The Google update nobody's talking about

Oh hey Reader-

Google rolled out something at the end of May that’s pretty dang cool.

You can now tell Google which websites you trust, and those sites get a little "Preferred" badge inside AI Overviews and AI Mode when they’re cited.

Here's what this does for you:

When someone marks your website as preferred, Google is more likely to cite you in their (relevant) AI answers. And when your link shows up, they're about twice as likely to click through.

The catch (and tbh the upside): this is personal. It changes what the individual reader sees, not the whole world. So it's not a global ranking boost. It's a way to lock in the people who already like you, so you keep showing up for them even inside AI answers.

It’s one more way to stay in front of your people.

Here’s what has me so jazzed: This used to be a news-publisher thing.

A button next to the big outlets in Top Stories. Now any website that publishes fresh content can play, including yours.

I hear this is one way Google is trying to dial back some of the damage it did to smaller publishers and creators with the 2023 Helpful Content Update. Thanks Google…

Which brings me to the hint-hint part.

If my emails have ever saved you a headache, or helped your website get found, would you add me as one of yours? Takes two seconds:

Add me as a preferred source

You'll need to be signed into your Google account for it to stick. But then, all you need to do is this:

And then go set this up for your own site.

1) First, check that you're eligible: head to google.com/preferences/source and search your own domain. If you show up, you're good.

Heads up: Google tends to list sites that have published recently and tend to publish consistently. If you’re not eligible yet? Don't be discouraged. Take it as your nudge to get some fresh content out the door. The more regularly you publish, the more likely you are to show up here (and a hundred other places too).

2) Create your link using these instructions and send it to your people.

See you in the search results-

Laura

PS: If you want to learn more, Google announced the whole thing here:

Google's announcement