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Google Preferred Sources is a search feature that allows users to choose the sites they want to see more often. Once selected, a site will appear more frequently in the "Top Stories" section, AI Overviews, and AI Mode, marked with a "Preferred" badge. Adding a site takes just a few clicks, either directly from search results or via Google account settings.
For publishers and brands, the stakes are clear. According to Google, a user is twice as likely to click on a site after adding it to their preferred sources. The feature has been available in French since April 30, 2026, by which time more than 200,000 unique sites had already been selected worldwide, according to Google.
Here is how preferred sources work, how a site is added, how to encourage your readers to do so, and what can already be measured via Search Console.
What is Google's Preferred Sources feature?
Preferred Sources is a Google Search personalization setting. Users can indicate which media outlets, blogs, or websites they trust, and Google will display their content more often when they publish something recent related to the user's search. Selecting a site does not guarantee it will appear; it simply increases the likelihood of it being shown.
A feature launched in 2025, available in French since April 2026
Tested in Search Labs starting in June 2025, the feature was first launched in the "Top Stories" section in the United States and India. Google subsequently rolled it out to all languages, including French, and later extended it to AI-generated responses.
These dates are based on announcements from Google and specialized press reports.
Where do preferred sources appear in Google?
According to the Google Search Central documentation, preferred sources affect three areas, and a choice made in one applies to the other two.
- The "Top Stories" section : the news carousel displayed for news-related queries. Selected sites appear here with a "Preferred" badge.
- TheAI Overviews : Google may prioritize selected sources in the generated summary and the list of cited links.
- AI Mode : Google's conversational interface also relies on these preferences, displaying the same badge.
For AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google specifies that the site must be included in the Search generative AI features. However, Google does not mention any impact on the ranking of standard organic results: only these three areas are affected.
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How do you add a site to your preferred sources?
According to official Google support, there are two ways to do this. Settings saved while signed in apply to all browsers where the user is logged into their Google account.
From the "Top stories" section
- Search for a recent news topic.
- If the "Top stories" section appears, click the icon shaped like cards with a star to the right of the title.
- Check the desired sources, or uncheck them to remove them.
- Click "Update results."
From the search customization settings
- On google.com, click your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Open "Search customization," then "Source preferences."
- Search for the site by name or domain, then check it.
This second method is useful when no "Top stories" section appears, which is the case for any queries that Google does not identify as news-related.
Which sites can become a preferred source?
Not all sites are eligible. Google sets two conditions.
- Site level : only domains (www.example.com) and subdomains (blog.example.com) can appear in the tool. A subdirectory like www.example.com/blog cannot.
- Freshness : sources that are not updated regularly may be unavailable.
To check your site's eligibility, simply enter your domain in the search field of the preferences tool. If your company blog lives in a subdirectory, only the main domain can be selected.
How can you encourage your readers to add you as a preferred source?
Google states that no action is required to appear as a preferred source. However, users do not spontaneously think of this setting; publishers who explicitly ask their audience to do so gain a head start.
The official JavaScript button
Available since August 20, 2026, it can be installed with two lines of HTML: a script to be placed in the <head> of the page and a tag to be placed where the button should appear.
<script async src="https://news.google.com/swg/js/v1/publisher.js"></script>
<div google-add-preferred-source-btn></div>
The "Add to preferred sources" label is automatically translated based on the browser's language, and a light or dark theme can be selected. Upon clicking, the site is added and the reader remains on the same page. This is the version that Search Console now recommends over the old image-based button.
The deep link to the preferences tool
When JavaScript is not an option, Google provides a direct link to the tool in the format https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=yoursite.com. It can be used as a text link, a clickable image, in a newsletter, or on social media. Google also provides official translated visuals.
The best places to request it
- At the end of an article, for readers who have read to the very end.
- In the newsletter, for an audience that is already loyal.
- On social media, when publishing strong content.
- On the "About" page or in the footer, for a permanent presence.
What Search Console reveals about preferred sources
Until October 2026, no publisher knew how many users had chosen them. Since October 6, 2026, some site owners have been receiving an email from the Google Search Console indicating that users are choosing their domain as a preferred source, according to Abondance.
This email contains a single figure: the number of times the site has been selected as a preferred source as of a specific date (October 5, 2026, for the initial batch). It recommends installing the JavaScript button and links to a two-minute survey about future reporting.
This initial figure is limited:
- it does not appear in the Search Console interface, only in the email;
- it provides a total for a single date, with no history or trends;
- it is not linked to traffic or generated clicks;
- not all sites receive it, and Google has not disclosed its criteria.
The survey asks owners to rank, from 1 to 4, the metrics they would like to see in Search Console. A dedicated report appears to be in development, but Google has not provided a release date.
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How can you measure the impact of preferred sources on your traffic?
While waiting for an official report, there are three ways to objectively assess the feature's effect on your site.
- Archive every figure received via email. Since the tool lacks history, this is the only way to track the evolution of your selections. Also, ensure the email is being delivered to the property owner's inbox.
- Track clicks on the button. A dedicated event in GA4, triggered by clicks on the button or deep link, measures the addition requests generated by your site. A proper tagging plan, with support in tracking and dataprevents duplicates and unattributed clicks.
- Monitor the relevant surfaces. Clicks and impressions for your news articles in the Performance report, as well as the Discover report, serve as a proxy. Cross-reference these with your standard SEO indicators to isolate the effect of your promotional campaigns.
Preferred sources, Google Discover, and Google News: what are the differences?
These three features are often confused because they all relate to current events. However, they do not operate in the same way.
For a publisher, the three levers complement each other: preferred sources work within search, while Discover and Google News operate in recommendation feeds.
Preferred Sources and GEO: A new visibility lever in AI answers
Extending this to AI Overviews and AI Mode changes the scope of the feature. Until now, visibility in generated answers depended primarily on content relevance and site authority, two pillars of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Preferred sources add a declarative signal: the user themselves designates the sites they want to see cited.
For a brand that publishes regularly, this is a loyalty-building lever that should be activated just like a newsletter. It extends the work done on E-E-A-T signals : the trust built with readers becomes visible, with a badge, in the results.
The SEO and GEO team at datashake supports brands across all these levers: auditing visibility in AI search engines, answer-first content, technical optimizations, and citation tracking using an in-house GEO monitoring tool. Integrating the preferred sources button and tracking it in GA4 are among the quick actions to implement.
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FAQ
Can I see how many users have chosen my site as a preferred source?
Yes, partially. Since October 6, 2026, Search Console has been sending some site owners an email with the number of times their domain has been selected. This figure does not yet appear in the interface and has no history.
Do preferred sources influence organic rankings?
Google does not mention any effect on standard organic results. The feature operates on three surfaces—the "Top Stories" section, AI Overviews, and AI Mode—and only for users who have chosen the site.
Can a blog hosted in a subdirectory become a preferred source?
No. Only domains and subdomains are eligible. A blog at www.example.com/blog cannot be selected on its own, unlike a blog at blog.example.com.
Do you need to be signed in to your Google account to add a preferred source?
Preferences saved while signed in apply to all browsers where the user is logged into that Google account. Google's help documentation does not specify how it works without being signed in.
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