need from your client:
- Access to their GA4 property (not the old Universal Analytics, which is now deprecated)
What permissions to request:
- Editor role for most agency work
- This lets you create and edit reports, manage conversions, and configure events
- You only need Administrator if you're managing user access or account settings
- Analyst role is read-only - fine for reporting, but limiting if you're doing any setup work
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client still has Universal Analytics and doesn't realize it's deprecated
- Client adds you to the wrong property (they have multiple and pick the test one)
- Account vs. Property vs. View permissions confusion (GA4 simplified this, but clients with legacy setups still get confused)
- Client doesn't have GA4 set up at all - just a UA property that stopped collecting data
Google Search Console
What you need from your client:
- A verified property in Search Console (domain or URL-prefix)
What permissions to request:
- Full user permission
- This lets you view all data, submit sitemaps, request indexing, and see security issues
- Restricted user is read-only and blocks some diagnostic features
- Owner permission is rarely needed unless you're verifying new properties
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Property isn't verified (previous developer left, verification method removed)
- Domain property vs. URL-prefix property confusion - client may have both
- Client doesn't know Search Console exists ("What's that?")
- Verification is tied to a former employee's Google account
Google Tag Manager
What you need from your client:
- Their GTM Container ID (format: GTM-XXXXXX)
What permissions to request:
- Publish access at the container level
- This lets you create, edit, and publish tags - everything you need for tracking setup
- You only need Admin if you're managing user permissions
- "Edit" without "Publish" means you can make changes but need client approval to push live (useful for some workflows)
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- GTM is managed by their developer or previous agency who's unresponsive
- Container permissions vs. account permissions confusion
- Multiple containers exist and client doesn't know which is live
- GTM is installed but nothing is actually firing (broken setup)
Google Business Profile
What you need from your client:
- An existing, verified Google Business Profile
What permissions to request:
- Manager role for most agency work
- This lets you edit business info, respond to reviews, post updates, and view insights
- Owner role is rarely needed - only required for transferring ownership or deleting the listing
- "Site Manager" is limited to Posts only
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Profile was claimed years ago by someone who left the company
- Multiple locations with different ownership structures
- Profile shows "not verified" - client thought they'd done this years ago
- Client has access to the listing but through a personal Gmail they don't remember the password for
Google Merchant Center
What you need from your client:
- An existing Merchant Center account with products uploaded
What permissions to request:
- Standard access for feed and campaign management
- This lets you manage product feeds, view performance, and troubleshoot disapprovals
- Admin access is only needed for managing users or linking/unlinking accounts
- Performance Max campaigns need Merchant Center access to work properly
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Merchant Center is linked to the wrong Google Ads account
- Feed was set up by a developer who's no longer available
- Client has Merchant Center Next vs. classic interface confusion
- Multiple Merchant Center accounts exist and client doesn't know which is active
YouTube
What you need from your client:
- Access to their YouTube channel (ideally through Brand Account)
What permissions to request:
- Manager role through Brand Account permissions
- This lets you upload videos, manage playlists, view analytics, and run ads
- Communications Manager can only view and respond to comments
- Owner is needed only for deleting channels or managing other managers
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Channel is a personal account, not a Brand Account (can't add managers)
- Client doesn't realize their channel IS a Brand Account and looks in the wrong place
- Channel is connected to a Google account nobody has access to anymore
- Multiple Brand Accounts exist under one Google login
That's seven different Google products with seven different access flows. Or you could send one AgencyAccess link that handles all of them. Start your free trial →
Meta Ecosystem
Meta's structure is the most confusing of any platform. Everything flows through Business Manager, but most clients don't know they have one - or that they should.
Understanding Meta's Structure First
Before diving into specific access requests, here's how Meta's pieces connect:
Meta Business Manager (the hub) ├── Facebook Page(s) ├── Instagram Account(s) ├── Ad Account(s) ├── Pixel(s) └── Product Catalog(s)
Key concept: You can have access to a Facebook Page without having access to its Ad Account, and vice versa. For most agency work, you need both - plus the Pixel.
