Search company Google is reportedly in talks with a number of publishers about potentially paying to include their content within an innovative news product.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported this last week and explained that the majority of these negotiations were with publishers based outside of the US, including Europe. In a statement to the WSJ, Google explained that this is a subject it cares deeply about and wants to help to support a sustainable news industry, and it plans to do so by talking with its partners to find more ways to expand its projects with publishers, and build on initiatives such as Google News.
The company has struggled in recent years with fake news making its way into its News section and, back in 2018, it launched a plan to combat the problem. Furthermore, Google has also been in ongoing battles with news organisations in France over copyright laws that require tech firms to pay to preview content. Google has said that it won’t pay and will instead change the way it displays news.
Whatever Google decides to do for its news product, it will not be the first time that the company has decided to pay publishers. In 2019, the company began to license audio news from numerous US publishers, including PBS, CNN, Fox News, ABC and Reuters, as well as local radio stations. Google pays each of these publishers to create audio content in a format that works with Google Assistant.
Other big tech enterprises, including Apple and social network Facebook, have also experimented with paying publishers for their content.
Business owners should recognise the importance of publishing content on their websites on a regular basis, as this is one of the most important ranking factors to the search company. It demonstrates a knowledge of the industry, which is important to potential customers, and keeps a website fresh and up-to-date, which pleases Google. Contact Engage Web today to find out how we can help you with your content strategy.
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