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- What “Add as preferred source” means for users and publishers
- How to add a preferred source on Google — quick steps
- Why preferences may not immediately change what you see
- Steps publishers should take to appear in Discover and News
- SEO and content tips to increase discoverability
- Troubleshooting common issues
- Privacy and control: what to know about your feed
- Practical examples and user scenarios
Want Google to favor a particular publisher in your feed or search results? You can signal preferences and follow trusted sources so their stories appear more often in Google Discover and News. This guide explains how to add a preferred source, what it changes, and tips to help publishers get noticed.
What “Add as preferred source” means for users and publishers
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When you mark a site as preferred, Google learns your preference and may surface more content from that publisher in your personalized feeds. This is not a guaranteed ranking boost in global search, but it does shape your personal results in Google Discover and the Google app.
- For users: a faster way to see articles you trust.
- For publishers: potential increase in repeat views from loyal readers.
How to add a preferred source on Google — quick steps
Exact UI labels vary by device and app version. Use these reliable steps as a template.
On mobile (Google app or Discover)
- Open the Google app while signed into your account.
- Find an article from the publisher you want to prefer.
- Tap the menu icon next to the article or the publisher’s name.
- Choose the option like “Follow,” “Show more from this source,” or “Add as preferred source.”
On desktop (Google News)
- Go to news.google.com and sign in.
- Locate the publisher card or an article from the source.
- Click the three-dot menu and select the preference option.
Tip: You must be signed in to your Google account for preferences to be saved.
Why preferences may not immediately change what you see
Google personalizes feeds based on many signals. Adding a preferred source nudges results, but other factors still apply.
- Location and language influence content selection.
- Recent activity and interests can outweigh one preference.
- Algorithm updates and content freshness matter a lot.
Steps publishers should take to appear in Discover and News
Marking a publisher as preferred helps, but site setup matters most. Publishers should focus on these essentials.
- Register and manage your presence with Google News Publisher Center.
- Use clear bylines, publication dates, and author pages to build trust.
- Implement structured data (schema) for articles and images.
- Ensure pages are mobile-friendly and fast to load.
- Follow Google’s news content policies and quality guidelines.
SEO and content tips to increase discoverability
Even with personal preferences, standard SEO remains crucial. These practices help both search and feed visibility.
- Write concise, accurate headlines and descriptive meta tags.
- Publish timely, original reporting with clear sourcing.
- Optimize large lead images and include appropriate image metadata.
- Use canonical tags and avoid duplicate content across domains.
- Monitor performance in Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
Troubleshooting common issues
If a site you prefer doesn’t appear, try these checks.
- Confirm you are signed in to the account where you set the preference.
- Clear app cache or update the Google app to the latest version.
- Check region and language settings in Google News or Discover.
- For publishers, verify indexing in Search Console and check for manual actions.
Privacy and control: what to know about your feed
You control these preferences and can remove them anytime. Google uses them to tailor content, not to publish personal data.
- Manage followed sources in the Google app settings.
- Change or remove preferences through account personalization controls.
- Privacy note: preferences are tied to your Google account.
Practical examples and user scenarios
Consider common situations where adding a preferred source helps.
- If you trust a local outlet, preferring it surfaces local news faster.
- If you follow niche tech reporting, it increases relevant story frequency.
- Publishers benefit when loyal readers follow or prefer their content.
