How to Use Meta Business Manager for Agencies (2025 Guide)

If you’re a marketing agency, you’ve likely been confused by the question: “Do I need a Facebook Agency Ads Account or a Facebook Business Manager?” You search for answers online only to find conflicting information and outdated tutorials, leaving you unsure of the right way to manage your clients’ assets without causing a security nightmare.

Let’s clear this up for good: In 2025, the debate is over. The Meta Business Manager (now often part of the Meta Business Suite) is the one and only tool you need. It is the central, secure hub designed specifically for agencies and businesses to manage all their marketing and advertising activities. The concept of a separate “agency ad account” is now managed within the Business Manager itself.

This guide will walk you through exactly what the Meta Business Manager is, why you must use it, and how to set it up correctly to manage multiple client ad accounts professionally. This is a crucial component of our Facebook for Business: The Definitive 2025 Guide.

What Is Meta Business Manager?

Meta Business Manager is a free platform that allows businesses and agencies to securely manage their Pages, ad accounts, and catalogs in one central place, without sharing login information or being personally tied to coworker or client accounts.

It is designed to solve three core problems:

1. Separation: It keeps your personal Facebook profile separate from your work.
2. Security: It allows you to grant specific permission levels to employees and partners without giving them full ownership.
3. Organization: It lets you manage multiple client Pages and ad accounts from a single, consolidated dashboard.

Why Every Agency MUST Use Meta Business Manager

If you manage Facebook or Instagram marketing for even one client, using Business Manager is non-negotiable. Here’s why:

• Professionalism: It’s the industry-standard method for managing client assets. Asking a client for their personal login details is unprofessional and a major security risk.
• Clear Ownership: Your agency’s Business Manager “requests access” to a client’s Page or Ad Account, but the client always remains the owner. This protects both you and the client.
• Team Management: You can easily assign specific roles and permissions (e.g., analyst, advertiser, admin) to your team members for different client accounts.
• Scalability: It’s built to handle dozens or even hundreds of client accounts, making it easy to scale your agency’s operations.

How to Set Up Your Agency’s Meta Business Manager

Setting up a Business Manager is the first step.

1. Go to https://www.google.com/search?q=business.facebook.com/overview.
2. Click “Create Account.”
3. Enter Your Business Details: Enter your business name, your name, and your work email address.
4. Confirm Your Email: Follow the steps in the confirmation email to verify your account.

Your Business Manager has now been created. The next step is to populate it with your agency’s assets (your own Page and ad account) and then request access to your clients’ assets.

How to Add and Manage a Client’s Ad Account

This is the most critical process for an agency. Crucially, your client should always own their own ad account. Your agency should only ever request access to it.

1. Navigate to Business Settings: Inside your Business Manager, go to “Business Settings.”
2. Go to “Ad Accounts”: Under the “Accounts” section, click “Ad Accounts.”
3. Click the “Add” Button: You will see three options:
   • Add an Ad Account: This is for adding an ad account you already own.
   • Request Access to an Ad Account: This is the correct option for agencies.
   • Create a New Ad Account: This is for creating a brand-new ad account that your business will own.
4. Request Access: Select “Request Access to an Ad Account” and enter the client’s ad account ID. (Your client can find this ID in their own Ads Manager).
5. Assign People: Once the client approves your request, the ad account will appear in your Business Manager. You can then select it, click “Assign People,” and give specific team members access to work on that client’s campaigns.

Essential Tools for Agency Management

• Meta Business Suite: The native platform. You’ll be using this every day to switch between client accounts, manage assets, and view top-level performance.
• Asana or Trello: Project management tools are essential for tracking tasks, deadlines, and communications for each client account to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
• Supermetrics or ReportGarden: These third-party tools pull data from all your client ad accounts into automated reports and dashboards, saving you hundreds of hours on client reporting.

Conclusion: Putting It All Together

The old confusion between a “Facebook agency ad account” and “Business Manager” is a thing of the past. The Meta Business Manager is the definitive, professional, and secure platform for any agency that wants to scale its operations. By centralizing your team, clients, and assets, you create a more efficient and secure workflow for everyone involved.

What Should You Do Now?

1. Create Your Business Manager: If you haven’t already, go to business.facebook.com and create your official Business Manager account today.
2. Audit Your Client Access: Review how you currently access all of your client accounts. If you are using personal logins or are an admin on their personal ad accounts, begin the process of professionally requesting access through your new Business Manager.
3. Organize Your Team: Assign roles and permissions to your team members for each client, ensuring everyone has the right level of access to do their job effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions