Google has published new Search Central documentation detailing a Preferred Sources program for the Top Stories search feature. The update explains how eligible news publishers can appear in Google's source preferences tool and how users can mark them as preferred sources. The feature is available globally in Google Search for English language content.
Key details: Google Top Stories Preferred Sources update
The new documentation outlines how the Preferred Sources program works for Top Stories. It confirms that the program applies only to English language web pages, but across all regions. The guidance focuses on sites already surfaced in Google's source preferences tool.
According to Google, eligible publishers can guide readers directly to their entry in the source preferences tool. Google specifies a deep link format: https://google.com/preferences/source?q=Your_website's_URL. For example, a site at https://example.com can use https://google.com/preferences/source?q=example.com.
The documentation also reiterates how structured data affects Top Stories visibility. Schema.org Article structured data is not required for inclusion in Top Stories results. However, Google states that this markup helps Search better understand page content. The guidance adds that ItemList structured data used for carousel features does not influence the Top Stories display.
Summary of key points
- Preferred Sources applies only to English language pages, available globally.
- The program is managed through the Google source preferences tool.
- Publishers already present in the tool can use documented deep links.
- Deep links send users directly to a site's entry in source preferences.
- Article structured data is recommended to help Search understand content.
- Carousel ItemList structured data does not affect Top Stories ranking.
Background context: Google Top Stories and source preferences tool
Top Stories is a Google Search result section that highlights timely coverage for queries with news intent. It can surface international, national, and local reporting from a range of publishers, and appears on desktop and mobile Search results for many news related queries.
Google Search Central serves as the official documentation hub for search features and publisher guidance. The Preferred Sources documentation is located in the Search appearance section focused on news and topical content. It provides technical and product level details for sites that qualify for the source preferences experience.
The source preferences tool at google.com/preferences/source is a user facing control. Signed in users can manage which publishers they prefer for some news related surfaces. When a publisher is listed in the tool, Google's documentation explains how that site can share the direct link to its listing.
Google's structured data guidance aligns the Preferred Sources material with existing news documentation. Article schema remains a recommended signal for Search understanding of news pages. Carousel specific ItemList markup is clarified as unrelated to Top Stories, which follows its own display logic.
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