Working with a third party
Google requires agencies that manage Business Profiles for small businesses to publish this notice. Here is exactly what we do, what it costs, and what stays yours.
Google asks us to publish this
Google publishes third-party policies covering agencies like us that manage Business Profiles on behalf of the businesses that own them. One of those requirements is that agencies serving small and medium-sized businesses publish Google's “Working with a third party” disclosure notice somewhere easy to find.
This is that page. We would rather you read Google's version too. It is short, it is written for you rather than for us, and it tells you plainly what good and bad third parties look like.
Business Profile is free. Our work is not.
Google Business Profile is a free product from Google. You do not have to pay anyone — including us — to have one, to verify it, or to keep it live. What we charge for is the work: claiming and verifying the profile, choosing and testing categories, writing the description and services, uploading and organising photos, keeping hours and holiday hours accurate, monitoring and responding to reviews, watching for unauthorised edits, and reporting on what it is actually producing.
Fees
Always in writing, always on the invoice
Any management fee is set out in your written agreement before we begin, and itemised on your invoices. We do not change fees without telling you first.
Google's third-party policiesYou own your profile. Always.
We are the hired help, not the landlord. Three things stay true for as long as we work together — and after.
You keep Owner access
You hold Owner access to your Google Business Profile the entire time we work together. We never make ourselves the only owner, and we cannot lock you out of your own listing.
We ask for the least we need
We normally take Manager access only. It is enough to do the work and it cannot remove you or anyone else. We tell you about changes we make, and we never reply to a review as you without your written approval.
You can end it in a week
Ask us to step back and we release our access and remove your profile from our account within 7 business days. No exit fee, no retention process, nothing to argue about.
What we will not tell you
Do you work for Google?
No. We are not Google and we are not affiliated with Google. If anyone ever tells you they work for Google, ask them to email you from an @google.com address. Google's own guidance says exactly the same thing.
Can you guarantee we rank number one?
No, and nobody can. Google states directly that there is no way to request or pay for better local ranking. Any agency promising you the top spot on Maps is either misinformed or misleading you.
Will you put keywords in our business name to rank higher?
No. It genuinely does improve rankings in the short term, which is why you see competitors doing it. It is also against Google's guidelines and gets profiles suspended, taking the reviews and calls attached to them. We are not willing to put your listing at risk for a shortcut.
Will you offer discounts for reviews, or only ask happy customers?
No to both. Offering any incentive for a review, or screening who gets asked, breaks Google's policies. In the United States, review gating also breaks Federal Trade Commission rules. We ask everyone, we never pay for it, and we never steer what they write.
How to report us
If you believe we have broken Google's third-party policies, you can report us to Google directly. You do not need our permission and you do not need to tell us first.
We would obviously rather you talked to us so we can put it right. But you should know the option exists, and how to use it, without having to go looking for it.
Anything here unclear?
Tell us and we will fix the wording. If you want your Business Profile access changed or removed, say so and it is done — no conversation required.