Local search visibility often begins with your Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business. When you hire an SEO agency to improve your local rankings, one of the first things they will need is access to this profile so they can optimize it. Sharing access correctly is important because it lets your agency make improvements while keeping you in full control as the owner. This guide explains exactly how to share your Google Business Profile with an SEO agency safely and efficiently.
Why AAMAX.CO Should Manage Your Local SEO
Local SEO is a specialized discipline, and getting it right requires ongoing attention to your business profile, reviews, and local citations. AAMAX.CO is a full-service digital marketing company offering web development, digital marketing, and search engine optimization worldwide. Their team knows how to optimize a Google Business Profile to attract more local customers, and they follow best practices for access management so your ownership stays protected. When you share management access with their specialists, you gain a partner who treats your profile as carefully as you would.
Understand the Difference Between Owner and Manager
Before sharing access, it is important to understand the roles Google offers. The primary owner has complete control, including the ability to remove other users and even transfer ownership. Additional owners have nearly the same permissions. Managers can edit most information, respond to reviews, and post updates, but they cannot remove the primary owner or delete the profile. When working with an SEO agency, the recommended approach is to add them as a manager. This gives them everything they need to optimize your profile while ensuring you remain the sole owner.
Step One: Sign In to Your Google Business Profile
Start by signing in to the Google account that owns your business profile. You can access your profile directly through Google Search by typing your business name, or through the Google Business Profile dashboard. Make sure you are logged in with the account that has owner permissions, because only owners can add or remove users. If you are unsure which account owns the profile, check who originally created and verified it.
Step Two: Open the Access or Users Settings
Once you are in your profile, look for the menu option related to business profile settings. Within that menu you will find an option for managing people or users who have access. Google occasionally updates the exact wording and location of this setting, but it is consistently found under the settings or access section. Clicking it opens a panel showing everyone who currently has access to your profile along with their assigned roles.
Step Three: Add Your SEO Agency
In the access panel, select the option to add a new user. You will be prompted to enter an email address. Ask your SEO agency which Google account email they want you to use, since it must be a valid Google account. Enter that email, then choose the manager role from the available options. Adding them as a manager gives them the ability to update business information, upload photos, respond to reviews, and publish posts, all of which are central to local SEO work.
Step Four: Confirm and Notify Your Agency
After you send the invitation, the agency will receive an email asking them to accept the invitation. Until they accept, their status will show as pending. Once they accept, they will appear in your user list with the manager role. It is a good idea to confirm with your agency that they received and accepted the invite so that work can begin without delay. Keeping this communication clear avoids confusion and gets your optimization started faster.
Best Practices for Protecting Your Profile
Even when you trust your agency, following a few safeguards is wise. Always keep yourself as the primary owner rather than transferring ownership. Use the manager role instead of the owner role for agencies. Periodically review who has access and remove anyone who no longer needs it, such as former employees or previous agencies. If you ever end your relationship with an agency, remove their access promptly to keep your profile secure. These habits protect one of your most valuable local marketing assets.
What Your Agency Will Do With Access
Once your agency has manager access, they can begin a range of optimization tasks. These typically include completing every section of your profile, adding accurate business categories, uploading high-quality photos, keeping hours updated, responding to customer reviews, and publishing regular posts. They may also monitor insights to understand how customers find and interact with your listing. All of these activities strengthen your local presence and help you appear more prominently in local search and map results.
Troubleshooting Common Access Issues
Sometimes the invitation process does not go smoothly. If your agency does not receive the invite, double-check that you entered the correct email address and ask them to look in their spam folder. If you cannot find the option to add users, confirm that you are signed in with an owner account rather than a manager account. If the profile has multiple owners, coordinate with them to avoid conflicting changes. Resolving these issues early keeps your optimization on track.
Conclusion
Sharing your Google Business Profile with an SEO agency is a straightforward process when you understand the roles and follow the correct steps. Add your agency as a manager, confirm they accept the invitation, and follow best practices to keep your ownership secure. This simple act of granting access unlocks a wide range of local SEO improvements that can bring more customers to your business. With the right partner managing your profile, your local visibility can grow steadily and safely.
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