Governance
YouTube access checklist before hiring an agency
Giving an agency the right level of access protects the channel more than trusting the agency itself.
Is this your situation?
You are about to hire an agency and need to decide what access level to give them. You want to know what to undo later if the arrangement changes.
Where teams go wrong
- Granting Manager access by default Managers can use Google services that support Brand Accounts, including YouTube.Why it happens: Owners assume Manager is the standard working role.
- Treating Manager as safe for transfers Managers can't transfer the channel, or have it transferred to them, except by the primary owner.Why it happens: The limitation is not checked before granting access.
- Expecting Managers to invite others Managers can't invite other users under Brand Account role assignment.Why it happens: The role name suggests broader control than it has.
- Assuming removal is immediate You must be an owner of the Brand Account for 7 days before you can remove managers or owners.Why it happens: The waiting period is not known in advance.
What good practice looks like
| Role | Can do | Cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| Manager (Brand Account) | Use Google services that support Brand Accounts, like YouTube. | Can't invite other users. |
| Manager (Brand Account) | Use Google services that support Brand Accounts. | Can't transfer the channel except by the primary owner. |
| Owner (Brand Account) | Take the most actions and control who manages the account. | Must hold the role 7 days before removing managers or owners. |
| Communications manager | Do the same actions as Managers. | Can't use YouTube. |
| Manager (Brand Account) | Take actions within the account's connected Google services. | Can't delete the channel. |
How YouTube handles this
- Channel permissions let you give an agency access through specific roles.
- An owner can decide how much control each added manager has over the account.
- A Brand Account must have one primary owner.
- If you give someone owner access and later remove them, you must have held your own owner role for 7 days first.
- An owner of a Brand Account can add people to help manage it and the Google services it uses.
Before you start
- Confirm which role the agency actually needs. Channel permissions give access via specific roles.Verify: Review what tasks the agency will perform day to day.
- Check whether Manager access covers the work. Managers can use Google services that support Brand Accounts.Verify: List the services the agency needs to use.
- Confirm the agency cannot invite others unchecked. Managers can't invite other users.Verify: Decide who controls future invitations.
- Know the primary owner before granting access. A Brand Account must have one primary owner.Verify: Confirm who currently holds that role.
Which scenario is yours?
- Does the agency only need to post content on your behalf? Managers can use Google services that support Brand Accounts, including YouTube.
- Does the agency need to control who else has access? Managers can't invite other users under Brand Account role assignment.
- Does the agency need to handle ownership transfers? Managers can't transfer the channel, or have it transferred to them, except by the primary owner.
- Will you need to remove the agency soon after granting access? You must be an owner of the Brand Account for 7 days before you can remove managers or owners.
- Does the agency need to make purchases on your behalf? Managers can't make a purchase.
Keeping this working over time
- Review agency access against the role definitions before renewing any contract.
- Reassess who holds the primary owner role as team structures change.
- See the access checklist before hiring an editor for a parallel review when adding individual collaborators.
- Confirm that an owner, not a manager, controls how much access each added manager holds.
If control is already lost — What to Do if Your YouTube Channel Was Stolen
Keeping track of who has access
Delvia helps you see who holds access across people and over time, without guesswork. Before an agency joins, the roles and their limits are visible in one place. After the engagement ends, the same view shows what still needs to change. That clarity is what keeps an outside team's access from outliving the relationship.
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