Light the way to a clean handoff.
A practical guide to getting Mainstreet Marketing the right partner-level access on every platform — whether you're leaving another agency, moving on from a do-it-yourself / in-house setup, or working with an agency for the first time. We'll also share the room with your internal team if that's the right fit. No shared passwords, no awkward conversations, no surprises.
How we handle access
Four ground rules we apply to every onboarding — first agency, fifth agency, in-house team transitioning out, or a hybrid where your people stay involved.
Every account — domain, ad account, pixel, page — should be owned by you. We request partner or manager access, never a transfer of ownership.
Every modern platform supports role-based access. If a process requires you to send a password, we'll find a different path.
When our engagement ends, you remove Mainstreet the same way you added us. We'll even send you a closeout checklist.
Partner requests, MCC links, and invites all leave a record. That protects you, anyone you're transitioning away from, your internal team, and us.
The onboarding kickoff call
Before any access changes hands, we sit down together — your account manager, your point of contact, and any stakeholders you'd like in the room (including internal team members who'll keep working alongside us). It's part introduction, part discovery, and entirely on us to make easy.
We want to hear the story of your business — how it started, what you're proud of, what's been frustrating, where you're trying to go. That conversation is where we begin to understand (and, when you want us to, help develop) your brand and the direction we'll take it together.
If granting access (or untangling whoever has it today) feels like a hassle, just say the word. We're happy to hop on a screen-share and walk through it together — and where a platform allows it, we'll handle the whole thing for you. Brand new to all this? Even better, we'll set it up from scratch the right way. You should never feel alone in this part.
Your first 30 days, then the year
A realistic look at how the engine spins up after your kickoff call. Timing assumes prompt approvals and quick back-and-forth — the faster you respond, the faster we launch.
- Week 1Configuration & gear-up
Access handoffs, pixel/tag audit, analytics + conversion tracking, brand assets, voice & guardrails, audience research, creative kickoff.
- Week 2Social publishing begins
Roughly two weeks in, organic social starts going live on your approved cadence.
- Week 2Google Search ads live
Initial search campaigns launch — keyword set, ad copy, extensions, and conversion tracking wired up.
- Week 2SEO work in motion
Technical fixes, on-page updates, and content roadmap kick off within the first two weeks. Heads-up: once new or updated pages are submitted, Google's indexing process typically takes 4–8 weeks before they start ranking and pulling traffic.
- Week 2AEO starts kicking off
Answer-engine optimization (LLM/AI surfaces) begins around the two-week mark alongside SEO.
- Weeks 2–8+GMB / Google Business Profile
Google Business is finicky — sometimes simple, sometimes a hurry-up-and-wait of verification hoops over a few weeks to a couple of months. We work it as fast as Google lets us.
- By end of month 1Full launch committed
Every service line is live and operating by the end of your first month — pending approvals and prompt back-and-forth on your side.
- Day 1 → Day 60Retargeting audience populating
Google retargeting needs a 60-day window to fully populate. Audiences build silently in the background, then retargeting ads start serving once the pool is healthy.
- Weeks 4–8Google Ads ramping
Google Ads can take 4–8 weeks to really hit stride — campaigns go through limited revision phases per Google best practices, getting pruned every ~2 weeks and given time to collect data between passes.
- Weeks 4–8SEO indexing window
After we submit new and updated pages, Google's indexing typically runs 4–8 weeks before pages are fully crawled, indexed, and eligible to rank. Early movement is normal; meaningful traffic shows up on the back half of this window.
All of the above is pending approvals and quick back-and-forth response times. We commit to full launch by the end of your first month of service. A reminder on SEO specifically: once new pages are submitted, Google's indexing process usually takes 4–8 weeks before those pages are fully indexed and start ranking — that's a Google timeline, not a Mainstreet one, and it's why SEO compounds rather than spikes.
Everything live, baselines set, early signal coming in across channels.
All services running together — content, paid, SEO, AEO, retargeting, GMB — operating as one engine.
We're reading the data, testing creative and audiences, tightening targeting, and figuring out exactly what your market responds to.
Once success is proven and repeatable, we scale the winners — more budget, more creative, more reach where it's earning.
Channels are tuned, performance is steady, the playbook is dialed. Less firefighting, more compounding.
Iterative optimization mode — quarterly creative refreshes, new tests, seasonal pushes, and steady gains on top of a stable base.
Where should the leads go?
Before we flip campaigns live, we need to know exactly who receives the leads we generate — and how. Form fills, call tracking, chat transcripts, and platform lead-ad downloads should land in inboxes you control — your sales team, your owner, your internal marketer — not a previous agency, a former employee, or a stale shared address nobody checks.
Share the email address(es) below and we'll wire them into every intake point: website forms, Meta Lead Ads, Google Lead Form extensions, landing-page tools, CRM notifications, and call-tracking alerts. Distribution lists or shared inboxes are great for redundancy.
A primary lead inbox, any teammates who should be CC'd, an after-hours fallback, and the preferred subject-line format if you have one. If you'd like leads pushed straight into a CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, Go High Level, etc.), let us know which and we'll handle the connection.
