How to Add a User to Google My Business | TIV360

How to Add a User to Google My Business to Manage Your Profile

The Inventor’s Velocity • TIV360 | Business Management Guide

Managing your Google My Business (GMB) profile doesn’t have to be a solo effort. Whether you’re a business owner looking to delegate tasks to your marketing team, or an agency managing multiple client profiles, adding users to your GMB account is essential for efficient collaboration. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process step by step.

Why Add Users to Your Google My Business Profile?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand why adding users to your GMB profile is beneficial:

Delegate Management Tasks: Share the workload of responding to reviews, updating business information, and posting updates
Maintain Business Continuity: Ensure your profile stays active even when you’re unavailable
Leverage Expertise: Allow marketing professionals or agencies to optimize your presence
Track Accountability: Monitor who makes changes to your business profile
Scale Operations: Manage multiple locations more efficiently with team collaboration

Understanding Google My Business User Roles

Before adding users, it’s crucial to understand the different permission levels available:

Role	Permissions	Best For
Owner	Full control including adding/removing users, deleting the listing, and all management features	Business owners and primary decision-makers
Manager	Most editing capabilities except adding/removing users or deleting the listing	Marketing managers and trusted employees
Site Manager	Limited to responding to reviews and cannot edit business information	Customer service representatives

⚠️ Important: There can be multiple owners and managers, but be cautious about giving owner access as they can remove other users, including you!

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Users

Sign in to Google My Business

Navigate to business.google.com and sign in with the Google account that manages your business profile. Make sure you’re using the account with owner or manager permissions.

Select Your Business Location

If you manage multiple locations, select the specific business profile where you want to add a user. You can also add users to multiple locations simultaneously if needed.

Access the Users Section

In the left-hand menu, click on “Users”. This will open the user management dashboard where you can see all current users and their roles.

Click the Add Users Icon

Look for the person icon with a plus sign (+) or an “Add users” button, typically located in the top right corner of the Users section.

Enter the New User’s Email

Type in the email address of the person you want to add. This must be a valid Google account email address (Gmail or Google Workspace).

Choose the Appropriate Role

Select whether the new user should be an Owner, Manager, or Site Manager based on the responsibilities they’ll have. When in doubt, start with lower permissions and upgrade if needed.

Send the Invitation

Click “Invite” to send an email invitation to the new user. They’ll receive an email with instructions to accept the invitation and access the business profile.

💡 Pro Tip: Ask the new user to check their spam folder if they don’t receive the invitation within a few minutes. Google invitations sometimes get filtered.

What Happens After Sending an Invitation?

        For the New User:
        They receive an email invitation from Google My Business
They must click “Accept Invitation” in the email
They sign in with their Google account
They gain immediate access based on their assigned role

        
        For You (The Admin):
        You can track pending invitations in the Users section
You can resend or cancel invitations if needed
Once accepted, the user appears in your active users list

    

Best Practices for User Management

1. Regular Audits

Review your user list quarterly to ensure only current team members have access. Remove users who no longer work with your business to maintain security.

2. Document Responsibilities

Create clear guidelines about what each user should and shouldn’t do with their access. This prevents conflicting updates and maintains brand consistency.

3. Use Professional Email Addresses

Add users with professional email addresses rather than personal ones when possible. This makes it easier to manage access when roles change.

4. Maintain Owner Redundancy

Have at least two trusted people with owner access to prevent being locked out if one account becomes inaccessible.

5. Train Your Team

Ensure all users understand Google My Business features and your brand guidelines before giving them access.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Invitation Not Received?

Check spam/junk folders
Verify the email address is correct
Ensure the recipient has a Google account
Try canceling and resending the invitation

Can’t Add Users?

Confirm you have owner or manager permissions
Check if you’ve reached the user limit (20 users per location)
Verify your business is verified on Google My Business
Try using a different browser or clearing cache

Managing Users for Multiple Locations

If you manage multiple business locations, Google My Business offers bulk user management:

Access Business Groups: From your GMB dashboard, navigate to the business group settings
Select Multiple Locations: Check the boxes next to all locations where you want to add the user
Add User to Group: Follow the same invitation process, but the user will gain access to all selected locations
Customize Permissions: You can still set different permission levels for different locations if needed

Security Considerations

        Protect Your Business Profile:
        Two-Factor Authentication: Encourage all users to enable 2FA on their Google accounts
Regular Password Updates: Implement a policy for regular password changes
Access Reviews: Conduct monthly reviews of who has access to your profile
Activity Monitoring: Regularly check the activity feed to monitor changes made by users
Immediate Revocation: Remove access immediately when team members leave your organization

    

Removing Users from Google My Business

When team members leave or roles change, here’s how to remove user access:

Navigate to the Users section in your GMB dashboard
Find the user you want to remove
Click the three dots menu next to their name
Select “Remove access”
Confirm the removal when prompted

💡 Remember: Removed users lose access immediately and won’t be notified of their removal. Consider informing them directly if appropriate.

Conclusion

Adding users to your Google My Business profile is a straightforward process that can significantly improve your business’s online presence management. By properly delegating access and responsibilities, you can ensure your GMB profile remains active, accurate, and engaging for potential customers.

Remember to regularly review user access, maintain clear communication about responsibilities, and always prioritize security. With the right team in place and proper permissions set, your Google My Business profile can become a powerful tool for growth and customer engagement.

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