Profile optimisation
Selling or Buying a Business — How to Transfer the Google Business Profile to the New Owner
What happens to a Google Business Profile when a shop, clinic or restaurant is sold or taken over in India — when the same profile can be transferred, when the new owner needs a new profile, transferring primary ownership, renaming, keeping or not keeping reviews, and a handover checklist for sellers and buyers.
By Chamko Research Team Updated 5 min read
Quick answer
If the same business continues — same name, same type of business, same location — the seller can transfer the profile by adding the buyer's Google account as an owner and then making them the primary owner, after which the seller removes themselves. Reviews, photos and history stay. If the new owner runs a different business at the location (new name, different category), the old profile should generally be marked closed or updated appropriately and the new business should create its own profile, because reviews belong to the old business's customers' experiences. Include the Google profile, domain, social accounts and phone number in the sale agreement.
Quick answer: If the same business continues — same name, same type of business, same location — the seller can transfer the profile by adding the buyer's Google account as an owner and then making them the primary owner, after which the seller removes themselves. Reviews, photos and history stay. If the new owner runs a different business at the location (new name, different category), the old profile should generally be marked closed or updated appropriately and the new business should create its own profile, because reviews belong to the old business's customers' experiences. Include the Google profile, domain, social accounts and phone number in the sale agreement.
Business sales often forget the digital assets. A buyer who pays for goodwill but doesn't get the Google profile with its 500 reviews has lost a big part of it.
Same business continues vs new business
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Same name, same business, same location; new owner | Transfer primary ownership; keep profile and reviews |
| Same location, rebrand to a new name but same type of business | Transfer, then update the name with new signage; expect review of edits |
| Same premises, completely different business | New profile for new business; old one marked permanently closed (or moved, if the old business relocated) |
| Seller keeps the brand and moves elsewhere | Seller updates address on their profile (address change); buyer creates a new profile at the old premises |
Reviews describe experiences with a particular business. Carrying them over to an unrelated business misleads customers.
How to transfer ownership
- Buyer creates or uses a business-owned Google account (business email).
- Seller opens Business Profile settings → People and access → Add → buyer's email as Owner.
- Buyer accepts the invitation.
- Seller transfers primary ownership to the buyer (an option in People and access).
- Seller removes their own access (or stays as manager temporarily during handover).
See managers and owners.
If the seller won't cooperate
The buyer can use Request access with evidence of ownership — sale deed, registration, utility bills, signboard photos (request ownership, lost access).
Include digital assets in the sale agreement
- Google Business Profile (primary ownership).
- Website domain and hosting (domain).
- Social media accounts.
- WhatsApp Business number and phone numbers.
- Listings on Justdial, Zomato, Practo, Mappls (Mappls).
- Customer database (with consent and data protection obligations) (DPDP).
- Email accounts.
After the transfer: buyer checklist
- Primary owner changed
- Old managers and agencies removed
- Phone and WhatsApp numbers updated (if changed)
- Hours and services checked
- Website and directories updated
- Post announcing "under new management" (optional, honest)
- Continue asking for reviews
Seller checklist
- Transferred all digital assets
- Removed personal accounts
- Given buyer passwords for non-Google accounts securely
- Informed regular customers if appropriate
Example: a café sale in Bengaluru
A café owner sold the business with its name and recipes. The buyer's lawyer included the Google profile, Instagram, domain and phone number in the agreement. The seller made the buyer primary owner and removed himself a week later. The café kept its 900 reviews and 4.6★, and regulars barely noticed the change apart from a new seasonal menu.
Sources and further reading
- Google Business Profile Help — "Transfer ownership of a Business Profile" and "Mark a business as permanently closed": support.google.com/business
Step-by-step handover day
- Morning: seller and buyer meet with phones and laptops.
- Google profile: seller adds buyer as owner; buyer accepts; seller transfers primary ownership.
- Domain and website: registrar account transferred or credentials changed; hosting login updated (domain).
- Social media: buyer added as admin; seller removed after confirmation.
- WhatsApp Business and phone numbers: SIM ownership transferred with the telecom provider if keeping numbers.
- Directories: logins for Justdial, Zomato, Practo, Mappls handed over.
- Email: business email accounts transferred or recreated.
- Payment accounts: UPI merchant and payment gateway updated to buyer's bank (Google Pay for business).
- Sign a short handover note listing all assets transferred.
Rebranding after purchase
If you plan to rename the business:
- Install the new signboard first.
- Change the name on Google once, exactly matching the board.
- Update website, social and directories the same week.
- Post "New name, same team and quality" to reassure regulars.
- Expect edits to be reviewed (edits pending).
Key takeaways
- Same business continuing → transfer the profile and keep reviews.
- Different business at the same place → new profile; don't inherit unrelated reviews.
- Write all digital assets into the sale agreement and transfer them on one handover day.
Frequently asked questions
Can reviews be moved to my new business?
Not between unrelated businesses; reviews stay with the business they describe.
Will changing the owner affect ranking?
Ownership change alone usually doesn't; name, address or category changes can.
What if the old owner is unreachable?
Request access with documents, or contact support.
Should I keep the old phone number?
If customers know it, transferring it helps continuity.
Can I rename the business after buying?
Yes, after updating signage; expect edits to be reviewed.
Can there be two owners during the handover?
Yes, a profile can have multiple owners; only one is primary.
What if the seller's account was the agency's?
The agency must transfer ownership, or you request access with proof.
Do I need to re-verify after transfer?
Usually not for ownership changes alone; address or name changes may trigger verification.
Should I announce new ownership publicly?
Optional; many buyers keep continuity and focus on maintaining quality.
Can the seller keep a manager role after the sale?
Only if both agree; it's safer to remove the seller once handover is complete.