As AI-powered search continues to reduce traffic to websites, Google is giving publishers a new way to encourage readers to choose their content as a preferred source.
The company has introduced an interactive “Preferred Sources” button that publishers can add directly to their websites. Readers can use it to mark a publisher as a favorite source they want to see more often across Google Search, Discover and Google News.
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How Preferred Sources Work
Google first introduced Preferred Sources in May across its AI-powered search features, including AI Mode and AI Overviews. The option was previously available in Top Stories.
The feature is designed to help readers find content from publishers they already know and trust, including when they use Google’s AI tools to search for information or follow the latest news. Google said users had already selected more than 345,000 unique sources through the feature by May.
Readers can also add a publisher as a preferred source through Google’s source preferences page by searching for the publication’s name or website.
According to Google, becoming a preferred source can help publishers attract more traffic. Earlier studies found that users are twice as likely to click on a preferred source when one is available.
More Control Over Google Discover
Google is also giving users more control over their Discover feeds. Soon, people will be able to tell Google in their own words which topics they want to see more or less of.
Users can tap the three-dot menu on a Discover post and enter a natural-language request. Google will then adjust the feed based on their preferences.
The move follows a broader shift among social media platforms toward giving users more control over the algorithms that determine what content they see.
Android users will also soon be able to customize their audio daily briefings in the Google News app, according to the company.
