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Google has fully rolled out its Preferred Sources Top Stories feature in the United States and India after testing it on Search Labs for just over six weeks. The feature aims to give publishers more visibility and potentially drive increased traffic from Google Search.
To designate a site as a preferred source on Google, users can select it through a dedicated link. This feature allows users to customize their search experience by choosing specific sites they want to see more frequently in Top Stories, including favorite blogs and local news outlets.
Activating Preferred Sources involves searching for a trending topic, clicking the icon next to Top Stories, and then searching for and selecting your preferred sources. Once set, refreshing search results will prioritize content from these chosen sites. An example interface shows a list of preferred sources, with options to add or remove sites.
Using Search Labs, some users have expressed positive feedback about the feature. Google has also provided a publisher resource section with instructions on how to encourage readers to select their publication as a preferred source. Publishers can include direct links or buttons on their websites, social media posts, or promotional material to guide users in setting their site as a preferred source.
A sample button is available for download, which publishers can add to their sites to facilitate this process. The button links directly to the preferences page for the site, enabling visitors to easily designate the publisher as a preferred source.
Discussion about the feature can be found on social media platforms, highlighting the growing interest and adoption by publishers seeking to enhance their visibility in top news stories through Google Search.
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