Google has quietly expanded documentation around its Preferred Sources program, outlining how news publishers can increase their chances of appearing in the Top Stories carousel and driving more traffic from Search.
The update provides clearer guidance on how readers can designate trusted outlets, effectively allowing publishers to influence which sources surface more frequently in Top Stories for individual users.
A More Direct Path To Visibility
Top Stories remains one of Google’s highest‑visibility placements for news content, often appearing at the top of results during breaking events and local developments. Placement can significantly impact clicks, especially for time‑sensitive coverage.
Google notes that structured data is not required for eligibility. However, using Article schema can help its systems better interpret page content. ItemList or carousel‑specific markup does not affect Top Stories inclusion.
Instead, ranking relies primarily on signals such as freshness, relevance, and source credibility.
How Preferred Sources Works
The Preferred Sources feature allows users to select news outlets they want prioritized in Top Stories.
When a reader adds a publication to their preferred list, that outlet may receive more prominent placement for that user during relevant searches.
Google confirmed the tool is currently limited to English‑language pages globally.
Publishers whose domains appear in the system can use a direct link that sends readers straight to the selection interface. This enables sites to promote the feature through newsletters, social media, or on‑site calls to action.
For example: https://google.com/preferences/source?q=example.com
This link opens the preferences page with the publication pre‑filled, simplifying the opt‑in process.
Why It Matters For Publishers
As AI summaries and other search features increasingly reduce traditional click‑through opportunities, Top Stories remains one of the few placements that consistently drives high‑intent traffic for news publishers.
Encouraging loyal readers to mark a site as preferred could help stabilize visibility, particularly during competitive or fast‑moving news cycles.
While it doesn’t guarantee placement, the program offers publishers another lever to influence discovery at a time when organic reach is becoming less predictable.
For newsrooms focused on growth, small visibility advantages inside Top Stories may compound over time.
