What has Google done?
Google is giving users more control over the content they see.
One of the latest additions allows people to choose their preferred news and content sources. Think of it as creating a shortlist of publishers they trust and want to hear from more often.
For publishers and brands, that’s a big opportunity.
If someone actively selects your website as a preferred source, you’re no longer just competing for visibility. You’re becoming part of their regular information diet.
The challenge is that readers usually won’t look for this setting on their own.
If you want people to add your website, you need to make the process simple, quick and obvious.
Make It A One-Click Process
The easier something is to do, the more likely people are to do it.
Google allows publishers to create a direct link that takes users straight to the preference screen where they can add a preferred source.
The format looks like this:
https://google.com/preferences/source?q=yourwebsite.com so in Koozai’s case https://google.com/preferences/source?q=koozai.com
Rather than asking readers to dig through settings menus, you can send them directly to the right place. It looks like this:
A few good places to use this link include:
- Email newsletters
- Homepage banners
- Blog post call-to-actions
- Push notifications
- Subscriber thank you pages
Keep the instructions short and clear.
Something as simple as:
“Enjoy our content? Add us as a Preferred Source on Google and you’ll be more likely to see our updates when searching for industry news.”
No lengthy explanation required. Nobody enjoys a scavenger hunt through account settings.
Explain What’s In It For Them
People are far more likely to take action when they understand the benefit.
Rather than focusing on what it means for your brand, focus on what it means for your audience.
For example:
- Get news from a source you already trust
- See more relevant content in Google
- Stay up to date with industry developments
- Reduce the noise from less relevant publishers
When framed this way, becoming a preferred source feels less like a favour and more like a useful personal setting.
Ask Your Most Loyal Audience First
Your biggest supporters are the most likely to take action.
Start with:
- Newsletter subscribers
- Existing customers
- Community members
- Webinar attendees
- Returning website visitors
These people already know your brand and value your content.
They’re much more likely to spend 30 seconds completing the process than someone discovering you for the first time.
Build It Into Existing Campaigns
You don’t need a dedicated campaign solely focused on becoming a preferred source.
Instead, weave it into activities you’re already running.
- Add a short section to newsletters.
- Include a call-to-action at the end of high-performing blog posts.
- Mention it during webinars or events.
- Feature it on thank-you pages after content downloads.
- Small prompts delivered consistently often outperform one large promotional push.
Trust Is The Real Goal
Becoming a preferred source isn’t really about a checkbox.
It’s the result of consistently publishing useful content that people want to come back to.
If your audience regularly finds value in what you publish, asking them to add you as a preferred source becomes a natural next step.
The technology may be new, but the principle is familiar.
Earn trust first.
Make the action easy.
Then give people a simple way to tell Google you’re a source worth hearing from.
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