How to Add Someone to Google Analytics

Need to give your marketing agency, a new team member, or a client access to your Google Analytics data? Sharing access is a fundamental step in collaborating on website performance, but navigating the permissions can feel a little confusing at first. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add users in Google Analytics 4, explain what each permission level means, and provide best practices for keeping your data secure.

Account vs. Property: Understanding the GA4 Hierarchy

Before you add a user, it's important to understand the structure of Google Analytics accounts. Permissions are "inherited," meaning a user who has access at a higher level automatically gets access to everything below it.

Think of it like a filing cabinet:

• The Account: This is the entire filing cabinet. It's the highest level and can contain multiple website Properties. Granting someone access at the Account level gives them access to all the Properties inside. This is best for administrators or agency leads who need a complete overview.
• The Property: This is a single folder inside the filing cabinet. A Property represents one website or app. Granting access at the Property level limits the user to seeing data for only that specific website or app. This is the most common and secure way to give access to team members, clients, or freelancers working on a specific project.

For most day-to-day situations, you’ll be adding users at the Property level to ensure they only see the data relevant to their role.

An Overview of User Roles in Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 provides a few distinct roles that control what a user can see and do. Understanding these is crucial for granting the right level of access without accidentally giving someone the power to change critical settings. Always assign the minimum level of permission required for someone to do their job.

• Administrator: This is the highest level of access. An Administrator has full control over the account or property. They can add and remove other users, manage permissions, link other Google products (like Google Ads), and edit all data settings. This role should be reserved for only one or two trusted individuals, like the business owner or the primary admin who set up the account.
• Editor: An Editor can do almost everything an Administrator can do when it comes to settings, such as creating audiences, configuring conversion events, and adjusting data settings. The key difference is that they cannot manage users. This is a good role for a senior marketing manager or a technical specialist who needs to actively manage and configure your analytics setup.
• Marketer: Similar to the Editor, but with slightly more focused permissions. A Marketer can edit items important for campaign management, like audiences, conversions, and attribution models, but can't change as many property-wide settings as an Editor. It’s ideal for digital advertisers or specialists focused on audience building.
• Analyst: This is a powerful "view and create" role without the risks of an Editor. An Analyst can view all of the data, and importantly, they can create, edit, and share their own assets like reports in the Explore section. This allows them to dig deep into the data and create custom reports without being able to alter any core property settings. This is the perfect role for most marketing team members and data analysts.
• Viewer: This is a "read-only" role. A Viewer can see all the reports and data, but they cannot change anything. They also cannot create their own explorations or custom reports. This is the ideal permission level for stakeholders or clients who just need to check performance metrics and dashboards without any risk of them changing a setting.
• None: This option explicitly revokes access for a user to a specific property, even if they have access at the Account level. It's a useful way to give someone broad access while blocking them from one sensitive property.

How to Add a User at the Account Level (Step-by-Step)

Use this method if you want to grant a user access to every single property within your Google Analytics account. This is recommended only for top-level administrators or trusted primary account managers.

1. Log into your Google Analytics account.
2. Click the Admin gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. This will open a new screen with two columns: 'Account' and 'Property'. In the Account column, make sure the correct account is selected from the dropdown menu.
4. Under the Account column, click on Account Access Management.
5. On the next screen, click the blue + button in the top-right corner and then select Add users from the dropdown menu.
6. Enter the Google account email address of the person you want to add. You can add multiple email addresses at once by separating them with a comma.
7. Under Permissions, select the checkbox next to the standard role you want to assign (e.g., Administrator, Editor, Viewer).
8. Make sure the 'Notify new users by email' box is checked. This sends them an email letting them know they've been granted access.
9. Finally, click the blue Add button in the top-right corner. The user will now have account-level access.

How to Add a User at the Property Level (Step-by-Step)

This is the most common method you'll use. Granting access at the property level ensures the user can only see the analytics for one specific website or app.

1. Log into your Google Analytics account.
2. Click the Admin gear icon in the bottom-left corner.
3. In the Property column on the right, use the dropdown menu to select the specific property you want to share.
4. Once you've selected the correct property, click on Property Access Management beneath it.
5. Click the blue + button in the top-right corner and select Add users from the menu.
6. Enter the Google account email address for the user.
7. Select the appropriate role you'd like to assign them, such as 'Analyst' or 'Viewer'. Note that you can assign multiple roles if needed, though it's best to stick to one clear designation.
8. Keep the 'Notify new users by email' box checked.
9. Click the blue Add button in the top-right corner to save your changes. The user will receive an email and will now have access strictly to that property.

How to Modify or Remove a User

Auditing user permissions is an important part of data security. You'll need to update or remove access as your team changes over time.

1. Navigate back to the Account Access Management or Property Access Management screen where the user was added.
2. You will see a list of all users with access. Click on the user whose permissions you want to change. A side panel will appear.
3. In this panel, you can check or uncheck boxes to modify their role(s). To save, simply click out of the panel.
4. To completely remove a user, click the user, then click the three vertical dots (menu icon) in the top-right corner of the side panel and select Remove access. This will permanently revoke their access.

It’s good practice to review your user list quarterly, removing anyone who no longer works with your company or on that specific project.

Final Thoughts

Granting access to your Google Analytics data is a simple process once you understand the difference between Account and Property permissions and what each user role allows. By following the steps above and applying the principle of least privilege, you can collaborate effectively with your team while keeping your account settings and data secure.

Of course, giving someone access is just the first step. The real challenge is helping them find meaningful insights without getting lost in complex reports. At Graphed, we connect directly to your Google Analytics, Google Ads, and other data sources, letting your team build dashboards and get insights just by asking questions in plain English. Instead of teaching everyone the ins and outs of GA4, you can create and share live, automated reports that give them the exact answers they need in seconds.