Meta Business Manager
What you need from your client:
- A Business Manager account (if they don't have one, they'll need to create it first)
- Their Business Manager ID (found in Business Settings → Business Info)
What permissions to request:
- Partner access to their Business Manager (not Employee)
- Partner access is designed for agencies - it lets clients grant and revoke access easily, and keeps your team separate from their internal users
- Within Partner access, request access to: Pages, Ad Accounts, Pixels, and any Product Catalogs you'll need
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client doesn't have a Business Manager - they run ads through a personal ad account
- Client has multiple Business Managers and doesn't know which owns what
- Client adds you as "Employee" instead of "Partner"
- Two-factor authentication is on a phone number they don't have access to
- Client's Business Manager is "restricted" due to policy violations
Facebook Page
What you need from your client:
- A Facebook Page they manage (personal profiles don't work)
What permissions to request:
- Advertiser role if you only need to run ads from the Page
- Editor role if you need to create posts, respond to comments, and run ads
- Admin is only needed if you're managing Page roles or settings
- Through Business Manager is preferred - direct Page access is messier and harder to revoke
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Page was created before Business Manager existed and isn't claimed
- Client has "New Pages Experience" vs. classic Pages - navigation is different
- Client grants Moderator (can't run ads) instead of Advertiser
- Page is connected to a personal Facebook account client can't access
What you need from your client:
- Instagram Business or Creator account (not personal)
- Account must be connected to a Facebook Page
What permissions to request:
- Advertiser role (through Business Manager)
- This lets you run ads and view Insights
- Content role if you also need to post and manage DMs
- Instagram access is granted through Meta Business Suite - you can't add managers directly in the Instagram app for business features
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Instagram is a personal account, not Business or Creator
- Instagram isn't connected to any Facebook Page
- Client tries to do this in the Instagram app (doesn't work for Partners)
- Instagram is connected to a Page that's in a different Business Manager
Meta Ad Account
What you need from your client:
- An existing ad account (preferably inside a Business Manager)
- The Ad Account ID (found in Business Manager under Ad Accounts)
What permissions to request:
- Advertiser role for campaign management
- This lets you create, manage, and view all campaigns and ads
- Analyst role is view-only - useful for reporting but you can't change anything
- Admin is only needed if you're managing payment methods, spending limits, or ad account settings
- Note: Most agencies don't need Admin, but clients often default to it
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Ad account isn't in a Business Manager (personal ad accounts are hard to share properly)
- Ad account has billing issues or is disabled
- Spending limits are set too low for your planned campaigns
- Client's ad account is old and has "reduced reach" due to past issues
Meta access is notoriously frustrating. Most agencies report spending 30+ minutes per client getting this right. AgencyAccess reduces that to under 5 minutes. Watch a demo →
Other Ad Platforms
LinkedIn Ads
What you need from your client:
- A LinkedIn Campaign Manager account
- The Account ID (found in Campaign Manager settings)
What permissions to request:
- Account Manager for full campaign management
- This lets you create campaigns, manage budgets, and view all reporting
- Campaign Manager is more limited - can create campaigns but can't manage billing
- Viewer is read-only
- Note: LinkedIn Company Page access is separate from Campaign Manager access
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client has a LinkedIn Company Page but no Campaign Manager account
- Confusing Company Page admin permissions with Campaign Manager permissions
- Client needs to create a Campaign Manager account first (takes 5 minutes)
- Multiple Campaign Manager accounts exist for the same company
TikTok Ads
What you need from your client:
- A TikTok Business Center account
- The Business Center ID
What permissions to request:
- Advertiser role on the Ad Account
- This lets you create and manage campaigns, audiences, and view reporting
- Analyst is view-only
- Admin is only needed for managing users or business settings
- Note: TikTok Business Center is separate from TikTok Ads Manager - Business Center is the hub
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client uses TikTok personally but has no business setup
- Business Center vs. Ads Manager confusion (similar to Meta's structure)
- Region restrictions on ad accounts (some countries can't run TikTok ads)
- Client created an Ads Manager account without a Business Center
Microsoft Ads
What you need from your client:
- A Microsoft Advertising account
- The Account ID and Customer ID
What permissions to request:
- Standard user for campaign management
- This lets you create and manage campaigns, keywords, and ads