The handoff, in order
Add Mainstreet before removing anyone else — or before going live, if this is a fresh start. It prevents campaigns going dark mid-transition and keeps your team in control the whole time.
Platform-by-platform
Click any platform to expand the revoke + grant steps. All paths use official partner / role-based flows.
Meta Business ManagerFacebook & Instagram Pages, Ad Accounts, Pixels, Catalogs+
- 1Open Business Settings
Go to business.facebook.com → select your Business Portfolio → Business Settings (gear icon).
- 2Remove the previous agency's Partner
Under Users → Partners, find the outgoing agency's Business ID, click it, then Remove. This severs their access to every asset they were assigned.
- 3Audit individual People
Under Users → People, remove any individual employees from the prior agency who were added directly (not via Partner).
- 4Check System Users & Apps
Under Users → System Users and Integrations → Apps, remove any leftover tokens or apps tied to the prior agency.
- 1Add Mainstreet as a Partner
Business Settings → Users → Partners → Add → 'Give a partner access to your assets'.
- 2Enter our Business ID
Paste the Mainstreet Business ID we provided in your welcome email.
- 3Assign assets and roles
Select the Page, Ad Account, Pixel, Catalog, and Instagram account. Grant 'Manage' on the Ad Account, 'Create content / Community activity' on the Page, and 'Manage Pixel' on the Pixel.
- 4Confirm
Click Save. You'll see Mainstreet listed under Partners with the assets you assigned.
- — Mainstreet Business ID: provided in onboarding email
- — Required: Admin role on the Business Portfolio
Google AdsMCC (Manager Account) link request+
- 1Sign in to Google Ads
Go to ads.google.com using the email that owns the account (Admin access required).
- 2Open Account Access
Tools → Setup → Access and security → Managers tab.
- 3Unlink the prior agency's MCC
Find their Manager Account (10-digit ID) and click Unlink. This removes all their users at once.
- 4Remove direct user invites
On the Users tab, remove any individual @prior-agency.com emails still listed.
- 1Accept our link request
We will send a link request from our MCC. You'll see it under Tools → Access and security → Managers as 'Pending'.
- 2Approve
Click Accept. Mainstreet's MCC ID will appear with Admin access. No password sharing required.
- — Mainstreet Google Ads MCC ID: provided in onboarding email
- — Required: Admin access on the target Ads account
Google Analytics 4Property-level access via Google account+
- 1Open Admin
analytics.google.com → Admin (bottom-left gear).
- 2Property Access Management
Under Property column → 'Property Access Management'.
- 3Remove prior agency emails
Select each user from the previous agency and click the trash icon. Repeat at the Account level if they were added there too.
- 1Add Mainstreet
Property Access Management → '+' → Add users. Enter the email we provided.
- 2Assign role
Select 'Editor' (or 'Administrator' if we'll manage users). Uncheck 'Notify new users by email' only if you prefer.
- 3Add
Click Add. We'll confirm receipt in our onboarding ticket.
- — Mainstreet GA4 access email: provided in onboarding email
Google Tag ManagerContainer access for tracking & pixels+
- 1Open the container
tagmanager.google.com → select your container → Admin tab.
- 2User Management
Under Container, click 'User Management'. Remove prior agency users. Repeat at Account level.
- 1Invite Mainstreet
User Management → '+' → enter the email we provided.
- 2Permissions
Account: User. Container: Publish (so we can deploy tags without you in the loop each time).
- — Mainstreet GTM access email: provided in onboarding email
Domain & DNSRegistrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)+
- 1Log into your registrar directly
Use your own login — not the agency's. If the agency holds the registrar account, request a domain transfer-out (see below) before anything else.
- 2Reset registrar password
Change the password and enable 2FA on your email if you haven't already.
- 3Remove delegated access
In the registrar's Account Access / Delegated Users section, remove anyone from the prior agency.
- 4Audit DNS records
Check for unfamiliar TXT, MX, or CNAME records the prior agency added (email forwarding, verification tokens). Note them before deleting — some may belong to tools you still use.
- 1Option A — Delegate access
Most registrars (GoDaddy, Namecheap) allow adding a delegate user by email. Add the Mainstreet email we provided with 'Products & Domains' permission.
- 2Option B — Transfer the domain to your own account
If the agency owns the registration: request an EPP/Auth code and initiate a transfer to a new registrar in your name. Allow 5–7 days.
- 3Option C — DNS-only access
If you prefer to keep the registrar private, share DNS management via Cloudflare (add us as a Member on the zone) — we don't need registrar access for most marketing work.
- — Mainstreet registrar/DNS access email: provided in onboarding email
Google Business ProfileLocal listing & reviews+
- 1Open Business Profile Manager
business.google.com → select location → Menu → Business Profile settings → Managers.
- 2Remove prior agency
Click the user and select Remove. Only the Primary Owner can remove other owners.
- 1Add Mainstreet as Manager
Managers → Add → enter our email → role: Manager (not Owner unless we discussed it).
