At The Three Marketers, we often work with businesses that face a common challenge—key online marketing information gets lost or becomes inaccessible when staff members change. Whether it’s your website, Google Ads account, Google Business Profile, or social media pages, losing access can seriously disrupt your marketing efforts and cost you time and money.
Here’s how you can avoid this situation and keep your digital presence running smoothly, no matter who’s on your team.
Why Access Issues Happen
Most of the time, the problem is simple: login details are saved under a personal email address or are known only to one person. When that person leaves, no one else can access the accounts. In some cases, the email address was deactivated or forgotten, and there’s no way to recover it. This leaves new team members scrambling to recover ownership or recreate accounts.
How to Protect Your Business
Here are some practical precautions every business should take:
- Use a Shared, Company-Owned Email Address
Set up a central, company-owned email address (e.g. marketing@yourcompany.ca) to register and manage all marketing accounts. Avoid using personal staff emails to create or manage business-critical platforms. - Store Login Information in a Secure, Shared Location
Use a password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden to store login credentials. Ensure key staff and management have access. This reduces the risk of losing access and keeps your logins secure. - Maintain an Online Marketing Asset List
Create a document listing all your accounts, including:
• Website hosting and CMS logins
• Domain registrar access
• Google Business Profile
• Google account (used for Business Profile, Analytics, Tag Manager, and Search Console—one login gives access to all Google tools)
• Social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Any third-party tools (e.g. email marketing, booking systems)
Update this list regularly and store it in a secure cloud location that authorized personnel can access. - Assign Multiple Admins
Where possible, assign at least two admin users to each platform—ideally including someone in management. This ensures continuity if one admin is unavailable or leaves the company. - Conduct a Digital Audit During Staff Changes
Make it standard practice to review access to all accounts when onboarding or offboarding team members. Revoke access for departing staff and update passwords as needed. - Work With a Trusted Marketing Partner
If you’re working with an agency, provide them with access using proper admin or manager roles—never by sharing personal logins. Agencies like ours can also help you perform an audit and set up more secure, shared access systems.
Final Thoughts
Protecting access to your online marketing platforms is just as important as protecting financial or legal documents. With a few simple steps, you can avoid unnecessary disruptions and ensure that your marketing efforts stay on track—even when your team changes.
