Google Ads operations
A Google Ads Agency Handoff Checklist
A useful handoff preserves ownership, history, measurement, and the reasons behind current settings.
Book a Free CallThe decision to make
A useful handoff preserves ownership, history, measurement, and the reasons behind current settings. The incoming operator should be able to explain the account before making broad changes.
Inventory access and ownership
Record the business-owned ad account, linked analytics, billing owner, website access, call tracking, and booking or form providers. Use role-based access rather than sharing passwords. Confirm which assets belong to the business and which require a replacement plan. Keep actual account identifiers in the private handoff record, not on a public checklist.
Capture the decision history
Export current structure and record budgets, accepted services, territories, exclusions, goals, and known experiments. Include changes that failed and the evidence behind important constraints. A campaign name alone rarely explains why a setting exists. Separate verified performance from estimates and unresolved tracking questions.
Validate continuity before edits
Open final URLs, check contact routing, inspect selected conversion goals, and confirm reporting access. Establish a baseline with dates and lead definitions. Make the first changes small enough to evaluate and reverse. Remove obsolete access through the business's approved process after the transfer is working.
A working decision record
| Situation | What to inspect | Useful next step |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown conversion action | Trigger, owner, and campaign usage | Document before changing |
| Agency-owned tracking tool | Contract and routing dependency | Plan continuity |
| Unexplained exclusion | Change history and business rule | Retain until investigated |
What to check before calling the work complete
- Confirm business ownership and access.
- Preserve current settings and rationale.
- Test measurement and contact continuity.
- Keep a dated handoff and first-change record.
A practical question
Should a new agency rebuild everything immediately?
Only when the evidence supports it. Useful history, working destinations, and established measurement deserve inspection before replacement.
Sources and further reading
Platform behavior can change. These primary sources explain the relevant product or search requirements; the working review process above is Modern Apex's practical guidance.
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