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Hiring someone to manage your Google Business Profile: what Google says they must do

You don't have to hire anyone to run your Google Business Profile. You can run it yourself. If you do hire help, Google has written rules for the people you hire. You keep ownership of the profile, they work as a manager, they tell you about every change, and they let you leave quickly. Those rules are worth knowing before you sign anything.

This page explains what a profile manager can and can't do, which rules Google sets, the warning signs Google lists, and how to set up access safely.

Do you need someone at all?

Maybe not. Google says in its guidance on working with third parties: "It doesn’t take long to understand how Business Profile works and use its features."

The profile itself costs nothing. Google puts it this way: "Although Business Profile is a tool that can be used at no charge, third parties often charge a fee to manage your profile." So when you pay someone, you're paying for their time and work. You aren't paying for the listing.

The everyday work is fairly ordinary: keeping hours and details accurate, adding photos, replying to reviews, posting updates and checking for edits you didn't make. The question isn't whether you could do it. It's whether you'll keep doing it every week, and whether you know what's safe to change.

Owners tend to look for help when:

Nobody at the business has time to keep the profile current
The profile has wrong details they can't seem to fix
They want the profile handled as part of wider search work on their website
They'd rather spend the time on the business itself

Even if you hire someone, Google suggests learning the basics yourself. Its advice is short: "Educate yourself". That way you can tell good work from bad.

Owner or manager: the access question that matters most

Google Business Profile has two main roles, owner and manager.

As an owner, Google says, "you have full control over the profile. You can add or remove users, manage profile info, and even delete the profile."

Managers, Google says, "have mostly the same access to the profile as owners. The only exception is they can’t add or remove users or remove the profile."

That difference is the whole point. A manager can do nearly all the regular work, such as editing details, posting, adding photos and replying to reviews. A manager can't remove you or delete your listing. For almost any outside helper, manager access is enough.

Google's third party policies say the same thing from the provider's side. If you already have a profile, the provider should "ask them to invite you as a manager, not as an owner." If they create a profile for you, they should "make the business owner the owner of the profile, and make yourself the manager of the profile."

There's also a firm line: "all end customers must retain ownership or co-ownership of their Business Profile at all times." If a provider wants to be the only owner of your listing, that goes against Google's policy.

The rules Google sets for people who manage profiles

Google publishes Business Profile third party policies. They apply to marketing agencies, SEO companies and other providers who manage profiles for businesses they don't own. Here are the parts that matter most to you as the owner, in Google's words.

You hear about every change. Providers must "Ensure that end customers are informed of all changes and edits to their profile." Google adds: "Changes or disablement of profile features without the business owner’s consent is prohibited."

You're told the profile is free. "If you charge a management fee, you must let end customers know that Business Profile is a service provided at no extra cost." Providers must also "disclose the existence of this fee on customer invoices".

You can leave quickly. "Within 7 business days of notice from an end customer, you must provide that client the ability to disassociate the Google Account used to manage their Business Profile from your services and regain exclusive control of it."

Your profile numbers are reported on their own. "If your service provides reporting data from other profile management platforms, you must report the Business Profile data separately from the non-Business Profile data."

They need your permission to reply to reviews. "To respond to reviews on behalf of the end customer, you must have an explicit approval. Verbal consent isn't sufficient."

No passwords. Google tells providers: "Do not share passwords with your clients." It works the other way too. You shouldn't hand over your Google password either. Google's help says: "To access and manage Business Profiles without the need to share your password, each user needs their own Google Account."

Honest claims only. "Don't make false, misleading, or unrealistic claims." One of Google's examples of a claim that crosses the line: "Claims that profiles will appear in Google Search or Google Maps at all times."

They share Google's notice. Providers that mainly serve small and medium sized businesses must share Google's "Working with a third party" notice with their customers. They must also link to it somewhere easy to find on their website. You can read it yourself here: Tips for working with third parties to manage your Business Profile.

Warning signs Google lists

Google's own notice for business owners names several warning signs:

Lack of transparency. Google says: "You have the right to know your profile’s performance, such as how many users interact with, view, and click on your Business Profile."
Claiming to work for Google. If someone says they're from Google, Google suggests you "request they email you from their “@google.com” email address".
Threats. Google says third parties can't remove your business or get into your profile without your permission: "Only profile owners can control who has access and can update permissions at any time."
Deceptive pricing. Google warns that some third parties "might charge you more than the price you agreed to." Its advice: "Before you agree to work with a third party, get an official copy of your agreement that clearly details the services and their costs."

Google also suggests working with one provider at a time. Its reason: "Your business can only appear once on Google, which can make it difficult to test multiple third parties at the same time."

Questions to ask before you hire

Google suggests two questions of its own: "Have they managed Business Profiles before?" and "Have they worked with businesses that have similar budgets and target audiences?" Add these:

Will I stay the owner, with you added as a manager?
How will you tell me about each change you make?
Will you ask before replying to reviews on my behalf?
What exactly will you do each month, in writing?
How do you report my profile's numbers, and are they shown separately from other platforms?
If I want to stop, how do I end it, and how fast do I get full control back?
Where on your website do you link Google's "Working with a third party" notice?

A good provider should be able to answer each of these plainly.

How to add a manager safely

When you're ready, Google's help explains how to add someone:

Go to your Business Profile.
Select More, then Business Profile settings, then People and access.
Select Add and enter the person's email address.
"Under “Access,” select Owner or Manager." Choose Manager.
Send the invite.

Two things to know. First, Google notes that "Only owners can remove other owners and managers." So keep at least one owner role on your side. Second, when someone is removed, Google says "their replies to reviews, posts, comments, and other actions stay on the Business Profile." Check what's been posted before you part ways.

Look at your "People and access" list every so often too. If a former employee or an old provider is still listed, remove them.

What to check each month

Spend a few minutes each month in your profile's Performance section. Google says: "Business Profile owners and managers can check the number of views, clicks, and other customer interactions with your profile on Search and Maps."

Know what the numbers mean. Google defines Calls as "The number of times a customer clicked on the call button on your Business Profile." That's a tap, not a confirmed conversation. Google also notes: "Performance data includes views, searches, and actions from both organic search results and Google Ads." If you run ads, some of that activity may come from them.

Compare what your provider reports with what you can see yourself. They should line up.

Business Profile care at Finnsight Marketing

Google's "Working with a third party" notice is linked in our website footer.

Silver includes Google Business Profile care, alongside search work on your website. The packages page sets out what Silver includes and what it doesn't. The contact form asks for your website or Google listing, if you'd like us to take a look. Either way, the notice from Google linked above is worth reading first.