Google’s “Preferred Sources” – digital marketing equivalent of queue-skipping?

Lia Bartley

Search giant Google has released a new feature that will help users to see content from their preferred publishers.

Called Preferred Sources, this new feature is like getting a fast-track wristband at Alton Towers. Instead of waiting in line with everyone else, you can tell Google, “I always want to hear from these guys first”, and suddenly your chosen websites jump to the front of the search results.

It’s a simple idea, but one that could really shake things up. Picture this: you’re looking up the football scores. Normally, you’d wade through about four different sites, all showing you the same information with slightly different ads flashing at you. With Preferred Sources, you could just tell Google, “Look, I only want the BBC, thanks very much”, and avoid ending up on some dodgy blog that hasn’t been updated since Euro 2004.

For brands, it’s a bit like school sports day. If you’re picked as a Preferred Source, you’re out front, running the 100m with the crowd cheering. If you’re not, you’re the poor kid stuck in the sack race, tripping over your own feet while everyone ignores you.

The big question is whether people will actually use it. Let’s be honest, most of us never touch the settings on our smart TVs, which is why your uncle is still watching in “demo mode” with the brightness turned up to the surface of the sun. But for people who are tired of clickbait and nonsense headlines, the idea of cutting straight to their trusted sites could be a breath of fresh air.

Is Preferred Sources available in the UK?

At the moment, Preferred Sources is only available to users in the United States and India. As always though, these features tend to roll out more widely once Google has tested the waters.

What does this mean for businesses?

It means trust matters more than ever. If your site looks professional, gives real value and doesn’t treat visitors like walking wallets, you’ve got a shot at becoming someone’s Preferred Source. That’s a powerful place to be.

At Engage Web, we keep up with every new trick Google throws at us so our clients don’t have to. Whether it’s Preferred Sources, GEO (generative engine optimisation), AI (artificial intelligence) results or the next algorithm update that pops up while you’re making a cuppa, we’re on it.

Want to make sure your business is the one people pick first? Get in touch with Engage Web today and let’s make you the preferred choice.

About
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Lia Bartley

Content Editor at Engage Web

With years of experience in the financial sector, Lia has swapped the world of mis-sold PPI in exchange for life as an eagle-eyed editor at Engage Web, ensuring our wonderful clients have equally wonderful content on their websites.