Connecting client Google services

Learn how to generate a connect link, send it to your client, and manage their connected Google services such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, YouTube, and Google Business Profile.

The Integrations tab in Client Settings lets you connect a client’s Google services to Rankability without sharing passwords. You generate a secure link, send it to your client, and they authorize access with one click.

Overview

Agencies use connect links to pull search performance data from a client’s Google accounts. Once connected, Rankability can import data from Google Search Console, Google Analytics, YouTube, and Google Business Profile into the Serena and Reporter tools.

Note: The connect link flow is Google-only. To connect a client’s Bing Webmaster Tools account, your client copies an API key from bing.com/webmasters → Settings → API access and you paste it on the client Integrations settings — see Connecting Bing Webmaster Tools.

How to generate a connect link

Select a client, then open Client Settings.
Click the Integrations tab.
Click Generate connect link.
The link is created and automatically copied to your clipboard.
Share the link with your client via email, chat, or any secure channel.

What your client sees

When your client opens the connect link they see a branded page from Rankability explaining what access is being requested. The flow works like this:

The client clicks Connect with Google.
Google’s standard sign-in screen appears. The client signs in with the Google account that owns the properties you need.
After authorization, Rankability auto-discovers the client’s available Google Search Console sites, Analytics properties, YouTube channels, and Business Profile locations.

A client can manage several Business Profile locations. In the client’s Integrations tab you can search the locations Rankability found across the authorized accounts — by name, location details, store code, or account — and connect one or more of them. Each connected location is listed with its address, service area, or store code so similarly named profiles stay distinguishable.

Connecting an account does not change Google data by itself. Search Console, Analytics, and the connected-data reporting flows are read-only. A connected Google Business Profile uses Google’s business-management permission because supported Rankability actions can update selected profile fields or post a review reply after an authorized user explicitly reviews and applies that action. Rankability does not make those GBP changes merely because the account is connected.

Use a Google account your workspace already connected

When your workspace already has a connected Google account that can see the client’s Search Console property, you do not need a new connect link. In the client’s Integrations tab, choose the option to select a property from a connected Google account, pick the account under Choose a connected Google account, and select the verified site to link to this client.

Rankability lists only verified sites for that account. If the account has none, or its properties cannot be loaded, the selector says so rather than linking something unverified. After you select a property, Rankability confirms the connection and can warn when the chosen property looks like a poor match for the client’s domain — read that warning before relying on the data.

When your workspace has no connected Google account yet, the same place offers Connect Google account, which starts the Google authorization directly instead of sending you to the organization’s connection settings.

To bring in a Google account your workspace does not have — a client’s own account, or a second account holding a different property — use Create secure link for another account on the Search Console card. It generates the same connect link described above, and once a link is active the control copies it instead. This is available whether or not a Google account is already connected, including while a property still needs choosing.

While Rankability is still checking which Google accounts your workspace has, the tab says so instead of offering the connect option. If that check fails it says it could not load your Google accounts and offers Try again. Read that as a failed lookup, not as proof that no account is connected — retry before generating a new connect link.

This reuses existing authorization; it does not grant the workspace any new Google access, and the client’s own connect-link flow remains available for accounts your workspace cannot already see.

Selecting properties

After authorization, the client is shown a property-selection screen. For each service that has available properties, the client can:

Toggle the service on or off with a checkbox.
Choose a specific property from a searchable dropdown (e.g., which Search Console site or which Analytics property).

If only one property exists for a service it is pre-selected automatically. Once the client clicks Connect selected services, the connection is saved and the client sees a confirmation screen.

Managing connected services

Back in Client Settings → Integrations, you can see the status of each service:

A green Connected badge means the service is active and data is syncing.
Click the disconnect icon next to a service to remove the connection.
To reconnect, generate a new connect link and send it to your client again.

You can also connect services directly from the Serena page using the Connections panel.

Link expiration and security

Each connect link expires after 7 days.
Only one active link can exist per client at a time. Generating a new link automatically revokes the previous one.
You can manually revoke an active link at any time by clicking Revoke.
Once a link has been used (the client completes authorization), it cannot be reused.

Troubleshooting

Link shows as expired – Generate a new connect link and send it to your client. Links are only valid for 7 days.
Client didn’t select any properties – The client may have authorized but skipped the property-selection step. Send them the link again, or generate a new one if the original has expired.
Service shows as not connected – The client may have signed in with a Google account that doesn’t own the expected properties. Ask them to try again with the correct account.
No properties found after authorization – The Google account used doesn’t have any Search Console sites, Analytics properties, YouTube channels, or Business Profile locations. Confirm the client is using the right Google account.
Can’t generate a link – Make sure you have permission to manage this client. Check with your agency admin if needed.

Client settings — General and Brand & voice — Configure client name, brand identity, and writing style.
Creating a new client — Set up a client before connecting their Google services.
Quickstart checklist — Full onboarding steps including connecting data sources.