The analytics checklist for a new agency client
The first week with a new client is the only time you can see their tracking before your team touches it. What you check now decides whether the next bad number is your problem or one you inherited.
Confirm who owns what
- The client should own its GA4 property, Tag Manager container, ad accounts and consent platform. Your agency gets user access.
- Watch for accounts owned by a previous agency, a former employee or a personal Gmail address. Get ownership moved before relying on them.
Request access
| Platform | What to request |
|---|---|
| GA4 | Editor access to the property |
| Google Tag Manager | Publish access to the container |
| Google Ads | Standard access |
| Meta | Partner access through Business Manager, including the pixel or dataset |
| Consent platform | Admin or editor access |
| Website or store | A contact who can publish changes, or staff access on Shopify |
Check in week one
- List the key actions with the client: purchases, lead forms, signups.
- Test each one on the live site. Does it fire once, at the right moment?
- Test with consent accepted and declined.
- Check that Google Ads and Meta actually receive each conversion.
- Ask what changed recently: redesigns, new apps, a new banner.
Record a baseline
Write down last month’s conversions in GA4, each ad platform and the client’s own system (orders or CRM). When numbers move later, you’ll know whether they moved before or after your team arrived.
Red flags
- Several Tag Manager containers, or tags hard-coded outside Tag Manager.
- A consent banner that appears but doesn’t change what fires.
- Conversions counted on a button click instead of a confirmed submission or order.
- Nobody can say which numbers leadership actually uses.
