How to Authorize a Google My Business Account?

With the rise of local SEO in the digital world, the way businesses manage their online presence has evolved. At this point, a Google My Business (GMB) account plays an important role in standing out in local search results and increasing customer engagement. However, managing this powerful tool alone may not always be possible. Business owners often need to authorize their GMB accounts for reasons such as limited time or the desire to delegate tasks to a professional agency.

What Does Google My Business Authorization Mean?

Google My Business authorization is essentially the process of delegating the management of your business profile to another person, a team member, or a digital marketing agency. This means giving someone else the authority to manage all or certain features of your GMB profile. With Google My Business authorization, you can ensure the continuity of tasks such as keeping your profile up to date, responding to customer reviews, sharing new posts, and generally optimizing the profile, while you focus on your core business.

GMB authorization is of great importance, especially for local SEO performance. Continuously optimizing your profile makes Google see your business as more reliable and relevant. Authorization provides the flexibility and collaboration opportunities necessary to manage these processes. This authorization mechanism is indispensable, especially for large businesses with multiple branches or companies that delegate profile management to an agency.

How to Add Another User to a GMB Account?

Adding another user to your GMB account is not as complicated as it seems. Here is the step-by-step path you need to follow:

• Sign in to Your Google My Business Account. First, sign in to your Google My Business admin panel with the Google account associated with your business profile.

• Go to the "Users" Section. In the admin panel, click on the "Users" option in the menu on the left. This section allows you to view existing authorized users and their roles.

• Click the Add New User Button. Click on the "+" icon or the "Add New User" button in the upper right corner of the "Users" page to start adding a new person.

• Enter the Email Address and Assign a Role. In the window that opens, enter the email address of the person you want to grant authority to. Then, assign a role by determining what authority you want to give this person. We will discuss the roles for authorization in detail in the next section. Choosing the right role at this stage is critical for both the security of your account and the efficiency of your workflow.

• Send the Invitation and Wait for Confirmation. After entering all the information, click the "Invite" button to send the authorization invitation. When the person you authorized accepts the invitation sent to their email address, they will have the authority of the assigned role on your GMB account.

These steps allow you to successfully complete the Google My Business authorization process.

Which Roles Can Be Used for Authorization?

Google My Business offers various user roles that allow you to control business profile management at different levels. Each role comes with different duties and responsibilities. Here are the main authorization roles in GMB:

• Owner: The full-authority manager of the GMB profile. They can edit the business profile, add photos and posts, respond to reviews, and view statistics. Most importantly, they can add, remove, and change the roles of other users. A profile can have multiple owners.

• Primary Owner: This is the highest-level authority of the GMB profile. Unlike other owners, only the Primary Owner can completely delete the profile itself or transfer primary ownership to another user. A GMB profile can have only one Primary Owner.

• Manager: The Manager role is ideal for people who perform daily operations but do not have the authority to make critical management decisions. Managers can update business information, add photos, share posts, and respond to customer reviews. However, they cannot add or remove other users or delete the profile.

• Site Manager: This role has limited authority and is typically suitable for people who need to perform specific tasks related to the physical location of the business (e.g., store managers). Site Managers can edit profile information, add photos, and share simple posts. However, they do not have more extensive authority, such as managing other users or accessing business statistics.

These roles can be used flexibly according to the business owner's needs and the job description of the person to be authorized.

What Is the Difference Between 'Manager' and 'Owner' Roles in GMB?

The Owner has full authority on Google My Business. The authority to add and remove other users, change their roles, and even completely delete the profile belongs only to the Owner or Primary Owner. This is a role that the business owner or the person the business trusts the most should take. The Owner determines the people who manage the Google My Business profile and the future of the profile.

The Manager, on the other hand, does not have the critical authority on Google My Business that the Owner has. Managers can update the business profile, respond to reviews, add photos, and share posts. However, they cannot make critical changes related to the account (e.g., adding/removing users). This role is suitable for people who will perform daily operations, such as a social media specialist or an employee of a marketing agency.

Can a Google My Business Account Be Transferred?

Yes, a Google My Business account can be transferred. In cases where a business changes hands or decides to completely delegate profile management to an agency, it is possible to transfer ownership of the GMB profile. This transfer process can be initiated by the current Primary Owner.

First, you must add the person who will be the new owner of the GMB account as an Owner, as described above. For security reasons, Google applies a 7-day waiting period to transfer Primary Ownership after a new Owner is assigned. During this period, the new Owner has full authority over the profile, but cannot switch to the Primary Owner role. After the 7-day waiting period has expired, the current Primary Owner can assign the newly added Owner as the Primary Owner. This is done from the Users section in the admin panel. After transferring Primary Ownership, the old Primary Owner automatically reverts to the Owner role. Optionally, the old owner's account role can be changed or they can be completely removed from the account. This process allows you to transfer ownership of the Google My Business account safely and in a controlled manner.

The Relationship Between Authorization and SEO

SEO studies are not limited to increasing a website's search engine ranking. Local SEO focuses on increasing visibility on platforms like Google Maps and GMB for businesses with a physical location. Google My Business authorization is a critical part of this process because a professional and up-to-date profile is the key to ranking high in local searches.

Proper management of GMB provides the following SEO benefits:

• Up-to-date and Consistent Information: Having accurate and up-to-date information such as address, phone number, and working hours is important for both user experience and Google's trust in your business. Incorrect information can cause you to lose potential customers and your search ranking to drop.

• Regular Review and Q&A Management: Responding to customer reviews quickly and professionally increases the reliability of your business in the eyes of potential customers. This interaction shows Google that you are an active business and positively affects your ranking.

• Posting and Photo Sharing: Regularly sharing posts about new products, services, or announcements and adding high-quality photos keeps your GMB profile alive. This activity helps you gain more visibility in local searches.

• Analysis of Statistics: GMB provides valuable statistics about your profile's performance. Data such as which search terms you were found with and how customers interacted with your profile is necessary to shape your SEO strategy. An authorized professional can interpret this data correctly to get the best results.

Strengthen Your Local SEO Performance with Google My Business Authorization

Google My Business authorization is a strategic tool that allows you to professionally manage your business's online reputation and visibility. Assigning the right roles facilitates collaboration and increases the security of your account. Whether you work with a team or collaborate with your digital marketing agency for search engine optimization (SEO) solutions, the Google My Business authorization process allows you to strengthen your business's digital footprint.