How to Add a User to Your Google Search Console

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"Adding a user to your Google Search Console can be very valuable. From getting troubleshooting assistance to sharing important data, this simple step unlocks huge potential for your business."
by Shelby Dennis

Adding a user to your Google Search Console can be very valuable. From getting troubleshooting assistance to sharing important data, this simple step unlocks huge potential for your business.  
 
Before you can add a user, you need to take care of a couple simple steps. Odds are, you’ve already done these steps during your initial setup, but we’ll do a quick review just in case.  
 
First, you need to set up your Google Search Console account.

Second, we advise connecting your Google Search Console to Google Analytics. This connection allows Google Search Console to pull loads of useful data and metrics from your website, making it much easier to construct a winning SEO strategy.  
 
Once you’ve taken care of these steps, you’re ready to add a user.

How to Add a User to Your Google Search Console: Step-By-Step 

  1. Visit search.google.com/search-console/ and click “Start now”. Then use your credentials to log in.   

2. Use the “Search property” dropdown to select the correct property. If you only have one, like in the screenshot below, that property will be automatically selected.

Note: Google Search Console requires your domain to match exactly, especially when you connect it to Google Analytics.

For example, if your domain is https://www.reallygreatwebsite.com you must include the https://www. Mismatches like this are typically the culprit for any errors you might experience, so it’s worth double-checking.

3. Now, scroll down the menu on the left-hand side and select “Settings”.

4. Next, click on “Users and Permissions”.

5. From this page, click on the “Add User” button in the top-right corner.

Note: You must be a “verified owner” of the Search Console property to add a new user.

Owners can add additional owners, so if you have someone else create your Google Search Console for you, always make sure you either have access to the associated email address, or are added as a verified owner to the account under an email address you maintain.

Always keep your email credentials secure, and never share these details with employees, contractors, or third parties. The only way you should share Search Console access is by adding them as a user themselves, never by sharing your email login.

6. You’re almost done!

Add the new user’s email address and select the proper permissions from the dropdown list.

Finally, click the “Add” button.

Note: If you are adding our team to your Google Search Console so that we can perform work or track metrics, be certain to select “FULL” under the Permission dropdown.

What Do Different Permission Levels Do?

There are other permission levels available, and you may find these different permissions useful depending on who you are adding, and what you want this user to be able to see.

  • Verified Owner (Highest Level)

A verified owner has provided verification that they own the website in some capacity, such as uploading a HTML file or tag to the website that Google can then detect.

A verified owner can change the property settings, add other owners and users, access sensitive data about the site, and affect the site’s behavior and presence in the search engine.

It is recommended that only business owners are verified owners, not your marketing team or employees. There can be up to 100 owners of a website at any given time.

  • Delegated Owner

A step down from a verified owner, the delegated owner is granted ownership privileges and can take most actions, but can be removed at any time.

These users are not verified using a verification token, such as a HTML file or tag, and access may be limited, and they may be removed at any time.

  • Full User

A full user is the ideal position for marketing teams or trusted individuals who are responsible for tracking data or making minor improvements.

These users have the full right available to them to view all data across the property’s Google Search Console, and can take some limited actions like verifying URLs for fixes.

  • Restricted User

A restricted user has simplified rights to view most of the data on your Google Search Console, but not all.

They will not be able to take any actions on behalf of your site, such as validating URLs or adding sitemaps.

  • Associate (Lowest Level)

An associate has no ability to open or access Search Console data for your website.

Instead, these associates can take certain actions on behalf of the site, or access certain data. The data they can access or actions they can take depend on the type of association.

It is not recommended to provide this level of access or greater to anyone you do not trust.

Shelby Dennis

Shelby initially became known for using her management experience from several very unique niches to solve her clients’ challenges in new and creative ways. As the daughter of two successful small business owners, she knows the value of staying relevant and constantly evolving in an ever-changing landscape.

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Shelby Dennis

Shelby Dennis

Author

Shelby initially became known for using her management experience from several very unique niches to solve her clients’ challenges in new and creative ways. As the daughter of two successful small business owners, she knows the value of staying relevant and constantly evolving in an ever-changing landscape.