- — Mainstreet GBP access email: provided in onboarding email
Website CMS & HostingWordPress, Shopify, Webflow, Squarespace, Wix+
- 1WordPress
Users → All Users → remove prior agency accounts. Rotate any shared Admin password and any application passwords listed under each user.
- 2Shopify
Settings → Users and permissions → remove staff and collaborator accounts tied to the prior agency. Revoke their Collaborator request code by regenerating one.
- 3Webflow
Site Settings → Members → remove prior agency. For workspace-level access, Workspace Settings → Members.
- 4Squarespace / Wix
Settings → Permissions / Contributors → remove agency contributors.
- 1Invite by email with scoped role
Use the Mainstreet email we provided. Roles: WordPress 'Administrator' (or 'Editor' if no plugin work is needed); Shopify 'Staff' with relevant scopes; Webflow 'Can publish'.
- — Mainstreet CMS access email: provided in onboarding email
Common questions
What if my previous agency owns my Facebook Page or Ad Account?+
Request an asset transfer in Meta Business Settings. They click Partners → your business → 'Request to transfer asset'. If they refuse, Meta has an official Page Recovery process when you can prove the business is yours.
What if the previous agency owns my domain?+
Request the EPP / Authorization code in writing, then initiate a transfer to a registrar account in your name. ICANN gives them 5 days to respond; they cannot legitimately withhold it.
Do you need my password for anything?+
No. Every platform on this page supports invite-based or partner-based access. If a workflow ever seems to require a password handoff, escalate it to us and we'll find the right path.
What happens when our engagement ends?+
You remove us the same way you added us — Partners list, MCC managers, GA4 access. We'll send a closeout checklist mirroring this page.
How long does the full handoff usually take?+
Most clients finish in 30–60 minutes spread across a week. Meta and Google Ads take a few clicks once you're admin; domain transfers (if needed) take 5–7 days because of ICANN's mandated waiting period.
What if the previous agency is unresponsive or hostile?+
Document your requests in writing (email, not phone). For Meta, file a Page Recovery request. For Google Ads, you can use Google's reclaim form. For domains, contact your registrar's support with proof of business ownership. We can sit in on those calls if helpful.
Will my ad campaigns pause during the transition?+
No — if you add us before removing the prior agency, campaigns keep running. The ad account, pixel, and audiences all stay in place. We only change who is allowed to log in and edit them.
Do I lose historical data (conversions, audiences, learnings)?+
No. Historical ad data, pixel events, GA4 history, and Custom Audiences are tied to the account itself, not to whoever has access. Removing the prior agency does not delete anything.
What's the difference between Partner access and ownership?+
Ownership means the account lives inside that agency's Business Manager — risky, because if you leave they keep it. Partner access means the account is in your Business Manager and you grant other businesses permission to work in it. Always aim for the second.
Can I do this myself, or do I need IT help?+
You can do all of it yourself if you have admin/owner access and your 2FA codes. The only step that sometimes needs IT is registrar/DNS, if your domain is locked behind a corporate Google Workspace or IT-managed account.
What information do I need to send Mainstreet to start?+
Just the platforms you want us to manage and your role on each (admin, owner, editor). We'll reply with our Business IDs, MCC ID, and the specific emails to invite — everything you need is in your onboarding email.
Is any of this risky or against the platforms' terms?+
No. Every step here uses the official partner/role-based flows that Meta, Google, and the other platforms explicitly built for agency relationships. No password sharing, no impersonation, no scraping.
What if we've never worked with an agency before?+
Even better — there's nothing to untangle. We'll help you set up Meta Business Manager, a Google Ads account, GA4, and the rest from scratch, all in your name. Skip every 'revoke previous access' step in the platform guides; the 'grant Mainstreet access' steps still apply.
We've been doing marketing in-house. What changes?+
Usually very little on the account side — your internal team keeps their access; we just get added alongside as a partner or MCC-linked manager. We'll talk through who owns which deliverables on the kickoff call so nothing falls between the cracks.
Can our internal team keep working in the accounts alongside Mainstreet?+
Absolutely. Co-managed setups are common. Your team keeps their admin roles, we get partner-level access scoped to what we own, and we agree on a simple rule for who edits what (often: we own paid media and analytics; you own organic social and the website CMS — but it's whatever fits).
What if a previous freelancer or former employee still has access?+
Same playbook as a prior agency: add us first, confirm everything works, then remove their user / unlink their MCC / revoke their connected app. If their personal Gmail is the owner of the account, we'll walk you through transferring ownership to a business email you control before anything else.
TikTok Business Center → Members → remove agency. Also revoke any connected apps under Settings → Security.
Company Page → Admin tools → Manage admins. Remove prior agency admins. For Campaign Manager, remove them from Account users.
Use a password manager handoff or rotate the password. For Ads, use ads.x.com → Account access → remove users.
YouTube Studio → Settings → Permissions → remove prior agency. For brand channels, manage via the linked Brand Account in your Google account.
On each platform, add the Mainstreet contact we provided with the minimum role needed (Editor / Analyst / Standard). We will never ask for your password.