Business groups provide a safe way to share management of your locations with multiple users. Business groups are like a shared folder for your locations -- a simple way to share access to a set of locations with co-workers.
If you currently share your account username and password with other users, you should transition to using a business group as a safer way to work together.
| Your Google account | business groups | |
| When to use | When you’re the only person who needs access to represent a business on Google. | When you want multiple Google users to be able to add and update a set of locations. |
| Who can access | Only you have access to this account. | You may be an owner or manager of a business group. You can find a note about your level of access below the business group name (i.e. "owned by you" or “managed by you”). Both managers and owners can create, edit and delete locations within a business group. Learn more |
| How to create | Created by you and required by any Google product that requires sign in. | Created through these steps. |
| Verification checkmark | Indicates that the user is verified for all locations added. | Indicates that the owner of the business group is verified. |
Best practices for creating business groups
When to create a business group
It’s a good idea to create a business group if:
- You want to share location management with a co-worker, manager of one of your brands or regions, or an agency
- You want to run location ad campaigns
To give the co-worker, manager, or agency access to a group of locations:
- Create a business group.
- Transfer all of your locations to that account.
- Add the co-worker or agency employee as a manager or owner to the business group so that both parties continue to have access to all current locations and any locations created in the future.
Number of business groups
It’s best to limit the number of business groups to one account per business or brand. It’s not possible to import a single spreadsheet across multiple business groups or download location information from across business groups together into one spreadsheet.
It may make sense to create multiple business groups if your organization operates multiple brands or divisions that require different sets of users who have access.
| Pro | Con | |
| Using one business group | Check all locations in one dashboard and manage a single spreadsheet. | Owners and managers may have access to check and edit all locations within the account that they should not manage. |
| Using multiple business groups | Owners and managers have access to view and edit only the locations within the account. | Each account will require a separate spreadsheet import, and you won’t be able to find all locations in one dashboard. |
Note that you can still add owners and managers to single locations manually within a business group.
Other considerations
- Each business group requires its own spreadsheet for importing locations.
- Each business group has its own managers and owners. Learn more about adding business group owners and managers
- A business group can’t act as a manager of other business groups.
Note that you can still add owners and managers to single locations manually within a business group.
New users
If you’re new to Business Profiles, we recommend creating a business group and using that account to add, verify, and manage your locations. That way, you won’t have to create the account later if you decide you’d like to share account access with other Google users.