Appear in Top Stories using Google Search preferred sources

What Are Google Search Preferred Sources and Why They Matter

Google Search Preferred Sources is a feature that lets users customize their Top Stories experience by selecting their favorite news sites and publications. Once a source is selected, Google will prioritize showing that outlet's articles more prominently within Top Stories whenever those sources have published fresh and relevant content matching a search query.

TL:DR – The feature directly addresses a core challenge for news readers: the difficulty of consistently seeing content from the specific outlets they already trust, follow, or subscribe to. Whether that's a favorite sports blog, a local news outlet, or a major national publication, Preferred Sources ensures those voices appear more reliably in search results rather than being buried beneath other coverage.

Where the Preferred Badge Appears

When a user has designated a site as a preferred source, that site's content can be highlighted with a "preferred" badge across multiple Google surfaces, including:

• Top Stories — articles appear more frequently or in a dedicated "From your sources" section.
• AI Mode — preferred content is surfaced and badged within AI-generated results.
• AI Overviews — preferred sources can be highlighted when those features are available.

Availability and Rollout

Preferred Sources launched initially in the United States and India, in August 2025. The feature is now available globally for Top Stories across all languages where Google Search operates, and preferred source badging in AI Mode and AI Overviews extends to all languages and locales where those features are supported.

For publishers, this feature represents a meaningful opportunity. Users who already subscribe to or follow a publication can now signal that loyalty directly within Google Search, giving those outlets a competitive edge in Top Stories visibility and reinforcing the value of building a loyal readership.

How to Set Up and Manage Your Preferred Sources in Google Search

Getting started with Preferred Sources is straightforward and takes just a few steps directly within Google Search. Once configured, the feature works quietly in the background to surface more content from the sites you care about most.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Search for a topic that is currently in the news using Google Search as you normally would.
2. Locate the Top Stories section in your results and click the icon to the right of the Top Stories label.
3. Search for and select your preferred sources from the available options — you can choose as many as you like.
4. Refresh your results to immediately begin seeing more articles from your chosen sites.

How Your Selections Appear in Results

Once you have chosen your sources, their articles will appear more prominently in two ways: either within the standard Top Stories carousel or inside a dedicated "From your sources" section on the search results page. You will still see content from other publishers alongside your preferred picks, ensuring a broad view of the news.

Managing and Updating Your Sources

Your preferences are never locked in. You can manage, update, or remove any of your selected sources at any time through the same interface used to set them up.

Data from early Labs users offered a useful benchmark for how people approach the feature: over half of early users chose four or more preferred sources, suggesting that most readers value access to a diverse range of trusted sites rather than relying on a single outlet. There is no upper limit on how many sources you can add, so the feature scales naturally with your reading habits.

How Publishers Can Get Selected as a Google Preferred Source

Getting your publication selected as a preferred source by readers is one of the most direct ways to increase your visibility in Google's Top Stories. When a user selects your site, your content becomes more likely to appear prominently in their Top Stories results — often with a dedicated "From your sources" section and a "preferred" badge [2]. Here is how publishers can actively encourage that behavior.

Eligibility Requirements

The Preferred Sources feature is available for domain-level and subdomain-level sites only. Publishers should confirm their site qualifies before promoting the feature to their audience. The feature is available globally for Top Stories across all languages where Google Search is available, and preferred sources can also appear in AI Mode and AI Overviews.

Use the Deeplink URL Format

Google provides a dedicated deeplink URL format that takes users directly to the source preferences tool, with your site pre-populated. This removes friction from the selection process and makes it far easier for readers to add your publication in just a few clicks. Here's an example.

https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ezone.co.uk

Add a Preferred Source Button to Your Website

One of the most effective tactics is placing a preferred source button like this one alongside your existing social media calls-to-action — such as follow, subscribe, and newsletter sign-up prompts. Treating it like any other audience-building CTA ensures it reaches visitors at the moments they are most engaged with your content. 

Promote to Existing Followers and Subscribers

Your current audience is your most receptive group. Encourage followers and email subscribers to select your site as a preferred source through newsletters, social posts, and on-site messaging. Google's own data from early Labs users found that over half of users chose four or more preferred sources, suggesting readers are genuinely motivated to curate their news experience once they are aware of the feature.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Preferred Search Experience

Once you start using Preferred Sources in Google Search, a few smart habits can help you get the most relevant Top Stories results every time you search.

Build a Diverse Source List

You are not limited to just a handful of choices — you can select as many sources as you like. Data from early adopters shows the real value of variety: over half of users chose four or more sources when the feature was tested through Google Labs [1]. Consider mixing national outlets with local news sites, niche blogs, and publications you subscribe to. Whether it is your favorite sports blog or a regional newspaper, a broader selection gives Google more opportunities to surface content that genuinely matters to you [1].

Understand How Content Freshness Affects Visibility

Selecting a source does not guarantee it will always appear at the top. Your preferred sources will be shown when those sources have published fresh and relevant content for your search [1]. This means actively followed outlets that publish frequently on trending topics are more likely to surface than sites that update infrequently. Keep this in mind when evaluating whether a source is worth adding to your list.

Combine Preferred Sources with Other Customization Tools

Preferred Sources is one part of a broader set of Google Search personalization options. Using it alongside other customization features — such as SafeSearch settings and language preferences — creates a more tailored overall experience [1]. Your preferred source selections are also persistent and manageable at any time, so you can refine your list as your interests evolve.

If You Previously Used Google Labs

If you enrolled in the Preferred Sources experiment through Google Labs before the full rollout, there is nothing extra you need to do. Your existing selections will automatically carry over, and you will continue seeing more content from those sites within Top Stories [1]. The transition is seamless, preserving all the preferences you already set up during the early-access period.