The foundation: platform partnerships
Everything starts with a direct commercial relationship between an agency and the ad platform. Meta, Google, TikTok, Snapchat, and the native networks all run partner programs with vetting, spend commitments, and dedicated rep coverage. Accounts created under that partnership inherit its trust — that inheritance is the whole product.
Step 1: Onboarding and compliance
You share your vertical, website, and landing pages. The agency checks them against platform policy before anything is provisioned — because a policy violation on a partner account damages the partnership, agencies are motivated to catch problems you'd otherwise discover via a ban.
Step 2: Provisioning
A fresh account is created inside the agency's business structure and access is granted to you (or your Business Manager) as a partner. You keep your own pixel, audiences, and creative library; the account shell and its billing belong to the agency's infrastructure. Typical turnaround: under 24 hours.
Step 3: The wallet
Instead of a personal card on file, you top up a prepaid balance. That wallet can fund accounts across multiple platforms simultaneously — shift budget from Meta to TikTok in a message, no new billing setup. Details in one-wallet budgeting.
Step 4: Running and scaling
You run campaigns exactly as you would in any account — same Ads Manager, same tools. The differences surface when something goes wrong: rejections get explained, flags get human review, and if an account is ever lost, a replacement is provisioned and your assets reconnected within hours.
What it costs
Most providers charge a percentage on top-ups (commonly 3–8%) or a flat monthly fee. Weigh that against downtime risk — the math is covered in agency vs personal accounts. Choosing between providers? Read what separates the good ones.