Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google’s New Preferred Sources Feature in Search
Google has introduced a preferred sources feature for top stories in Search, allowing users to select favored websites. Currently, publishers cannot access data on how many users have chosen them as preferred sources. Google is actively exploring providing this data to publishers, which could enhance content strategy insights in the future.
Optimixed’s Overview: Insights into Google’s Preferred Sources Feature and Its Impact on Publishers
Understanding the Preferred Sources Update
Google’s recent update enables users to set preferred sources for top news stories within Google Search. This feature is designed to personalize news consumption by prioritizing content from user-chosen websites.
Current Limitations for Publishers
- Publishers cannot currently track how many users have selected their site as a preferred source.
- This lack of data limits the ability to measure engagement and tailor content strategies accordingly.
Google’s Response and Future Possibilities
- Google’s VP of Engineering for Search, Rajan Patel, has acknowledged the feedback and confirmed they are investigating ways to provide this data to publishers.
- Introducing such analytics could become a significant SEO tool for publishers to understand audience preferences better.
How Publishers Can Leverage This Feature Now
While data access is pending, publishers can encourage users to set their site as a preferred source to boost visibility in top stories. Staying updated on Google’s announcements will be crucial for leveraging this feature fully once analytics are available.
