How do you give an employee or agency access to your Google Business Profile without giving up ownership?
Invite them from People and access in your profile's settings, using their own Google Account, and choose Manager rather than Owner. Google says managers have mostly the same access as owners, such as editing info, replying to reviews and posting, but cannot add or remove users or remove the profile. Keep primary ownership yourself, and when someone leaves, remove them from the same screen.
Owners, the primary owner and managers
Google says a profile can have several owners but only one primary owner, and only the primary owner can transfer that role. Managers, once called site managers, have almost the same access as owners. Some rows from Google's comparison:
| Owner | Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Add and remove users | Yes | No |
| Remove the profile | Yes | No |
| Edit the name, category or website, or close a location | Yes | Yes |
| Edit hours, address and phone number | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to reviews and publish posts | Yes | Yes |
| Manage Google Ads account links | Yes | Yes |
How to add someone
Google says each person needs their own Google Account, so no one has to share your password, and that Google Groups cannot be added. Its steps:
- Go to your Business Profile and select More Business Profile settings, then People and access.
- At the top left, select Add and enter the person's email address.
- Under Access, choose Owner or Manager, then select Invite.
- The person can accept and become a user right away, and you get an email when they do. Pending invites are listed under PENDING on the same page, where you can cancel one.
Which role to give
As general advice, not Google's: give staff and outside help the Manager role, and keep Owner for the people who own the business. A manager can still rename the profile or close a location, so even that role is for someone you trust. Google's ownership guidelines say an agency must, whenever possible, encourage the owner to own the profile and add the agency as a manager; the related answer on what to do if someone else controls your Google Business Profile covers the rest of those rules.
Google says a profile needs at least one other owner or manager before primary ownership can be transferred. As general advice, a second owner from inside the business, such as a partner, means one lost login does not lock everyone out; the related answer on who should own your ad accounts makes the same case for ads.
When someone leaves
In People and access, select the person, then Remove person. Google says only owners can remove owners and managers, that the person removed gets an email, and that their past review replies and posts stay on the profile.
If the person leaving is the primary owner, Google says they cannot remove themselves until they transfer primary ownership: in People and access, select the new primary owner, select Edit next to Access, choose Primary owner and save. Google also says someone added in the last 7 days cannot yet make anyone primary owner. When an agency leaves, the related answer on how to switch marketing agencies lists the other accounts to check.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, "Manage your Business Profile owners & managers"
- Google Business Profile Help, "Transfer primary ownership of a Business Profile"
- Google Business Profile Help, "Business eligibility and ownership guidelines"
Related answers
- What if someone else controls my business’s Google profile?
- Who should own your Google Ads and Facebook ad accounts?
- How do you switch marketing agencies without losing your website or leads?
- How do you change your business name or address on Google without losing your reviews?
SEO for service businesses
Get found on Google by the people already looking for what you sell, in the places you serve, and see which searches turned into inquiries.