Transparency Needed: Can Publishers Benefit from Google’s Preferred Sources Feature?

This week, the focus is on Google’s Preferred Sources feature and its implications for publishers. Introduced to enhance publisher control over audience loyalty, this feature has left many in the publishing industry without essential traffic data for six months.

Understanding Google’s Preferred Sources Feature

Launched initially in August 2025 in the U.S. and India, the Preferred Sources feature allows users to customize their search results by selecting news outlets they trust. This feature was introduced to help users find and engage with content from favored sources, but it has raised concerns among publishers due to a lack of data.

• Publishers cannot track how many users select their site as a Preferred Source.
• Google hasn’t provided analytics on traffic from the “Top Stories” section.
• Many publishers are frustrated by the limited data available for effective strategy building.

The Data Dilemma

Despite the positive intentions behind the Preferred Sources feature, six publishing executives expressed concerns about the absence of traffic data. A head of search at a news publisher highlighted the difficulty in assessing the feature’s impact due to Google’s lack of analytics.

Additionally, Google rolled out major updates to its core algorithm last December and to Discover in the following months, complicating the evaluation of Preferred Sources. Publishers have complained about the opacity of Google’s analytics tools, making it challenging to discern click-through rates and referral traffic specific to this feature.

Industry Reactions and Adaptation Strategies

Publishers like BBC, Vox, and Wired have taken steps to educate their audiences about how to select them as Preferred Sources. They are utilizing how-to articles and social media promotion.

• Educational content to guide users in selecting Preferred Sources.
• Tracking interactions with “add us as a Preferred Source” buttons.
• Monitoring branded search trends for insights.

Jessie Willms, an SEO strategist at The Guardian, suggested that while tracking these elements may not provide comprehensive data, they still offer some leverage for publishers to enhance brand recognition.

Future of Search Personalization

Google appears to be moving towards more personalized search results. A recent addition to the “Top Stories” section encourages users to sign in to customize their experience and select Preferred Sources. This shift indicates a potential evolution in how users interact with search results.

However, Preferred Sources may not serve as a substitute for effective search engine optimization or mitigate the decline in search referral traffic. A content growth strategist from a lifestyle publisher noted that their strategies primarily focus on maintaining traffic levels and optimizing other platforms, like Google Discover.

Key Insights and Statistics

Google has reported that users who choose a Preferred Source are twice as likely to visit that site. Notably, over 175,000 sources have been selected by users as Preferred Sources. Yet, the lack of data transparency continues to hinder publishers’ ability to measure effectiveness and strategy development.

In summary, while Google’s Preferred Sources feature presents an opportunity for publishers, significant challenges remain in terms of tracking impact and fostering audience loyalty effectively.