Governance
Why Each Client Should Own Its LinkedIn Page and Ad Account
Separating ownership from management protects each client's Page and ad account if the agency relationship ends.
Is this your situation?
You run several clients and want each one to own its LinkedIn Page and ad account rather than the agency. This page sets out how ownership and shared access work together without blurring who controls what.
Where teams go wrong
- Business-wide access left open An agency can use Business Manager partnerships to receive business-wide access to its clients' ad accounts and Pages.Why it happens: An agency may need business-wide access to a client's ad accounts and Pages when using Business Manager partnerships.
- No second billing admin If an ad account billing admin is from the partner's Business Manager, a new billing admin must be assigned in the user's own Business Manager before the partner can be removed.Why it happens: Every ad account must have a billing admin.
- Partner access assumed temporary If you want to stop sharing an ad account with a partner, check how removing them from Business Manager affects shared access.Why it happens: To decrease the role level provided for an ad account or Page in Business Manager, you must contact support.
What good practice looks like
| Practice | Client-owned setup | Agency-managed setup |
|---|---|---|
| Ad account ownership | Client claims the ad account it owns. | The person who creates an ad account is automatically assigned as the billing admin. |
| Page ownership | Client claims the LinkedIn Page it owns. | Agency requests access to a Page owned by another business. |
| Asset sharing | Client shares specific ad accounts and Pages with the agency as a partner. | Not stated by LinkedIn |
| Billing control | A billing admin can add or change the credit card used for LinkedIn Ads payments from the ad account's Billing page. | Not stated by LinkedIn |
How LinkedIn handles this
- Business Manager partnerships allow different organizations to share ad accounts and Pages with each other at scale.
- No ad accounts or Pages are automatically shared when a partner is added in Business Manager.
- Partners can only see and act on the specific assets that have been shared with them.
- Removing a partner from Business Manager stops sharing all ad accounts, LinkedIn Pages, Matched Audiences, allow lists, and block lists with that partner.
Before you start
- Confirm who created the ad account The person who creates an ad account is automatically assigned as the billing admin.Verify: Check which organization's Business Manager owns the account.
- Confirm Page ownership Each LinkedIn Page can only be claimed by one Business Manager.Verify: Confirm the client's Business Manager has claimed the Page.
- Review partner sharing scope With a partnership established, organizations can share specific ad accounts, Pages, and lists as needed.Verify: List exactly which assets have been shared with the agency.
- Check billing admin assignment Every ad account must have a billing admin.Verify: Confirm the billing admin is someone at the client, not the agency.
Which scenario is yours?
- Does the agency currently own the ad account? The person who creates an ad account is automatically assigned as the billing admin.
- Does the client need to claim its own Page? A business can claim LinkedIn Pages that it owns.
- Does the agency need business-wide access to run campaigns? An agency can use Business Manager partnerships to receive business-wide access to its clients' ad accounts and Pages.
- Is the agency relationship ending? Before removing a partner, both organizations need to stop sharing all ad accounts and Pages.
Keeping this working over time
- LinkedIn recommends assigning more than one account manager to an ad account.
- Review which roles have been assigned to the agency on the Partner page in Business Manager.
- Learn how to transfer ad account ownership to a new agency if arrangements change.
- Learn how to remove a billing card when an agency relationship ends.
If control is already lost — Recover a Deactivated or Removed LinkedIn Company Page
Keeping track of who has access
You want each client's Page and ad account to stay theirs, with only specific access shared out to your agency. Delvia helps you see who holds admin, billing, and partner roles across people and accounts in one place. That view makes it clear before a relationship changes, not after. Managing access clearly, across people and time, is what keeps ownership arrangements working as teams change.
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