top of page
Search

Part 2: The Marketing Tools You Think You Own—But Probably Don’t

Updated: Aug 7

The Problem


Most small business owners hand over the keys to their marketing tools without even realizing it.


Why? Because this stuff is confusing. You didn’t sign up to manage a dozen platforms. You just wanted a website. Maybe a logo. A way to show up on Google without losing your mind.

This is Part 2 of our 2‑part series on marketing operations. If you missed Part 1 — all about taking back control of your website — start there first so your marketing foundation is secure before you lock down these other tools.

Instead, you got a mess: dashboards, tools, logins, plugins—and a side of tech-speak no one warned you about. So you did what most folks would do… you outsourced it.

Totally fine. Smart even.


But here's the thing: outsourcing (good) isn’t the same as handing over ownership (bad!).



Most Common Marketing TOol Ownership Gaps We See


We run audits for small business clients all the time. Here’s where we usually find issues:

  • Google tools — GA4, Ads, Merchant Center, and Business Profile set up under a personal or vendor account

  • Knowledge Panel — unclaimed or showing wrong info

  • Social schedulers — tied to someone else’s login

  • Creative tools — Canva brand files under a contractor’s email

  • Email marketing — Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or similar tied to unknown logins

  • CRMs — customer data in a system you can’t access

  • No central list — no shared doc tracking what tools exist, who owns them, or how to log in


What Happens When You Don’t Own Your Marketing Tools?


You can’t switch vendors easily (you’re trapped).

You lose marketing history that helps you make smart decisions.

You’re locked out of data and reports.

You spend hours chasing down passwords.

You keep paying for tools someone else still has access to.


This isn’t about being “controlling.” It’s about running your business like a business.


5 Steps to Take Ownership of Your Marketing Tools


You don’t need to be "techie". You just need to be in charge.


1. Use a business-owned email

Tie all platforms to an email your business controls—not a personal Gmail or your developer’s inbox. Create a shared account like marketing@yourbiz.com. You can change the password after you are no longer working with that vendor.


2. Track every tool and who owns it

Keep a simple doc or spreadsheet. Include tool names, access links, account owners, and roles. Never guess who has the keys.


3. Assign user roles—no shared logins

Add users the right way so you can revoke access easily. No more passing around one master login. If a system doesn't have that capability, then use a password management tool like 1Password so that you can share and change the password easily.


4. Claim your Knowledge Panel + verify listings

Google yourself. If a panel shows up—claim it.If it’s wrong or empty, customers are seeing the wrong brand.


5. Rotate passwords + remove inactive users

Basic, but essential. Change passwords quarterly if you've shared them. Clear out old team members, vendors, or mystery emails.


Bonus: Don’t Forget the “Other” Marketing Tools


Marketing tools like:

  • Canva

  • Email

  • Social media schedulers

  • CRMs

  • Dropbox / Drive

  • Website plugins

  • Booking and automation platforms


If your name’s not on the login, your data isn’t really yours. And when that data disappears, so does almost everything you've learned.


How to Use AI to Help 🤖


"Act like a marketing operations specialist. Ask me 10 questions, one at a time, to find out if I actually own and control my core marketing tools."


What's next?



📌 If you skipped Part 1 — If You Don’t Own Your Website, You Don’t Own Your Marketing — read it here first. Your website is the foundation, and it needs to be under your control before you can secure these other tools.


Need help? Join our weekly office hours to get quick answers to these types of questions from our team!


Comments

bottom of page