- Super Admin is only needed for user management and account settings
- If importing from Google Ads, permissions don't carry over - you need access to both
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Account was auto-imported from Google Ads with different structure
- Manager account vs. standard account confusion
- Client doesn't remember which Microsoft account they used
- Linked Google Ads import is out of sync
Pinterest Ads
What you need from your client:
- A Pinterest Business account (not personal)
- Access to their Ads Manager
What permissions to request:
- Ads access on their Business account
- This lets you create and manage campaigns
- Admin is only needed for managing users or payment methods
- Note: Pinterest Business profile access is separate from Ads access
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Personal Pinterest account, not converted to Business
- Ad account permissions are separate from business profile
- Client needs to convert to Business account first
- Payment method issues blocking ad account access
Snapchat Ads
What you need from your client:
- A Snapchat Ads Manager account
- Their Organization ID
What permissions to request:
- Campaign Manager for creating and managing ads
- This gives you access to create campaigns, manage audiences, and view reporting
- Admin is only needed for managing organization settings or users
- Analyst is view-only
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Organization vs. Ad Account access levels (two layers)
- Client uses Snapchat personally but has no Ads Manager
- Multiple Organizations exist
- Phone number verification issues
Ecommerce Platforms
Shopify
What you need from your client:
- A Shopify store
- Owner or Admin permissions on their end
What permissions to request:
- Collaborator account (strongly preferred over Staff account)
- Collaborator accounts are designed for agencies and freelancers
- They don't count against the client's staff seat limits
- Client can easily grant and revoke access
- Request specific permissions: manage products, manage orders, view reports, etc.
Staff account alternative:
- Uses one of the client's paid staff seats
- Works if Collaborator isn't available on their plan
- Request only the sections you need access to
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client on Basic plan with limited staff seats (Collaborator solves this)
- Permissions too restrictive for what you need to do
- Client gives full admin when you only need specific sections
- Client doesn't know the difference between Collaborator and Staff
WooCommerce / WordPress
What you need from your client:
- WordPress admin access to their site
- Or, a new user account created for you
What permissions to request:
- Editor role if you only need content management
- Shop Manager role (WooCommerce-specific) for managing products, orders, and coupons
- Administrator only if you need plugin access, theme changes, or full site settings
- Consider asking for a dedicated user account rather than sharing login credentials
Official documentation:
Where it usually goes wrong:
- Client gives full Administrator when Editor would suffice (security risk)
- Security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri) block new user logins from unknown IPs
- Managed hosting with restricted user roles
- Outdated WordPress installation with security vulnerabilities
The Easier Way: Automating Client Access
You've now seen what it takes to get access to 15+ platforms manually.
Each one has a different flow, different terminology, different permission levels, and different ways things go wrong. Multiply that by every new client you onboard. And repeat it every time team members change or permissions expire.
Let's do the math:
- Average time per platform (when it goes smoothly): 10-15 minutes
- Average platforms per client: 5-8
- Average back-and-forth when client gets stuck: 30+ minutes
- Troubleshooting when something breaks: 15-60 minutes
Total time per client onboarding: 2-5 hours
That's time you could spend on strategy, campaign setup, or just... not chasing permissions.
What If Instead:
You create an onboarding template with the platforms you need
You send your client a single branded link
They follow a guided flow (uses official OAuth - no password sharing)
Access is granted directly to your agency accounts
You track everything from one dashboard
What you can connect through AgencyAccess:
- Google: Ads, Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager, Business Profile, Merchant Center
- Meta: Business Manager, Pages, Instagram, Ad Accounts
- Ad platforms: LinkedIn, TikTok, Microsoft, Pinterest, Snapchat
- Ecommerce: Shopify
No Loom videos. No "where do I click?" No passwords in emails. No waiting.
Start your free 14-day trial →
No credit card required.
Wrapping Up
Getting access to client accounts is a necessary part of agency life. Each platform has its own process, its own quirks, and its own common failure points.
This guide gives you the resources to handle it manually when you need to - the official docs, the best tutorials, and the permission levels that won't make your clients nervous.
But the best agencies systematize this. Instead of recreating the process with every new client, they send one link and move on to actual work.
Your time is better spent on strategy and execution, not chasing permissions.
