How To Add A Manager To Google My Business

Managing a Google My Business (GMB) profile is crucial for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence. Whether you run a small local shop or a larger enterprise with multiple locations, keeping your GMB listing up to date ensures customers can easily find your business, access important information, and read reviews. However, managing a business listing can be time-consuming, and sometimes, it makes sense to delegate certain responsibilities. This is where adding a manager to your Google My Business account becomes essential. By granting access to a trusted colleague, employee, or marketing agency, you can ensure your listing remains active and well-maintained without having to handle everything yourself.

Understanding Google My Business User Roles

Before adding a manager, it is important to understand the different user roles available in Google My Business. The platform offers three main roles: primary owner, owner, and manager. The primary owner has the highest level of control and can add or remove other users. Owners have similar permissions but cannot remove the primary owner. Managers, on the other hand, have access to most features, including updating business details, responding to reviews, and posting updates, but they do not have the ability to add or remove other users. Choosing the right role for your team members is crucial to maintaining control over your listing while allowing others to assist in its management. If you are adding a marketing specialist or an employee to help with customer interactions and business updates, the manager role is typically the best option.

Accessing Google My Business Account Settings

To begin the process of adding a manager, you first need to log in to your Google My Business account. This can be done by visiting the Google My Business website and signing in with the account associated with your business. If you manage multiple locations, ensure that you select the correct business listing before proceeding. Once you have accessed the dashboard, locate the settings related to user management. Google My Business allows you to invite users via email, granting them access based on the role you assign. It is important to use the correct email address associated with the person’s Google account to avoid any issues with access.

Sending an Invitation to a New Manager

After navigating to the user management section, you will see an option to add a new user. Enter the email address of the person you wish to add as a manager and select the appropriate role. In this case, choosing the manager role will give them the necessary permissions to update business details and interact with customers without compromising ownership settings. Once the invitation is sent, the recipient will receive an email notification from Google My Business. They must accept the invitation in order to gain access. If they do not see the email in their inbox, it may be worth checking their spam or junk folder.

Managing and Removing Users from Google My Business

As business needs change, you may find it necessary to update user roles or remove a manager from your listing. This can be done through the same user management section where you initially added them. If a manager is no longer required, removing them will revoke their access immediately. It is always advisable to periodically review who has access to your Google My Business listing, especially if employees leave the company or if you switch marketing agencies. Keeping access limited to only those who need it reduces the risk of unauthorised changes to your business information.

The Importance of Assigning a Manager to Google My Business

Adding a manager to your Google My Business account offers several advantages. It allows for more efficient management of customer interactions, ensuring that questions, reviews, and messages are responded to in a timely manner. This is particularly important for businesses that receive a high volume of customer engagement. Additionally, sharing access helps with maintaining accurate business details. If your opening hours change, you move to a new location, or you want to promote a special event, having a manager who can make these updates ensures that your listing remains relevant and useful to customers. A well-managed Google My Business listing can also improve search visibility. Google rewards businesses that actively engage with their audience by displaying their listings more prominently in search results. By keeping your profile updated with fresh content, responses to reviews, and accurate business information, you increase the chances of appearing in local search queries.

Best Practices for Google My Business Management

When adding a manager to your GMB profile, it is important to set clear expectations. Ensure that the person you invite understands their responsibilities and the importance of maintaining a professional tone when responding to customers. Providing guidelines on how to handle reviews, customer queries, and business updates can help maintain consistency in your brand’s messaging. Regularly reviewing your business insights can also be beneficial. Google My Business provides valuable data on customer interactions, search queries, and engagement levels. Managers should use these insights to refine your local SEO strategy and improve customer experience. Another important aspect is security. While it is convenient to share access, be cautious about who you grant permissions to. If you are working with a third-party marketing agency, it is advisable to have a contract in place that outlines their responsibilities and access levels.

Handling Issues with Google My Business Access

In some cases, you may encounter difficulties when adding a manager, such as the invitation not being received or an error message appearing. If this happens, double-check that the email address is correct and that the recipient has a Google account. If the issue persists, it may be worth trying a different browser or clearing your cache before attempting again. Google’s support resources can also provide guidance if technical problems arise. For businesses that have been claimed by someone else or where access has been lost, requesting ownership through Google My Business support is the best course of action. This process may require verification to confirm that you are the rightful owner of the business listing.

Conclusion

Adding a manager to your Google My Business account is a straightforward yet essential process for businesses that require multiple team members to assist with online management. By understanding user roles, ensuring proper access controls, and setting clear expectations, you can efficiently delegate tasks while maintaining control over your listing. A well-maintained Google My Business profile enhances your online visibility, strengthens customer relationships, and contributes to the overall success of your business. Whether you are a small independent shop or a growing enterprise, leveraging the benefits of a collaborative GMB management approach can make a significant difference in your digital marketing efforts.

If you need help in implementing some of these local SEO tactics, here at CTO Digital we offer guidance and advice to help your GMB profile get more coverage, reach out to us if you need assistance.

Updated April 2025

Recent Changes to Google Business Profile Management

As of April 2025, Google has officially rebranded “Google My Business” to “Google Business Profile” and introduced several updates to improve how business owners manage their listings. The Google My Business mobile app has now been fully discontinued. Business owners and managers are instead encouraged to manage their profiles directly through Google Search or the Google Maps app.

Managing Your Business Profile on Google Search and Maps

To access your Business Profile, simply sign in to your Google account and search for your business name on Google Search. This will bring up management options directly within the search results. On Google Maps, make sure you’re logged in with the correct Google account, tap your profile picture, and select “Your Business Profiles” to see your listings.

How to Add or Remove Managers

Once inside your Business Profile:

• Click on the three-dot menu or “Menu” option.
• Choose “Business Profile settings” and select “People and access.”
• To add a new manager, click “Add,” enter their email address, assign a role (Owner or Manager), and send the invitation.
• To remove a manager, select their name in the list and choose “Remove.”

Important Role Details

Owners have full control of the profile, including the ability to add or remove users and delete the listing. Managers can update business information and respond to reviews but can’t add or remove users or delete the listing.

If you’ve just been added as a manager, be aware that there may be a short transition period—usually around seven days—before you can perform some administrative actions, such as removing others or transferring ownership.

These updates reflect Google’s continued push toward a more integrated and simplified platform for local business management, using tools most business owners already use daily.