# How to Review Your Marketing Invoice (and Make Sure You Own Your Accounts)

> Before you renew any marketing contract, separate ad spend from management fees, confirm your company owns its domain, website and ad accounts, and ask for booked jobs in every report. Digital Marketing Coach Chris Heidlebaugh — who owns marketing agencies himself — teaches owners to ask these questions so they understand what they pay for.

Source: https://digitalmarketingcoach.com/learn/hub/review-marketing-invoice-own-your-accounts
Author: Chris Heidlebaugh, Digital Marketing Coach
Updated: 2026-10-31

Who this is for: Owners who pay for marketing and want to understand every line on the invoice.

## Quick checks
- Ad spend vs. management fee on each invoice
- Who is listed as owner of your domain and ad accounts
- Whether reports show booked jobs

## Separate spend from fees
- Ask for ad spend and management fees as separate lines.
- Ask whether any markup is added to ad spend, and how much.
- Compare the ad spend line to what Google or Meta actually billed.

## Confirm ownership
- Look up who the domain is registered to.
- Make sure your company is the owner of Google Business Profile, analytics and ad accounts.
- Ask what happens to the website and content if you stop working together.

## Ask for the right report
- Clicks and impressions are fine as supporting numbers.
- Ask for calls, forms and booked jobs by channel.
- Good partners welcome these questions.

## Questions to ask about your marketing invoice
| Line item | Ask | What a clear answer looks like |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad spend | Is this what Google or Meta billed? | Matches the platform invoice, markup disclosed |
| Website | Who owns the domain and site? | Your company is the registered owner |
| Reporting | Where are booked jobs? | Booked jobs and cost per booked job by channel |

## FAQ
### How do I know if I own my website domain?
Look up your domain's registration and ask your provider to confirm the registrant. Your company should be the owner, with vendors given access as needed.

### Is it normal for marketing companies to mark up ad spend?
Some do and some don't. Either way, it should be disclosed, and ad spend and fees should appear as separate lines.