How to Add a User to Google Search Console: A Step-by-Step Guide for NZ Businesses

Why Sharing Access to Your Google Search Console Matters

If you’re working with a digital marketing agency like Lucid Leads, providing access to your Google Search Console is essential for optimising your website’s performance. This powerful tool gives insights into how your site appears in Google search results, highlights technical issues, and reveals opportunities for improvement.

But many business owners find themselves stuck at the first hurdle: simply adding their marketing team to their Google Search Console account. This guide will walk you through the process step by step, ensuring your digital marketing efforts can proceed without unnecessary delays.

What is Google Search Console?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s quickly understand what Google Search Console (GSC) is. GSC is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results.

Think of it as your direct line of communication with Google. Through GSC, you can:

• See which keywords are driving traffic to your site
• Identify technical issues that might be hurting your rankings
• Understand how Google sees your pages
• Submit new content for indexing
• Monitor your backlink profile

At Lucid Leads, we use this data to make informed decisions about your SEO strategy and to measure the impact of our optimisation efforts.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding a User to Google Search Console

Step 1: Log in to Google Search Console

1. Go to Google Search Console
2. Sign in with the Google account that has ownership of your website
3. If you haven’t set up GSC yet, you’ll need to verify ownership of your website first

Step 2: Select Your Property

After logging in, you’ll see a list of properties (websites) that you have access to. Select the property you want to share access to.

If you have multiple properties and can’t find the right one, use the property selector dropdown at the top of the page.

Step 3: Access Settings

Once you’re in the dashboard for your selected property:

1. Click on the Settings icon (gear symbol) in the lower left corner of the screen
2. In the menu that appears, select Users and permissions

Step 4: Add a New User

Now you’re ready to add your digital marketing team:

1. Click the ADD USER button at the top right
2. Enter the email address of the person or team you want to add (we’ll provide this during onboarding)
3. Select the appropriate permission level:
   • Full (recommended for agencies like Lucid Leads): Allows us to see all data and make necessary changes
   • Restricted: Only allows viewing data without making changes
4. Click ADD to confirm

Step 5: Verify Addition

After adding the user, they will appear in your list of users with their permission level displayed. The user will receive an email notification about their new access.

And that’s it! You’ve successfully added a user to your Google Search Console.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

“I don’t see the ADD USER button”

This typically means you don’t have owner-level permissions yourself. Only owners can add new users. If you’re not the owner, you’ll need to contact the person who set up the account initially.

“The user didn’t receive an invitation email”

Sometimes invitation emails can end up in spam folders. Ask the user to check their spam folder for an email from Google Search Console.

“I need to change a user’s permission level”

1. Go to the Users and permissions section
2. Find the user in the list
3. Click on the dropdown next to their current permission level
4. Select the new permission level

Why Working with a Digital Marketing Agency Requires GSC Access

At Lucid Leads, we leverage Google Search Console data to:

1. Identify Technical Issues: We can spot crawl errors, mobile usability issues, and other technical problems that might be hampering your site’s performance.
2. Monitor Keyword Performance: We track which keywords are driving traffic to your site and identify new opportunities.
3. Analyse Click-Through Rates: By examining which listings get clicks and which don’t, we can optimise your meta titles and descriptions.
4. Submit and Monitor Sitemaps: We ensure Google is finding and indexing all your important pages.
5. Track Core Web Vitals: These page experience metrics are increasingly important for rankings, and we monitor them closely.

Not a technical person? Don’t worry—that’s why you’re hiring experts! Our team specialises in translating these technical insights into actionable strategies that drive real business results.

As demonstrated in our case studies on improving Google Ads quality score and optimising landing pages, having access to all the right tools makes a significant difference to your campaign outcomes.

Ready to Take Your Digital Marketing to the Next Level?

Understanding how to add users to your Google Search Console is just the first step in a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

If you’re looking to generate more high-quality leads for your service business, Lucid Leads can help. Our proven TAP System has helped businesses across New Zealand achieve remarkable results.

Book Your Free Performance Marketing Audit

We’ll analyse your current digital presence, examine your competitors’ strategies, and show you exactly how our lead generation system can be applied to your specific business to get results.

During this no-obligation session, you’ll receive:

• A comprehensive competitor analysis
• Swipe files of proven high-converting ads in your industry
• A roadmap for implementing our TAP System for your business
• Actionable insights you can implement immediately

Book Your Free Performance Marketing Audit Today

FAQ About Google Search Console

Do I need to be tech-savvy to use Google Search Console?

Not at all. While GSC provides powerful technical data, the interface is quite user-friendly. And when you work with Lucid Leads, we handle the technical analysis for you.

Is Google Search Console the same as Google Analytics?

No, they serve different purposes. Google Analytics focuses on user behaviour on your website, while Search Console focuses on how your site performs in Google Search results.

How often should I check Google Search Console?

For most businesses, a weekly check is sufficient. However, after making significant website changes, it’s worth monitoring more frequently to catch any potential issues.

Can I have multiple owners for my Google Search Console property?

Yes, you can add multiple users with owner-level permissions. This is often a good practice to ensure you don’t lose access if one person leaves the organisation.

Does adding a user to GSC give them access to my website?

No, adding a user to Google Search Console only gives them access to the search data. It doesn’t provide any ability to edit your website content or access your hosting account.

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This article was written by the team at Lucid Leads, New Zealand’s premier lead generation agency for service businesses. We specialise in creating customised lead generation strategies that deliver measurable results for plumbers, electricians, builders, landscapers, and other service-based businesses across NZ.

Last updated: March 27, 2025