In 2025, Google launched Preferred Sources … a way for loyal readers to directly tell Google that they want to see more of your content in Google Search. It is now available globally in every language Google supports.
This is a great opportunity to drive more traffic to your site from readers who already trust you. According to Google, readers are 2x more like to click through to your site after marking it as a Preferred Source.
The Benefits for Publishers
Being a Preferred Source is a persistent signal that is connected to the user’s Google account. Because of this, their preference persists no matter what device or browser they use as long as they are logged into their Google account.
What do you get out of this?
- More search clicks from your most loyal readers. The people who already trust you now see your content more often on when they search.
- More visibility in Google Discover. Google’s February 2026 Discover Core Update made it clear that source preferences now influence Discover too. You are also more likely to show up in readers’ Discover feed.
- Ability to influence news placement. Top Stories news placement in search has previously been determined entirely by Google’s algorithms. Preferred Source lets readers say they want to see more of your content.
Is Your Site Eligible?
Before you start promoting this to your readers, check that your site is actually eligible.
First, only domain-level and subdomain-level sites qualify. For example, https://example.com, https://www.example.com, and https://news.example.com are all eligible. However, subdirectories like https://www.example.com/news/ are not eligible.
Your site needs to be triggering Top Stories queries in Google Search. That means you need to be regularly publishing fresh content that Google considers to be newsworthy.
To check if you’re eligible, go to https://google.com/preferences/source and search for your website’s domain. If your site shows up, then you’re good to go.
How to Implement Preferred Source on Your Website
The great news here is that there is no special coding, schema, tags or complex technical integration. Your job is just to encourage your readers to add you as a preferred source.
Preferred Source Link Format
Google has a link format that takes a reader directly to the page where they can add your site as a preferred source. Here’s the format:
https://google.com/preferences/source?q=YOURDOMAIN.COMFor example, if your site is https://biztimes.com then you’d use:
https://google.com/preferences/source?q=biztimes.comYou’ll use this link everywhere you promote it to your readers.
Add a Button or CTA to Your Website Header
I strongly recommend adding a button or CTA to your website header that uses the preferred source link from above. Make sure to open the link in a new tab.
Add a Button Near Article Share Links
I also recommend adding a button / CTA in your article templates. Personally, I like to put it next to the article sharing links. Again, make sure to open the link in a new tab.
Promote It in Your Email Newsletter
Your email subscribers are already your most loyal readers. They’re the most likely to add you as a Preferred Source. Send out a one-time email explaining what Preferred Sources is and why they should pick you. Then mention it occasionally in your newsletter footer or in a periodic “stay connected” reminder.
Promote It on Social Media
As with email, your social media followers have already selected you as a preferred source. Make a post that explains the Google Preferred Sources with a screenshot showing how to do it, and use the link above. Repeat this every few months.
Tracking Preferred Sources
Unfortunately, Google does not give publishers any way to see how many readers have picked them as a Preferred Source. It doesn’t appear in Google Analytics or in Google Search Console.
Rajan Patel, Google’s VP of Engineering for Search, said back in August 2025 they were “looking into this” but I wouldn’t count on anything soon.
The best you can do right now its track how many people click your “Add us as a Preferred Source” buttons on your site.
Bottom Line
Preferred Sources is a good way to help loyal readers see more of your content in Google Search, Discover, and News. It’s simple to implement with minimal effort, and can have meaningful impact on traffic.
Here’s what you should do this week:
- Go to https://google.com/preferences/source and confirm your site is eligible.
- Add a “Make us a Google Preferred Source” button to your site header and in your article template.
- Send a one-time email to your newsletter subscribers asking them to add you as a Preferred Source.
- Make a couple of social posts about it.
This is maybe a half-day of work for your tech and audience teams. There really is no downside and the readers most likely to take action are already the ones most valuable to your business.
Once you’ve implemented this on your site, drop me an email at eric@nearviewmedia.com and let me know how it’s working for you. I’d love to compare notes!