Google Introduces ‘Preferred Source’ Button to Boost Publisher Visibility

Google has unveiled a new feature allowing publishers to add a ‘Preferred Source’ button directly on their websites. This tool enables readers to signal to Google that they want to see content from that publisher more frequently in Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode.

Previously, users had to navigate Google’s search settings to mark preferred sources, a process many found cumbersome and rarely used. The new button simplifies this by placing the option right on the article page. When clicked, a brief confirmation screen appears, and with a single tap, readers can add the publisher as a preferred source without leaving the page.

Impact on Reader Engagement and Publisher Traffic

• Readers who select a preferred source are twice as likely to revisit that publisher’s content.
• The number of unique sources chosen has surged from 90,000 in December 2025 to over 600,000 recently.
• This growth indicates increased adoption since the button’s global rollout in April 2026.

The introduction of AI-driven features by Google, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, has led to significant drops in referral traffic for many publishers. Some have reported declines in Discover clicks by up to 98% following Google's December 2025 core update.

By making it easier for loyal readers to endorse their sites, publishers gain a new avenue to maintain visibility and counteract traffic losses attributed to algorithmic changes.

Google has not clarified whether the 600,000 figure refers to individual publishers or specific pages within publisher sites, nor the exact timeframe of this growth. Nonetheless, the trend suggests Google is encouraging publishers to actively engage their audiences to secure better search prominence rather than relying solely on algorithmic ranking.