How to Share Google Analytics Access for

Granting someone access to your Google Analytics is a necessary step when you start working with a marketing agency, an SEO freelancer, or a new team member. This article will show you exactly how to share access safely and securely, explaining the different permission levels so you know precisely what access you're giving them.

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Why Share Google Analytics Access?

You need to share Google Analytics access so that marketing experts can get the data they need to improve your website's performance. Instead of them asking you for screenshots or exported reports, giving them direct access allows them to independently analyze traffic patterns, user behavior, and conversion data. It’s the standard, professional way to collaborate.

Common scenarios for sharing access include:

• Hiring an SEO agency or consultant: They'll need to perform an audit, track keyword performance, and monitor organic traffic growth. An SEO team in London, for instance, would analyze your data to see how well you’re attracting local traffic from the city versus the rest of the UK.
• Bringing on a new marketing employee: Giving them access is a fundamental part of onboarding them into their role.
• Working with a web developer or designer: They might need access to see which pages have high exit rates or track the performance of a new website design.
• Partnering with a PPC specialist: They’ll need to track the performance of ad campaigns and understand how paid traffic converts on your site.

The key benefit is that you never have to share your Google account password. The system is designed to grant access to a specific person's Google account, giving you full control over who sees your data and what they can do with it.

Understanding Google Analytics User Roles and Permissions

Before you add a new user, it's vital to understand the different levels of permission you can grant. Google Analytics 4 offers a granular system for managing access, ensuring you only give people the permissions they absolutely need. Handing out the wrong role can lead to accidental changes or, in a worst-case scenario, losing control of your account.

Permissions can be assigned at two main levels:

• Account Level: This gives the user permission for all properties within that account. Granting access here means they can see data for every website you track under that account.
• Property Level: This gives the user permission for only a specific website or app. This is the most common and recommended level for sharing access with external partners like agencies or freelancers.

Here’s a breakdown of the standard roles available, from most to least powerful:

1. Administrator

Think of the Administrator as the owner. This role has complete control over Google Analytics. An Administrator can do everything, including adding and deleting other users (even other admins), modifying permissions, deleting data, and linking other Google products like Google Ads.

• Who needs it? This role should be reserved for business owners or the most trusted senior leaders in your organization.
• When to use it: Use this role very sparingly. A marketing agency rarely needs this level of access unless they are specifically tasked with a complete overhaul and setup of your analytics account.

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2. Editor

An Editor has full control over the settings within a property but cannot manage users. They can create and edit goals (known as conversions in GA4), set up filters, create audiences, and adjust data collection settings. They can’t add or remove users, giving you peace of mind that they can’t lock you out or add unauthorized people.

• Who needs it? In-house marketing managers, senior technical SEO specialists, or the primary point of contact at your marketing agency.
• When to use it: Grant this when a user needs to actively implement changes, such as setting up event tracking for a new call-to-action button or creating a custom audience for a marketing campaign.

3. Marketer

The Marketer role is designed for users who need to create, edit, and delete audiences, conversions, attribution models, and other shared assets. It's a slightly more specialized version of the Editor role, focused on the tools used for advertising campaigns and audience management.

• Who needs it? Team members directly responsible for running Google Ads or social media advertising campaigns that are linked to Google Analytics.
• When to use it: Use this permission when your paid media specialist needs to build audiences in GA4 (e.g., "all users who visited a specific product page") and then use that audience in Google Ads.

4. Analyst

An Analyst can view all data, create and edit personal reports, explore data, and build segments. However, they cannot change any settings. They can dive deep into the data, create shared reports and dashboards in the "Explore" section, but they can't alter how data is collected or configured.

• Who needs it? This is a very common and safe role for external consultants, SEO specialists, and general marketing team members.
• When to use it: This is often the perfect starting point for an agency. It gives them everything they need to analyze your performance and find insights without risking any accidental changes to your setup.

5. Viewer

The Viewer role is the most restrictive. Users with this permission can see all reports and data, but that's it. They cannot create or edit reports, set up alerts, or change any settings. They can look but can't touch.

