How to Share Google My Business Access

Giving someone access to your Google Business Profile doesn't have to be a complicated or risky process. Sharing your personal Google password is a definite no-go, and luckily, there’s a much smarter, safer way to collaborate. This guide will walk you through exactly how to share access securely, what the different permission levels mean, and the best practices for managing your team or agency partners.

Why Sharing Access is a Smart Move (Instead of Sharing Your Password)

You might be tempted to just hand over your login details to a new hire or marketing agency. It seems fast and easy, but that route is filled with security landmines. Your Google account is the key to your digital kingdom - Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, and so much more. Sharing your password means sharing everything. Utilizing the built-in user management system for your Google Business Profile (GBP) is a far better approach. Here's why:

• Rock-Solid Security: The most significant benefit is security. By adding users directly through the GBP dashboard, you never have to expose your personal password. Their access is completely separate from your primary Google account, so your email and personal files remain private and secure.
• Total Control and Flexibility: You get to decide exactly what each person can and can't do. Need a team member to post updates but not change core business information? There’s a role for that. Want to give an agency everything but the power to delete the profile? You can do that, too. And when a partnership ends, you can revoke access in two clicks without the chaos of changing your password and logging out of all your devices.
• Clear Accountability: Wondering who changed the business hours or responded to that critical review? Google Business Profile keeps a record of major changes made by users. This accountability helps you maintain quality control and track who is doing what, which is especially important when you have multiple people involved in managing the profile.
• Seamless Collaboration: A well-managed GBP is a team effort. Sharing access allows staff, freelance social media managers, photographers, and marketing agencies to contribute directly to the profile. They can respond to reviews, upload new photos, publish posts (formerly Google Posts), and analyze performance insights without needing to bother you for every little task.

Understanding the Different User Roles in Google Business Profile

Before you start sending out invitations, it's vital to know what each role means. Giving someone too much permission can lead to accidental (or intentional) problems, while giving them too little can prevent them from doing their job. Google offers three main levels of access you can assign.

Primary Owner

Think of the Primary Owner as the ultimate account holder. There can only be one Primary Owner per profile, and they have the highest level of control. This role is typically held by the business owner or the person who first created the profile.

• Permissions: The Primary Owner can do everything. This includes editing all business information, adding and deleting users (including other Owners), and, most importantly, transferring primary ownership or deleting the entire business profile.
• When to Use: This role should almost never be assigned to anyone else unless you are selling your business or permanently handing over management to a new owner. Protect this access carefully.

Owner

An Owner has nearly all the same powers as the Primary Owner, making this a role that should also be granted with caution. A profile can have multiple Owners, and they can all perform most administrative tasks.

• Permissions: Owners can edit every part of the profile, add or remove other users (Managers and other Owners), and respond to reviews and questions. The only thing they can't do is remove the Primary Owner.
• When to Use: Grant Owner access to trusted partners or top-level managers who need full control over the profile's strategy and user management. For an outside agency, you might make their primary contact an Owner, but only if your agreement specifically requires it.

Manager

The Manager role is your go-to for day-to-day collaborators. It's the safest and most common role to assign to employees, marketing agencies, or freelancers. It gives them the keys to manage daily activities without giving them the power to make irreversible changes.

• Permissions: A Manager can do most of the things an active profile needs. They can update business hours, services, and photos, create and publish posts, respond to customer reviews and questions, and view all performance insights. What they can't do is edit core business information like the name, business category, or address. Most importantly, they can't add or remove users, transfer ownership, or delete the profile.
• When to Use: This is the perfect role for the vast majority of people you'll collaborate with. Your social media manager, customer service team, or a trusted marketing agency can perform all their necessary tasks without posing a security risk to the profile's ownership and core structure.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Add a User to Your Google Business Profile

Ready to grant access? The process is straightforward and only takes a minute. The person you’re inviting just needs to have an active Google account (like a Gmail address).

Here’s how to do it, step-by-step:

1. Access Your Business Profile Dashboard: The easiest way to get there is to make sure you're logged into the Google account that manages your profile. Then, simply search for "my business" or your exact business name on Google Search. Your profile management panel should appear right at the top of the search results.
2. Go to People and Access Settings: In the management panel, look for the three vertical dots menu icon on the top right. Click it, then select Business Profile settings. In the new menu that appears, click on People and access.
3. Start the Invitation: At the top left of the "People and access" screen, you'll see a small blue icon of a person with a plus sign next to it. Click this "Add" icon to begin inviting a new user.
4. Enter the User's Email Address: A pop-up box will appear. In the "Email address" field, type the email of the person you want to invite. Double-check the spelling! It must be the email address associated with their Google account.
5. Assign Their Role: Below the email field, you'll see a section titled "Access level." It will be defaulted to Manager. If that's the role you want, you can leave it. If you need to grant Owner access, select that option instead. As we discussed, for most cases, Manager is the best choice.
6. Send the Invite: Once you've entered the email and selected a role, click the blue "Invite" button. That's it! An invitation email will be sent to the recipient, and the invitation will now show up as "Pending" in your "People and access" list. They will need to open the email and click the accept button to gain access.

Managing Existing Users: How to Change Roles or Revoke Access

Your team will change over time. Employees leave, agency contracts end, and roles evolve. It's essential to keep your user list clean and up-to-date to maintain security. Managing or removing users is even simpler than adding them.

Follow these steps to change a role or remove an individual:

1. Return to the "People and access" Section: Just like before, find your profile on Google Search and navigate to Business Profile settings > People and access.
2. Select the User to Update: You'll see a list of everyone who has access (and any pending invitations). Click on the name of the person whose access you want to modify or remove.
3. Change Their Role or Remove Them:
   • To change a role: Click on their current role (e.g., "Manager"). A dropdown menu will appear allowing you to switch them to "Owner" or another available role.
   • To remove access: Simply click the button that says "Remove person." A confirmation pop-up will ask if you're sure. Confirm, and their access will be instantly revoked.

Best Practices for Smarter Access Management

Following a few simple rules will help you keep your Google Business Profile secure and running smoothly.

Apply the Principle of Least Privilege

This is a core concept in data security that applies perfectly here. It simply means you should only give someone the level of access they absolutely need to do their job, and nothing more. Your copywriter probably doesn't need Owner access. Your entire marketing department probably doesn't either. The Manager role was specifically designed for these situations, so use it as your default.

Conduct Regular Access Audits

Set a calendar reminder to review who has access to your profile once every quarter or every six months. As you look through the list of owners and managers, ask yourself: Does this person still work with us? Do they still need this level of access? If the answer is no, remove them immediately. This quick housekeeping habit prevents former employees or contractors from retaining access long after they're gone.

Communicate Clearly

When you send an invitation, give the person a heads-up. Let them know to expect an email from Google. These invitations can sometimes land in spam folders, so a quick message on Slack or via text can make sure they see it and accept the invitation promptly.

Final Thoughts

Mastering how to securely share and manage access to your Google Business Profile is a foundational skill for any modern business owner or marketer. By using the built-in roles and permissions, you foster effective collaboration with your team while protecting one of your most valuable digital assets from accidental errors or security threats.

Getting your team collaborating effectively on your Google Business Profile is a fantastic start, but it's typically just one pillar of your overall online presence. Juggling Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook on top of that can introduce the same management chaos you just solved for GMB. We created Postbase to streamline that exact process, unifying your social media planning, scheduling, engagement, and analytics into a single, intuitive platform to make team collaboration effortless across all channels.