Being unhappy with an agency is common; the real problem is often not the split itself but not knowing what you lose during it. Businesses that cannot access their ad account, cannot get their analytics history or cannot reach their website files have to start from zero with the new agency.
In this article we cover the check to make before deciding to switch agencies, the timeline of the handover, the access, data and files you must take back, the order for closing access and the steps for handing over to the new agency. At the end there is a checklist you can print.
Before You Decide to Switch Agencies
Switching agencies has a cost: the new team learning the work, measurement being rebuilt and automated ad systems re-entering a learning period can take weeks. So first check whether the problem can be solved.
Ask yourself these questions before deciding:
- Were expectations in writing? If goals, metrics to measure and reporting frequency were not set at the start, the problem may be vagueness more than the agency.
- Did you communicate the problem clearly? Raising it in a monthly meeting with concrete examples and asking for an improvement plan often works.
- What does the data say? Judge the situation against recorded goals rather than a feeling. If reports are missing, ask for a report with a structure like the one in how to prepare a social media report.
- Is the problem structural? Problems like no reporting, no account access being given or repeatedly promised work not being done are strong reasons to switch.
For what to look at when searching for an alternative agency, see our article what to look for when choosing an SEO agency.
The Handover Timeline
Squeezing the transition into a single day is risky. The timeline below is a starting skeleton; adapt it to the notice periods in your contract.
| Period | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before termination (30-60 days) | Read the termination and handover clauses in the contract, audit account ownership, start talking to the new agency |
| Termination notice | Send written notice by the method set in the contract, ask the agency for a handover list |
| Last 2-3 weeks | Take data and file exports, add the new agency as a user, record the measurement baseline |
| Handover week | Transfer campaign structure and open tasks to the new agency, run a short dual-working period if possible |
| After handover | Close the old agency’s access, renew passwords, monitor performance closely for the first 30 days |
Our article on who owns digital accounts, which covers who should hold the accounts, is good preparation for the first step of this timeline.
What You Must Take Back
During handover, take not only “access” but the information as well. The table below shows what you will need, category by category.
| Category | What to take |
|---|---|
| Access and ownership | Owner or admin rights on the domain, hosting, GA4, Tag Manager, Search Console, Ads, Business Profile and Meta accounts |
| Analytics and measurement | An export of the tag container, conversion definitions, UTM naming scheme, exports of GA4 and Search Console reports |
| Ad accounts | Campaign structure, keyword and negative keyword lists, ad copy, audience lists, budget history |
| Website | File and database backup, theme or source code, design source files, redirect list |
| Content and social media | Content calendar, source files of produced images and videos, reply templates, community notes |
| Reports and documents | Past monthly reports, strategy documents, a log of changes made |
Because Search Console’s data retention is limited, exporting historical data regularly is important. For a detailed setup article on the analytics side, see our Google Analytics guide.
The Order for Closing Access and Securing Accounts
The right order is to add the new agency and verify access first, then remove the old one. That way you never lose control at any point.
- Add the new agency first and verify that it can do its work.
- Remove the old agency’s users: Delete every address one by one in analytics, tag management, Search Console, ads, business profile and social platforms.
- Renew passwords and recovery details: Change all shared passwords and make sure two-step verification is with you.
- Review third-party connections: Reporting tools, form redirects, API keys and email notifications may be tied to the old agency’s account.
- Check payment methods: No agency card or invoice name should remain on ad accounts and tool subscriptions.
- Update notification addresses: Form notifications, WhatsApp numbers and automatic emails may still be going to the old agency.
If the website will also move to a new team, see how to prevent SEO loss in a website migration for the domain and redirect topics.
Handing Over to the New Agency to Prevent a Performance Drop
A temporary fluctuation in results during the transition is normal, but it can be reduced.
- Record the measurement baseline: Before handover, put the core metrics of the last three months (number of forms, conversions, spend, organic traffic) in a document and compare the new agency’s performance with it.
- Give a brief: Pass on goals, target audience, competitors, seasonal periods, and what has and has not worked, in writing.
- Run dual working if possible: If the two teams work together briefly, knowledge transfer is easier.
- Do not change everything at once: Automated bidding strategies enter a learning period; go step by step instead of rebuilding campaigns in the same week.
- Plan the first 30 days: We explained how to plan the start with a new agency in the first 30 days with an agency.
What to Watch in Termination Clauses
The best time to plan the exit is when the contract is signed. For your current contract, check these points:
- Notice period and method: How long before, and in what form, must the termination notice be given?
- Handover obligation: Within what time must the agency hand over access and files?
- Fees: How do the payment at termination, billing for half-finished work and penalty clauses work?
- Intellectual property: Who owns the design, content and code, and when do usage rights pass?
- Confidentiality: How are the use and storage of data after the split regulated?
For contract clauses and legal assessment, get support from a legal adviser. If you want a form you can print and tick off, you can download the handover checklist as a PDF (in Turkish).
What to Monitor in the First 30 Days After the Switch
After the handover is complete, track results numerically, not emotionally. The indicators below show whether the transition is going well.
| Area | What to monitor | When to look |
|---|---|---|
| Leads | Number of form, phone and WhatsApp requests | Weekly |
| Ads | Spend, number of conversions, cost per conversion | Weekly; fluctuation in the first two weeks is normal |
| Organic visibility | Clicks and impressions in Search Console, indexed pages | Every two weeks |
| Local visibility | Searches and direction requests on the business profile, new reviews | Weekly |
| Social media | Reach, engagement, number of messages | Every two weeks |
| Reporting | Report arriving on time and complete | Monthly |
Because you wrote the measurement baseline before the handover, you can fill this table with those figures and hold the first review meeting with the new agency on concrete data.
How Should Communication Go During the Split?
A tense split is not in your interest, because you need the agency’s cooperation during handover. Write the notice politely but clearly, state the reasons briefly and attach the handover list. Set delivery dates together and ask for a concrete file list for exports. If a dispute arises, keep the correspondence and, if needed, make written requests based on the contract clauses.
Common Mistakes
- Giving notice verbally: Termination notice must be written and sent by the method in the contract.
- Closing access before handover: Deleting the old agency before the new agency’s access is verified makes you lose control.
- Leaving data export to the end: Once the agency stops cooperating, exports get harder.
- Not recording the measurement baseline: It becomes impossible to judge the new agency’s effect.
- Changing everything at once: You cannot tell which change affected the result.
If you are thinking of moving your digital marketing work to a new agency, you can look at our digital marketing service and write to us to discuss your handover plan together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does switching agencies lower performance?
A short fluctuation can occur, because the new team learns the work and automated ad systems may re-enter a learning period. Recording the measurement baseline, running dual working and making changes step by step reduce this effect.
How far in advance should termination notice be given?
It varies by contract. Most contracts have a set number of days and a written notice requirement. Read your contract and send the notice by a dated, provable method.
What should I do if the old agency refuses to hand over data?
First check whether the accounts are opened in your name; if so, you can export the data with your own admin access. If the problem continues, make a written request based on the handover clause in the contract and get legal support if needed.
Is a dual-working period necessary?
It is not mandatory, but it makes knowledge transfer easier, especially for complex ad accounts and regular content production. A short period of a few weeks is often enough.
What happens if the website is under the agency’s control?
If the site’s files, hosting account and domain are not in your name, first clarify ownership and handover terms from the contract. If you do not hold the domain and hosting, ask in writing for them to be transferred; get a backup before handover.
What information should I give the new agency?
Give your goals, target audience, competitors, work that has and has not worked, current account access, monthly reports and the measurement baseline. This information shortens the first weeks considerably.