• Who needs it? Stakeholders, executives, or junior team members who only need to check in on performance metrics.
• When to use it: Ideal for providing read-only access to people who just need a high-level view of what’s going on without needing to do their own analysis.

Data Restrictions

Within these roles, you can also apply data restrictions, such as "No Cost Metrics" or "No Revenue Metrics." This is incredibly useful if you want to share traffic and engagement data with a consultant without revealing sensitive financial information like ad spend or e-commerce revenue.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Granting Google Analytics Access

Now that you understand the different permission levels, here’s how to grant someone new access to your Google Analytics 4 property. For this walkthrough, we’ll assume you’re sharing access with an SEO specialist for your London-based business.

Step 1: Sign in to Google Analytics

Go to the Google Analytics website and sign in with the Google account that has administrator access to the property you want to share.

Step 2: Navigate to the Admin Section

Once you are logged in, look for the ‘Admin’ text with a gear icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen. Click on it to go to the admin panel.

Step 3: Select the Correct Account and Property

The admin screen is divided into two columns: Account and Property. Make sure you have the correct account selected in the first column and the correct property (your website) selected in the second column. This is crucial if you manage multiple websites under a single Google Analytics account.

Step 4: Open Property Access Management

In the "Property" column, click on ‘Property Access Management’. This is where you control who has access to this specific website's data. As a best practice, always try to grant access at the Property level rather than the Account level unless there is a specific reason to do otherwise.

Step 5: Add a New User

In the top right corner of the user list, you’ll see a blue “+” button. Click on it and then select ‘Add users’ from the drop-down menu.

Step 6: Enter the User's Email Address

A new panel will slide out from the right. In the ‘Enter email addresses’ field, type the full Google-associated email address of the person or agency you are adding. You can add multiple emails at once if you're granting the same level of permission to several people.

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Step 7: Choose the Right Role

This is where your knowledge of the user roles comes in. Under ‘Predefined roles’, select the appropriate permission level. For an SEO agency that needs to analyze your data and create reports, ‘Analyst’ is often the best choice to start with. If they request a higher level, like 'Editor', they should provide a clear reason for why they need it (e.g., to set up conversion tracking).

Step 8: Review and Add the User

Double-check the email address and the role you’ve selected. Once you are certain everything is correct, click the ‘Add’ button in the top right corner. The new user will receive an email inviting them to access your Google Analytics property, and they will appear in your user list.

Best Practices and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Sharing access is straightforward, but a few simple mistakes can compromise your data security. Keep these best practices in mind:

• Use the Principle of Least Privilege: Always grant the lowest level of permission necessary for someone to do their job. Start with ‘Viewer’ or ‘Analyst’ and only upgrade their access if they have a specific need and you trust them.
• Never Give Out Your Login Details: The user management system exists so you never have to share your Google password. A legitimate agency or professional will never ask for your password, they will always request to be added as a user with their own email.
• Audit Your Users Regularly: Once a quarter, review who has access to your account. If you’ve stopped working with an agency, freelancer, or employee, be sure to revoke their access immediately.
• Clarify Why Higher Permissions Are Needed: If someone asks for Administrator or Editor rights, have a conversation to understand exactly what tasks they need to perform that require that level of access.

How to Remove a User's Access

To remove a user, simply go back to the ‘Property Access Management’ screen, find the user you want to remove, click the three vertical dots on the far right of their name, and select ‘Remove access’.

Final Thoughts

Sharing your Google Analytics data is a critical first step for effective collaboration with any marketing professional, whether they're an SEO expert in London or a content marketer on the other side of the world. By following these steps and understanding the different user roles, you can give them the data they need while keeping your account secure and under your control.

Of course, getting access to analytics is only half the battle - the next challenge is turning all that data into clear, actionable insights without spending a full day manually building reports. This is precisely why we created Graphed. We connect directly to your Google Analytics, Google Ads, Shopify, and other data sources, so instead of wrestling with spreadsheets, you can just ask questions in plain English - like "create a dashboard showing our top organic landing pages from London" - and we'll build the report for you instantly.