Effective management of your Google Business Profile how-to-provide-access-to-a-google-business-profile)**(GBP) is essential in 2025 for local SEO success, client interaction, and visibility on Google Maps and Search. Without sacrificing security, sharing access enables team members, partners, or agencies to assist with updating data,
responding to reviews, posting updates, and analysing insights. Google provides three different access levels with different permissions: Manager, Owner, and Primary Owner. The best practices for agencies, adding users, and resolving typical problems are all covered in this guide.
Understanding Google Business Profile Access Levels
There are three main user roles in Google Business Profiles:
Primary Owner: the main person in charge, having full control. They can transfer primary ownership, remove any user (including themselves—only after the transfer), and manage all features. There’s always one primary owner.
Owner: Practically the same as the primary owner. They can add/remove managers, edit profile details, reply to reviews, and do most tasks. However, they can't remove the primary owner or transfer primary ownership.
Manager: Great for day-to-day stuff. Managers can update business info, add photos, create posts, respond to reviews, and view insights. Major limits: they cannot add/remove users, nor delete the profile or transfer ownership.
Note: the older "Site Manager" role, which had very limited access, is being phased out now. Always give minimum access needed; use Manager for most teammates to keep things secure.
New users need to accept an invitation via email and might have to wait up to 7 days to get full feature access.
Step-by-Step: How to Add an Owner or Manager
Only the primary owner or an existing owner can add new users. Here's how:
Log in to your Google Business Profile either on business.google.com or via Google Search/Maps.
Select your business profile, if managing multiple.
Go to Business Profile settings > People and access (or in some views "Managers").
Click Add, top left or right.
Email the person's name or email address. Must be a Google account email.
Select Owner or Manager under "Access."
Click Invite or Send.
Invitation is sent via email. They should:
Check spam/junk folders. Log in to their Google account and accept the invitation. To see pending invites or to revoke them, go back to the "People and access" section. To remove: Click the user and then select Remove person. Managers can remove themselves.
Transferring Primary Ownership
If selling a business or delegating fully:
Add new user as an Owner first-follow the steps above.
Once accepted (after 7 days if new), go to People and access
Select new owner > Transfer primary ownership The primary owner cannot remove themselves until they transfer.
Agency Access: Best Practices for Third-Party Management
Digital marketing agencies operate with multiple client profiles. Google, in 2025, encourages the usage of dedicated tools for registered agencies:
Agency Sign-up: Navigate to business.google.com/agencysignup. Use a company domain email, not personal Gmail. That will create an "Organization" account so you can perform bulk management, user groups, and special support.
Client Grants Access: Clients add your agency's email as a Manager---it is recommended to avoid Owner to prevent ownership risks. For advanced setup, the client can add your Organization ID or request access via the agency dashboard.
Benefits: Agencies receive streamlined invites, bulk updates, and insights across all clients without sharing passwords. Tip: agencies should never request Primary Ownership status. For updates and reviews, make use of Manager access. Registered agencies can directly request access; clients approve/decline
Troubleshooting Common Access Issues in 2025
Problems with invitations and access are common - here's how to solve them:
Invitation not received: check spam/promotions folders. Resend the invite. Make sure the email is linked to a Google account. Sometimes invites show up directly in the recipient's Google account dashboard under pending actions.
Access Denied or Permission Errors: Only owners can add users—if you're a Manager, ask the primary owner. For agencies, check Organization setup.
7-Day Delay: New users cannot take sensitive actions, such as transferring ownership, immediately.
Pending Invites Not Showing: Try logging in and out or using an incognito mode. Check Google's preferences for unsubscribed notifications.
Rejections or No Responses: Politely follow up with them. If the profile is unowned, use "Request ownership" on the profile page. For ongoing issues, reach out to Google Business Profile support through the help center or dashboard. In 2025, verified profiles receive priority support. Regularly review your "People and access" list: remove non-active users to increase security.
Final Tips for Secure GBP Management
Limit Owners to trusted individuals.
Use Manager for agencies and staff.
Monitor activity via insights.
Stay updated: Google continues evolving GBP with features like enhanced attributes and AI integrations.
By following these steps, you'll collaborate efficiently while protecting your profile. Optimized access management boosts local rankings and customer trust in 2025's competitive landscape.
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